Samson — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Manoah’s son, from Dan’s tribe. His mother, whose name is not given in the Bible, had been barren. The angel of the Lord announced to her that she would have a son, who was to be a Nazirite all of his life (i.e., he was not to drink wine or strong drink, not to eat anything ceremonially unclean, and not to allow a razor to touch his head, Nm 6:1-6). She was also told that he would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines, who had subjugated them for 40 years (Jgs 13:1-5). She reported this to her husband, Manoah, and Manoah prayed concerning this angelic visit (v 8). The angel of the Lord appeared again and gave instructions about the child who was to be born. Manoah made a burnt offering, and the angel of the Lord ascended to heaven in the smoke. Manoah feared that they would die, for he now realized that they had seen God (v 22). The child was born and the Lord blessed him as he grew. The Spirit of the Lord moved upon him in Mahaneh-dan (v 25).

Show passage in OET: NUM 6:1–6

OET-RV NUM 6:1

6 Then Yahweh told Mosheh (Moses),

OET-RV NUM 6:2

2 “Tell the Israelis that when any man or woman wants to make a solemn vow to separate themself to Yahweh as a Nazirite,

OET-RV NUM 6:3

3 they must keep away from wine and strong drink, and even vinegar made from wine or strong drink, plus they mustn’t drink grape juice or eat either grapes or raisins.

OET-RV NUM 6:4

4 For the entire time of their separation, they mustn’t eat anything coming from a grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.

OET-RV NUM 6:5

5 “For the entire time of their vow to Yahweh as a Nazirite, they mustn’t cut their hair—they must sacred and grow their hair long.

OET-RV NUM 6:6

6 “For the entire time of their separation to Yahweh, they mustn’t approach any dead body,

OET-LV NUM 6:1

6 And_ YHWH _he/it _spoke to Mosheh to_saying.

OET-LV NUM 6:2

2 Speak to the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_you _will _say to_them a _man or a _woman if/because he _will _make _hard to_vow a _vow _of a _Nāzīr to_be _a _Nāzīr to/for_YHWH.

OET-LV NUM 6:3

3 From_wine and_strong _drink he _will _keep _separate vinegar _of wine and_vinegar _of strong _drink not he _will _drink and_all juice _of grapes not he _will _drink and_grapes fresh and_dry not he _will _eat.

OET-LV NUM 6:4

4 All _of the _days _of his _consecration _of_his from_all that it _is _made from_the _vine _of the _wine from_seeds and_unto skin not he _will _eat.

OET-LV NUM 6:5

5 All _of the _days _of the _vow _of his _consecration _of_his a _razor not it _will _pass over his/its_head until the_days which he _will _be _a _Nāzīr to/for_YHWH are _completed holy he _will _be the _lock[s]_of the _hair _of his/its_head he _will _make _grow.

OET-LV NUM 6:6

6 All _of the _days _of his _being _a _Nāzīr to/for_YHWH to a _corpse a _dead_person not he _will _go.

Show passage in OET: JDG 13:1–5

OET-RV JDG 13:1

13 The Israelis continued to do what Yahweh considered as evil, so he allowed the Pelishtim to oppress them for forty years.

OET-RV JDG 13:2

2 Now there was a man named Manoah from Tsor’ah, of the families of the Danim. His wife was barren so they had no children.

OET-RV JDG 13:3

3 One day, Yahweh’s messenger appeared to the wife and told her, “Listen, please, you are barren and have never given birth, but you will conceive and have a son.

OET-RV JDG 13:4

4 Now take care that you surely don’t drink wine or strong drink, and that you don’t eat anything prohibited by our rules,

OET-RV JDG 13:5

5 because you’ll definitely become pregnant and will give birth to a son. His hair must never be cut because he’ll be a Nazirite to God from his conception. He will begin to rescue Yisrael (Israel) from the oppression of the Pelishtim.”

OET-LV JDG 13:1

13 And_ the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _they _repeated for_doing the_evil in/on_both _eyes _of YHWH and_he_gave _them YHWH in_the _hand _of the_Pəlishtiy forty year[s].

OET-LV JDG 13:2

2 And_he/it _was a _man one from_Tsorˊāh/(Zorah) from_the _clan _of the _Danite[s] and_his/its_name was_Mānōaḩ and_his/its_woman/wife was_barren and_not she _had _borne _children.

