Focused Passage

Judges 16:23-27

Samson's Fall, Blindness, Final Prayer, and Death

Judges 16 moves from Samson's repeated entanglement with Philistine women to his exposed weakness, captivity, and final prayer, showing that the LORD can judge His enemies through a broken deliverer while still warning that consecration cannot be treated casually.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

23Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.”

24And when the people saw him, they praised their god, saying: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy who destroyed our land and multiplied our dead.”

25And while their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison to entertain them. And they stationed him between the pillars.

26Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Lead me where I can feel the pillars supporting the temple, so I can lean against them.”

27Now the temple was full of men and women; all the lords of the Philistines were there, and about three thousand men and women were on the roof watching Samson entertain them.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 23

Cross-references

1 Samuel 5:2Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 31:9Classic cross-references James 5:13Classic cross-references Proverbs 24:17Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 30:16Classic cross-references

Original words

Now the lordsוְסַרְנֵ֣יH5633Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructof the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּ֗יםH6430Noun - proper - masculine pluralgathered togetherנֶֽאֱסְפוּ֙H622Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralto offerלִזְבֹּ֧חַH2076Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructa greatגָּד֛וֹלH1419Adjective - masculine singularsacrificeזֶֽבַח־H2077Noun - masculine singularto their godאֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖םH430Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralDagonלְדָג֥וֹןH1712Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularThey rejoicedוּלְשִׂמְחָ֑הH8057Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularand saidוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralOur godאֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙H430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralhas deliveredנָתַ֤ןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularSamsonשִׁמְשׁ֥וֹןH8123Noun - proper - masculine singularour enemyאוֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃H341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralinto our handsבְּיָדֵ֔נוּH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural-אֵ֖תH853Direct object marker

Verse 24

Cross-references

Daniel 5:4Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 31:9Classic cross-references Revelation 11:10Classic cross-references

Original words

And when the peopleהָעָ֔םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularsaw himוַיִּרְא֤וּH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֹתוֹ֙H853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularthey praisedוַֽיְהַלְל֖וּH1984Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markertheir godאֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑םH430Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralsayingכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionאָמְר֗וּאָמְר֗וּH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralOur godאֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralhas deliveredנָתַ֨ןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularinto our handsבְיָדֵ֙נוּ֙H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerour enemyא֣וֹיְבֵ֔נוּH341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common plural-וְאֵת֙H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerwho destroyedמַחֲרִ֣יבH2717Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular constructour landאַרְצֵ֔נוּH776Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common pluralandוַאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relativemultipliedהִרְבָּ֖הH7235Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerour deadחֲלָלֵֽינוּ׃H2491Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural

Verse 25

Cross-references

Proverbs 24:17Classic cross-references Esther 1:10Classic cross-references Judges 19:6Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 13:28Classic cross-references Hebrews 11:36Classic cross-references

Original words

Andוַֽיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularwhile their heartsלִבָּ֔םH3820Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural-כִּיH3588Prepositionwere merryטוֹבH2895Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthey saidוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralCallקִרְא֥וּH7121Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralfor Samsonלְשִׁמְשׁ֖וֹןH8123Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularto entertainוִישַֽׂחֶק־H7832Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularusלָ֑נוּPreposition | first person common pluralSo they calledוַיִּקְרְא֨וּH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralSamsonלְשִׁמְשׁ֜וֹןH8123Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularout of the prisonמִבֵּ֣יתH1004Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct. . .האסיריםH615Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine pluralto entertain themוַיְצַחֵק֙H6711Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .לִפְנֵיהֶ֔םH6440Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralAnd they stationedוַיַּעֲמִ֥ידוּH5975Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralhimאוֹת֖וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularbetweenבֵּ֥יןH996Prepositionthe pillarsהָעַמּוּדִֽים׃H5982Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 26

Original words

Samsonשִׁמְשׁ֜וֹןH8123Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe servantהַנַּ֨עַרH5288Article | Noun - masculine singularwho heldהַמַּחֲזִ֣יקH2388Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularhis handבְּיָדוֹ֮H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularLeadהַנִּ֣יחָהH5117Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularmeאוֹתִי֒H853Direct object marker | first person common singularwhere I can feelוְהֵימִשֵׁנִיH3237Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe pillarsהָֽעַמֻּדִ֔יםH5982Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativesupportingנָכ֣וֹןH3559Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularthe templeהַבַּ֖יִתH1004Article | Noun - masculine singularso I can leanוְאֶשָּׁעֵ֖ןH8172Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular. . .עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃H5921Preposition | third person masculine pluralagainst themעֲלֵיהֶ֑םH5921Preposition | third person masculine plural

Verse 27

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 22:8Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 11:2Classic cross-references Joshua 2:8Classic cross-references

Original words

Now the templeוְהַבַּ֗יִתH1004Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularwas fullמָלֵ֤אH4392Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularof menהָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙H582Article | Noun - masculine pluraland womenוְהַנָּשִׁ֔יםH802Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine pluralallכֹּ֖לH3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe lordsסַרְנֵ֣יH5633Noun - masculine plural constructof the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּ֑יםH6430Noun - proper - masculine pluralwere thereוְשָׁ֕מָּהH8033Conjunctive waw | Adverb | third person feminine singularand about threeכִּשְׁלֹ֤שֶׁתH7969Preposition-k | Number - masculine singular constructthousandאֲלָפִים֙H505Number - masculine pluralmenאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularand womenוְאִשָּׁ֔הH802Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularwere onוְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe roofהַגָּ֗גH1406Article | Noun - masculine singularwatchingהָרֹאִ֖יםH7200Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralSamsonשִׁמְשֽׁוֹן׃H8123Noun - proper - masculine singularentertain themבִּשְׂח֥וֹקH7832Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

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