Study Desk

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together, for to offer a great sacrifice vnto Dagon their god, and to reioyce: for they said, Our god hath deliuered Samson our enemy into our hand.

And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath deliuered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our countrey, which slew many of vs.

And it came to passe when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that hee may make vs sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house, and he made them sport, and they set him betweene the pillars.

And Samson said vnto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer mee, that I may feele the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may leane vpon them.

Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there: and there were vpon the roofe about three thousand men and women, that behelde while Samson made sport.

And Samson called vnto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, & strengthen mee, I pray thee, onely this once, O God, that I may be at once auenged of the Philistines, for my two eyes.

And Samson tooke hold of the two middle pillars, vpon which the house stood, and on which it was borne vp, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines: & he bowed himselfe with all his might: and the house fel vpon the lords, and vpon all the people that were therein: so the dead which he slew at his death, were moe, then they which he slew in his life.

Then his brethren, and all the house of his father, came downe, and tooke him, and brought him vp, and buried him betweene Zorah and Eshtaol, in the burying place of Manoah his father: and hee iudged Israel twentie yeeres.