OET-LV JDG 13:3

3 And_ the _messenger _of YHWH _he _appeared to the_woman and_he/it _said to_her/it HERE please you are_barren and_not you _have _borne _children and_you _will _conceive and_you _will _bear a _son.

OET-LV JDG 13:4

4 And_now take _care please and_do _not drink wine and_strong _drink and_do _not eat any _of unclean_thing.

OET-LV JDG 13:5

5 If/because HERE_you will _be_pregnant and_you _will _bear a _son and_(a)_razor not it _will _go _up on his/its_head if/because a _Nāzīr _of god he _will _be the_lad from the_womb and_he he _will _begin to_deliver DOM Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) from_the _hand _of the_Pəlishtiy.

Show passage in OET: JDG 13:8

OET-RV JDG 13:8

8 Then Manoah prayed to Yahweh, “Oh please, my master, please let the man of God that you sent before, come back to us again so he can instruct us about what we must do for this boy who’s going to be born.”

OET-LV JDG 13:8

8 And_ Mānōaḩ _he _prayed to YHWH and_he _said pardon _me master _of_my the _man _of the_ʼElohīm whom you _sent let _him _come please again to_us so_that_he _may _teach _us what will _we _do for_lad is]_about _to _be _born.

Show passage in OET: JDG 13:22

OET-RV JDG 13:22

22 Manoah said to his wife, “We’ll definitely die now because we’ve seen God!”

OET-LV JDG 13:22

22 And_ Mānōaḩ _he/it _said to his/its_wife/woman surely _(die) we _will _die if/because god we _have _seen.

Show passage in OET: JDG 13:25

OET-RV JDG 13:25

25 and then Yahweh’s spirit began to stir him when he was in Mahaneh Dan—between Tsor’ah and between Eshtaol.

OET-LV JDG 13:25

25 And_ the _spirit _of YHWH _it _began to_stir_him in_Mahaneh- dan between Tsorˊāh/(Zorah) and_between ʼEshtāʼol.

Jump to OET NUM 6:1–6 section.

Jump to OET JDG 13:1–5 section.

Jump to OET JDG 13:8 section.

Jump to OET JDG 13:22 section.

Jump to OET JDG 13:25 section.

Samson went to Timnah and saw a Philistine woman whom he wished to marry. The Lord was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines, and in Samson’s case these occasions came through Philistine women. When he and his parents went to Timnah to arrange the marriage, a lion came out of the vineyards, and Samson, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord came mightily, tore the lion in half. Later he found that a swarm of bees had made honey in the carcass of the lion (Jgs 14:2-9).

Show passage in OET: JDG 14:2–9

OET-RV JDG 14:2

2 and he went back home and he reported to his parents, “I saw a Pelishti woman in Timnah that I’d like you to get for me as my wife.”

OET-RV JDG 14:3

3 “Isn’t there a woman among your relatives?” his parents asked him, “Or among all of our people? Why take a wife from the uncircumcised Pelishtim?”
¶ “Get her for me,” Shimshon said to his father, “because I feel she’s right for me.”

OET-RV JDG 14:4

4 Now his parents didn’t know that Yahweh was arranging this, because he was seeking an opportunity against the Pelishtim who were oppressing Yisrael (Israel) at that time.

OET-RV JDG 14:5

5 Then Shimshon went to Timnah with his parents and when they got to the vineyards there, wow, a young lion roared when it saw him.

OET-RV JDG 14:6

6 Yahweh’s spirit rose up in Shimshon, and he tore the lion to pieces with his bare hands like butchering a young goat, but he didn’t mention to his parents what he’d done.

OET-RV JDG 14:7

7 Then he continued on and talked with the woman, and he really liked her.

OET-RV JDG 14:8

8 Some time later when he returned for the wedding, he turned off the path to look for the lion’s carcass, and to his surprise, a swarm of bees had nested in the carcass and there was honey there.

OET-RV JDG 14:9

9 He filled his cupped hands with honey, and continued along—walking and eating as he went to where his parents were. He even gave some to them to try, but he didn’t tell them that he had scooped it out of the carcass of a dead lion.

OET-LV JDG 14:2

2 And_he/it _ascended and_he _told to_father _of_his and_to_mother _of_his and_he/it _said a _woman I _have _seen in_Timnāh one_of _the _daughters _of the_Pəlishtiy and_now get her to/for_me to/for_(a)_woman.

