Judges 16:21-30 ▼

21 And the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and they brought him down to Gaza, and they bound him with bronze shackles. And he was grinding in the house of the imprisoned.

22 And the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

23 And the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice. And they said, “Our god has delivered into our hand Samson our enemy.”

24 And the people saw him, and they praised their god, for they said, “Our god has delivered our enemy into our hand, and he who destroyed our land, and the one who multiplied our dead.”

25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.” And they called for Samson from the house of the imprisoned, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars.

26 And Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the temple is established, so that I can lean on them.”

27 And the temple was full of the men and the women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there. And on the roof about three thousand men and women were watching while Samson performed.

28 And Samson called to YHWH and said, “O Lord YHWH, remember me, please, and Strengthen me, please, just this once, O God, that I may take vengeance with one vengeful blow for my two eyes against the Philistines.”

29 And Samson took hold of the middle two pillars on which the temple was established, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and one on his left.

30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And he pushed with power, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. And the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.