OET-LV JDG 14:3

3 And_he/it _said to_him/it his/its_father and_mother _of_his is_there_not among_the _daughters _of your(pl)_brothers _of_your and_on/over_all people _of_my a _woman that/for/because/then/when you are_going to_take/accept/receive a _wife from_the_Pəlishtiy (the)_uncircumcised and_ Shimshvōn _he/it _said to his/its_father her get to_me if/because she she _is _pleasing in_eyes _of_my.

OET-LV JDG 14:4

4 And_father _of_his and_mother _of_his not they _knew if/because _that was_from_YHWH it if/because an _occasion he was_seeking from_the_Pəlishtiy and_at_time (the)_that the_Pəlishtiy were_ruling over_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

OET-LV JDG 14:5

5 And_ Shimshvōn/(Samson) and_father _of_his and_mother _of_his _he/it _descended to_Timnāh and_they _came to the _vineyards _of (to)_Timnāh and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE a _young _lion _of lions was_roaring to_meet_him.

OET-LV JDG 14:6

6 And_it _rushed on/upon/above_him/it the _spirit _of YHWH and_he_tore _it _apart as_tears _apart (the)_kid and_anything there_was_not in_his/its_hand and_not he _told to_father _of_his and_to_mother _of_his DOM that_which he _had _done.

OET-LV JDG 14:7

7 And_he/it _descended and_he/it _spoke to/for _the_woman/wife and_she _was _pleasing in/on_both _eyes _of Shimshvōn.

OET-LV JDG 14:8

8 And_he _returned from_days to_take_her and_he _turned _aside to_see DOM the _carcass _of the _lion and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE a _swarm _of bees was_in_the _carcass _of the _lion and_honey.

OET-LV JDG 14:9

9 And_he_scraped _it _out into palms _of_his and_he/it _went going and_eating and_he/it _went to his/its_father and_near/to his/its_mother and_he/it _gave to/for_them and_they _ate and_not he _told to/for_them if/because _that from_the _carcass _of the _lion he _had _scraped _out the_honey.

Jump to OET JDG 14:2–9 section.

Samson made a feast at Timnah, as was the custom, and told the Philistine men a riddle that involved the lion and the honey. A wager was made on the riddle and the Philistines prevailed upon his wife to learn the answer and disclose it to them. When they came up with the answer, Samson knew what had happened, so he went out and killed 30 Philistine men to pay for his bet (Jgs 14:19). Samson went home, and his father-in-law gave Samson’s wife to Samson’s best man.

Show passage in OET: JDG 14:19

OET-RV JDG 14:19

19 Then Yahweh’s spirit rose up in him, and he went to Ashkelon and killed thirty men there. He took their possessions, and he gave the changes of clothes for the riddle. But he was very angry, so he went back to his parent’s home.

OET-LV JDG 14:19

19 And_it _rushed on/upon/above_him/it the _spirit _of YHWH and_he/it _descended ʼAshqəlōn and_he _struck _down from_them thirty man and_he/it _took DOM spoil(s)_of_their and_he/it _gave the_changes to_those _who_told _of (of)_the_riddle and_ anger _of_his _it _glowed/burnt and_he/it _ascended the _house _of his _father _of_his.

Jump to OET JDG 14:19 section.

When Samson returned to see his wife, he was not allowed to visit her, so he took 300 foxes, tied them in pairs tail to tail, fixed a torch to each pair, and turned them loose in the grainfields of the Philistines, so that the shocks and standing grain were burned. Consequently, the Philistines came and burned his wife and her father. In revenge, Samson went out and slaughtered many of them (Jgs 15:1-8).

Show passage in OET: JDG 15:1–8

OET-RV JDG 15:1

15 Some days later during the wheat harvest, Shimshon visited his wife with a young goat as a present for the family, because he said, “I’ll go into the bedroom with my wife.” But her father wouldn’t allow him to go in,

OET-RV JDG 15:2

2 and pleaded, “Truly, I thought that you must hate her, so I gave her to your close friend. But wouldn’t her younger sister be better anyway? Please, would you take her instead.”

OET-RV JDG 15:3

3 Shimshon responded, “This time I’m blameless concerning the Pelishtim when I cause trouble for them.”

OET-RV JDG 15:4

4 Then he went and captured three hundred foxes and tied them in pairs—tail to tail. He took torches, and tied one torch between the tails of each pair.

OET-RV JDG 15:5

5 He lit the torches and let the foxes loose into the grain crops of the Pelishtim. As a result, he burnt both the standing grain plants and also the harvested stacks of sheaves, and even a vineyard and an olive orchard.

OET-RV JDG 15:6

6 So the Pelishtim asked, “Who did this?”
¶ “Shimshon,” they replied, “the son-in-law of the man from Timnah, because he took Shimshon’s wife and gave her to his close friend.” As a result, the Pelishtim went to Timnah and they burnt both the woman and her father.

OET-RV JDG 15:7

7 Then Shimshon told them, “Since you actually did that horrible thing, I certainly won’t stop until I’ve avenged myself against you all.”

OET-RV JDG 15:8

8 Then he attacked the Pelishtim and crippled many of them, before going to Eytam’s rock where he lived in a cave.

OET-LV JDG 15:1

15 And_he/it _was from_days in_the_days _of the_harvest _of wheat(s) and_ Shimshvōn _he _visited DOM his/its_wife/woman with_a _kid _of goats and_he/it _said let _me _go into wife _of_my to_the_chamber and_not he_permitted _him father _of_her to_go.

OET-LV JDG 15:2

2 And_ father _of_her _he/it _said really _(think) I _thought if/because _that utterly _(hate) you_hated _her and_I_gave _her to_your _close _of_friend not sister _of_is_her (the)_young good from_her/it let _her _belong please to/for_yourself(m) in_place _of _her.

OET-LV JDG 15:3

3 And_he/it _said to/for_them Shimshvōn I _will _be _free the_time//this _time from_the_Pəlishtiy if/because I am_about _to _do with_them harm.

OET-LV JDG 15:4

4 And_ Shimshvōn _he/it _went and_he _captured three hundred(s) foxes and_he/it _took torches and_he _turned tail to tail and_he/it _assigned a _torch one between the _two _of the_tails in_middle.

OET-LV JDG 15:5

5 And_he _kindled fire on_torches and_he _sent_them among_the _standing _grain(s)_of the_Pəlishtiy and_it _burnt _up from_the_stack _of _sheaves and_unto the_standing _grain and_unto the_vineyard _of olive _tree[s].

OET-LV JDG 15:6

6 And_ the_Pəlishtiy _they _said who did _he _do this_thing and_they _said Shimshvōn/(Samson) the _son-in-law _of the _Timnite if/because he _has _taken DOM his/its_wife/woman and_he_has _given _her to_his _close _of_friend and_ the_Pəlishtiy _they _went _up and_they _burnt her and_DOM father _of_her with_fire.

OET-LV JDG 15:7

7 And_he/it _said to/for_them Shimshvōn if you(pl)_will _do like_this if/because if I _have _avenged _myself on_you(pl) and_after I _will _cease.

OET-LV JDG 15:8

8 And_he _defeated them leg with thigh a _defeat great and_he/it _descended and_he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_the _cleft _of the _rock _of ˊĒyţām.

Jump to OET JDG 15:1–8 section.

During these days, the Philistines came against Judah, and the people of Judah bound Samson with new ropes to turn him over to the Philistines. When they came to Lehi, where the Philistines were camped, the Spirit of the Lord came on him mightily. He snapped the ropes, seized the jawbone of a donkey, and killed 1,000 Philistines. Being very thirsty, he cried to the Lord, so God opened a spring of water at Lehi (Jgs 15:9-20).

Show passage in OET: JDG 15:9–20

OET-RV JDG 15:9

9 However, the Pelishti warriors went and camped in Yehudah (Judah), and spread out around the town of Lehi.

OET-RV JDG 15:10

10 But the men of Yehudah asked them, “Why have you all come here to attack us?”
¶ “We’ve come to capture Shimshon (Samson),” they replied. “To give him some of his own back.”

OET-RV JDG 15:11

11 Then three thousand men from Yehudah went down to the crevice in Eytam’s rock, and told Shimshon, “Don’t you realise that the Pelishtim are ruling over us? Why are you causing more trouble for us?”
¶ “Just as they’ve done to me,” he replied, “so I’ve done to them.”

OET-RV JDG 15:12

12 “We’ve come here to tie you up so we can hand you over to the Pelishtim,” they said.
¶ “Okay,” Shimshon responded. “But promise me that you all won’t injure me yourselves.”

OET-RV JDG 15:13

13 “No, however, we’ll certainly tie you up,” they replied, “and we’ll hand you over to them. But truly we won’t kill you.” Then they tied him up with two new ropes and brought him up from the rocks.

OET-RV JDG 15:14

14 When they’d taken him as far as Lehi, the Pelishtim shouted triumphantly when they saw him. Then Yahweh’s spirit rose in Shimshon and the ropes around his arms just seemed as weak as burnt flax stalks when he simply snapped them off him.

OET-RV JDG 15:15

15 He saw a fresh donkey’s jawbone lying on the ground, and he reached out his hand and grabbed it, and he slaughtered a thousand Pelishti men with it.

OET-RV JDG 15:16

16 Then Shimshon declared,
⇔ “With a donkey’s jawbone, one heap, two heaps,
⇔ ≈ with a donkey’s jawbone, I’ve slaughtered a thousand men.”

OET-RV JDG 15:17

17 When he finished reciting that, he hurled the jawbone away, and he called that place ‘Ramat-Lehi’ (which means ‘jawbone hill’).

OET-RV JDG 15:18

18 Then he was very thirsty and cried out to Yahweh, “You yourself have given your servant this great victory, but now must I die with this thirst and get captured by those uncircumcised Pelishtim?”

OET-RV JDG 15:19

19 So God split open the little hollow that’s at Lehi, and water came out of it. When he drank, his strength returned and he revived. Because of that, he called it ‘Eyn-Hakore’ (which means ‘the fountain of the one who called out’), which is in Lehi to this day.

OET-RV JDG 15:20

20 And so Shimshon led Yisrael (Israel) for twenty years at the time of the Pelishti oppression.

OET-LV JDG 15:9

9 And_ the_Pəlishtiy _they _went _up and_they _encamped in_Yəhūdāh/(Judah) and_they _were _spread _out at_Leḩī.

OET-LV JDG 15:10

10 And_ the _man _of Yəhūdāh _they _said why have _you(pl)_come _up on_us and_they _said to_bind DOM Shimshvōn we _have _come _up for_doing to_him/it just_as he _did to/for_us.

OET-LV JDG 15:11

11 And_ three _of thousand(s) man of_Yəhūdāh _they _went _down to the _cleft _of the _rock _of ˊĒyţām and_they _said to_Shimshvōn not do _you _know if/because _that are_ruling over_us the_Pəlishtiy and_what this have _you _done to/for_ourselves and_he/it _said to/for_them just_as they _did to_me so I _have _done to/for_them.

OET-LV JDG 15:12

12 And_they _said to_him/it to_bind_you we _have _come _down to_give_you in_the _hand _of the_Pəlishtiy and_he/it _said to/for_them Shimshvōn/(Samson) swear to_me lest you(pl)_should _fall on_me you(pl).

OET-LV JDG 15:13

13 And_they _said to_him/it to_say no if/because only _(bind) we_will _bind _you and_we_will _give _you in_hand _of_their and_certainly _(kill) not we_will _kill _you and_they_bound _him with_two ropes new and_they_brought _him _up from the_rock.

OET-LV JDG 15:14

14 He was_coming to Leḩī and_the_Pəlishtiy they _shouted to_meet_him and_it _rushed on/upon/above_him/it the _spirit _of YHWH and_ the_ropes which were_on arms _of_his _they _became like_flax(es) which people _have _burnt with_fire and_ fetters _of_his _they _dropped _off from_under hands _of_his.

OET-LV JDG 15:15

15 And_he _found a _jawbone _of a _donkey fresh and_he _stretched _out his/its_hand and_he_took _it and_he _struck _down with_it a _thousand man.

OET-LV JDG 15:16

16 And_ Shimshvōn _he/it _said with_the _jawbone _of the _donkey a _heap two _heaps with_the _jawbone _of the _donkey I _struck _down a _thousand man.

OET-LV JDG 15:17

17 And_he/it _was just_as_he _finished to_speak and_he _threw the_jawbone from_hand _of_his and_he/it _called (to)_place (the)_that Ramath Leḩī.

OET-LV JDG 15:18

18 And_he _was _thirsty very and_he/it _called to YHWH and_he _said you you _have _given by_the _hand _of your _servant _of_your DOM the_victory the_big/large/great(fs) (the)_this and_now I _will _die with_thirst and_I _will _fall in_the _hand _of the _uncircumcised_men.

OET-LV JDG 15:19

19 And_ god _he _split _open DOM the _hollow_place which is_at_Leḩī and_they _went _out from_him/it waters and_he _drank and_ his/its_breath/wind/spirit _it _returned and_he _lived therefore yes/correct/thus/so he _called his/its_name En Hakkore which is_at_Leḩī until the_day (the)_this.

OET-LV JDG 15:20

20 And_he _judged DOM Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) in_the _days _of the_Pəlishtiy twenty year[s].

Jump to OET JDG 15:9–20 section.

Samson’s weakness for Philistine women continued to create trouble for both him and the Philistines. He went down to Gaza, where he became involved with a prostitute (Jgs 16:1). The men of the city learned that he was there and plotted to kill him at dawn, but he arose at midnight and walked off with the doors, posts, and bar of the city gate and put them on top of the hill before Hebron.

Show passage in OET: JDG 16:1

OET-RV JDG 16:1

16 Shimshon (Samson) went to Azah (Gaza) city and he saw a prostitute woman there so he went in to spend the night with her.

OET-LV JDG 16:1

16 And_ Shimshvōn/(Samson) _he/it _went to_ˊAzzāh and_he/it _saw there a _woman a _prostitute and_he _went into_her.

Jump to OET JDG 16:1 section.

Then he found Delilah, from the valley of Sorek. The Philistines enlisted her by bribery to find out the source of his strength (Jgs 16:4-5). She kept pestering him, so he told her that if they bound him with seven fresh bowstrings he would be as weak as other men. So she bound him and cried, “The Philistines are upon you.” He easily broke the bowstrings. In response to her continued questions, he kept lying to her about the secret of his strength. In succession, she bound him with new ropes and seven locks of his hair woven together and attached to a loom. Finally, she wore him down and he told her the truth. If someone shaved his head and broke his Nazirite vow, his strength would be gone. While Samson slept with his head on her knees, she called a barber, who shaved off his hair. This time when she cried, “The Philistines are upon you,” the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and took him to Gaza (v 21).

Show passage in OET: JDG 16:4–5

OET-RV JDG 16:4

4 Sometime after that, Shimshon (Samson) fell in love with a Pelishti woman named Dililah who lived in the Sorek valley.

OET-RV JDG 16:5

5 The Pelishti leaders came to her and requested, “Make him open up. Find out what makes him strong, and how we can beat him, so that we can tie him up to keep him in our power. Then we’ll each give you one thousand one hundred silver coins.”

OET-LV JDG 16:4

4 And_he/it _was after thus and_he _loved a _woman in_the _valley _of Sōrēq and_name _of_her was_Dilīlāh.

OET-LV JDG 16:5

5 And_they _went _up to_her/it the _rulers _of the_Pəlishtiy and_they _said to/for_her/it entice him and_see how strength _of_is_his great and_how will _we _prevail to_him/it and_we_will _bind _him to_humble_him and_we we _will _give to/for_you(fs) each one _thousand and_one _hundred silver.

Show passage in OET: JDG 16:21

OET-RV JDG 16:21

21 So the Pelishtim seized him, and they gouged out his eyes. They brought him to Azah (Gaza) and chained him with a pair of bronze shackles, then they put him to work in prison grinding grain.

OET-LV JDG 16:21

21 And_they_seized _him the_Pəlishtiy and_they _gouged _out DOM eyes _of_his and_they _brought _down him to_ˊAzzāh and_they_bound _him with _(the)_fetters and_he/it _was grinding in_house _of the.

Jump to OET JDG 16:4–5 section.

Jump to OET JDG 16:21 section.

At Gaza, Samson was bound with bronze fetters and forced to grind at a mill, during which time his hair began to grow again. At a time when the Philistines were having a great festival at the temple of their god, Dagon, they celebrated their victory over Samson and asked that he be brought so they could mock him. Some 3,000 people watched while Samson entertained them. At his request, Samson was placed between the two pillars supporting the temple. He asked the Lord for strength and pushed against the pillars, so that the entire building collapsed. Samson died with the Philistines as he had requested, but he killed more Philistines in this final act than he had previously (Jgs 16:1-30).

Samson’s family came to retrieve his body, and they buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father, Manoah. He had served as “judge,” or leader, of Israel for 20 years (Jgs 16:31).