Judges 15 שׁוֹפְטִים פרק ט״ו

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Judges 15 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   וַיְהִיand it came to passמִיָּמִיםfrom daysבִּימֵיin the days ofקְצִיר־חִטִּיםthe harvest of wheatוַיִּפְקֹדand he visitedשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonאֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹhis wifeבִּגְדִיwith a kid ofעִזִּיםgoatsוַיֹּאמֶרand saidאָבֹאָהlet me goאֶל־אִשְׁתִּיto my wifeהֶחָדְרָהto the chamberוְלֹא־נְתָנוֹand not he has permitted himאָבִיהָher fatherלָבוֹא׃to come

   But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

2. 2

   וַיֹּאמֶרand saidאָבִיהָher fatherאָמֹרsurelyאָמַרְתִּיI saidכִּי־שָׂנֹאbecause utterlyשְׂנֵאתָהּyou hated herוָאֶתְּנֶנָּהand I gave herלְמֵרֵעֶךָto your companionהֲלֹאis it notאֲחוֹתָהּher sisterהַקְּטַנָּהthe young oneטוֹבָהgoodמִמֶּנָּהthan sheתְּהִי־נָאlet her be I prayלְךָfor youתַּחְתֶּיהָ׃in her place

   And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.

3. 3

   וַיֹּאמֶרand saidלָהֶםto themשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonנִקֵּיתִיI shall be blamelessהַפַּעַםthis timeמִפְּלִשְׁתִּיםfrom the Philistinesכִּי־עֹשֶׂהbecause doאֲנִיIעִמָּםwith themרָעָה׃evil

   And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.

4. 4

   וַיֵּלֶךְand wentשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonוַיִּלְכֹּדand he capturedשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹתthree hundredשׁוּעָלִיםfoxesוַיִּקַּחand tookלַפִּדִיםthe torchesוַיֶּפֶןand he turnedזָנָבtailאֶל־זָנָבto tailוַיָּשֶׂםand he setלַפִּידthe torchאֶחָדoneבֵּין־שְׁנֵיamong twoהַזְּנָבוֹתthe tailsבַּתָּוֶךְ׃in the midst

   And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.

5. 5

   וַיַּבְעֶר־אֵשׁand he kindled fireבַּלַּפִּידִיםon the torchesוַיְשַׁלַּחand sentבְּקָמוֹתamong the standing grain ofפְּלִשְׁתִּיםPhilistinesוַיַּבְעֵרand he burnedמִגָּדִישׁfrom the heap of sheavesוְעַד־קָמָהand unto the standing grainוְעַד־כֶּרֶםand unto a vineyardזָיִת׃olive trees

   And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.

6. 6

   וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidפְלִשְׁתִּיםthe Philistinesמִיwhoעָשָׂהhe didזֹאתthisוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonחֲתַןthe son in law ofהַתִּמְנִיthe Timniteכִּיbecauseלָקַחtookאֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹhis wifeוַיִּתְּנָהּand he gave herלְמֵרֵעֵהוּto his companionוַיַּעֲלוּand they ascendedפְלִשְׁתִּיםthe Philistinesוַיִּשְׂרְפוּand they burnedאוֹתָהּherוְאֶת־אָבִיהָand her fatherבָּאֵשׁ׃by fire

   Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.

7. 7

   וַיֹּאמֶרand saidלָהֶםto themשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonאִם־תַּעֲשׂוּןthough you have doneכָּזֹאתsuchכִּיthatאִם־נִקַּמְתִּיif I have avenged myselfבָכֶםover youוְאַחַרand thenאֶחְדָּל׃I will cease

   And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.

8. 8

   וַיַּךְand he smoteאוֹתָםthemשׁוֹקhipעַל־יָרֵךְupon thighמַכָּהa slaughterגְדוֹלָהgreatוַיֵּרֶדand he descendedוַיֵּשֶׁבand dweltבִּסְעִיףin the cleft ofסֶלַעthe rock ofעֵיטָם׃Etam

   And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

9. 9

   וַיַּעֲלוּand they ascendedפְלִשְׁתִּיםthe Philistinesוַיַּחֲנוּand they encampedבִּיהוּדָהin Judahוַיִּנָּטְשׁוּand they were spread outבַּלֶּחִי׃at the Lehi

   Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.

10. 10

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidאִישׁthe men ofיְהוּדָהJudahלָמָהwhyעֲלִיתֶםyou went upעָלֵינוּover usוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלֶאֱסוֹרto bindאֶת־שִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonעָלִינוּwe came upלַעֲשׂוֹתto doלוֹto himכַּאֲשֶׁרasעָשָׂהhe didלָנוּ׃to us

    And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.

11. 11

    וַיֵּרְדוּand came downשְׁלֹשֶׁתthreeאֲלָפִיםthousandאִישׁmenמִיהוּדָהfrom Judahאֶל־סְעִיףto the cleft ofסֶלַעthe rock ofעֵיטָםEtamוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלְשִׁמְשׁוֹןto Samsonהֲלֹאis it notיָדַעְתָּyou knowכִּי־מֹשְׁלִיםbecause rulersבָּנוּin usפְּלִשְׁתִּיםPhilistinesוּמַה־זֹּאתand what is thisעָשִׂיתָyou didלָּנוּto usוַיֹּאמֶרand saidלָהֶםto themכַּאֲשֶׁרasעָשׂוּthey didלִיto meכֵּןthusעָשִׂיתִיI didלָהֶם׃to them

    Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

12. 12

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלוֹto himלֶאֱסׇרְךָto bind youיָרַדְנוּwe came downלְתִתְּךָto give youבְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּיםin the hand of Philistinesוַיֹּאמֶרand saidלָהֶםto themשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonהִשָּׁבְעוּswearלִיto meפֶּן־תִּפְגְּעוּןlest you should fallבִּיupon meאַתֶּם׃yourselves

    And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

13. 13

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלוֹto himלֵאמֹרsayingלֹאnotכִּי־אָסֹרbecause surelyנֶאֱסׇרְךָwe will bind youוּנְתַנּוּךָand we will give youבְיָדָםin their handוְהָמֵתand surelyלֹאnotנְמִיתֶךָwe will kill youוַיַּאַסְרֻהוּand they bound himבִּשְׁנַיִםwith twoעֲבֹתִיםropesחֲדָשִׁיםnew onesוַיַּעֲלוּהוּand they brought up himמִן־הַסָּלַע׃from the rock

    And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.

14. 14

    הוּא־בָאhe cameעַד־לֶחִיuntil Lehiוּפְלִשְׁתִּיםand Philistinesהֵרִיעוּthey shoutedלִקְרָאתוֹto meet himוַתִּצְלַחand it rushedעָלָיוupon himרוּחַthe Spirit ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDוַתִּהְיֶינָהand becameהָעֲבֹתִיםthe ropesאֲשֶׁרwhichעַל־זְרוֹעוֹתָיוupon his armsכַּפִּשְׁתִּיםlike the flaxאֲשֶׁרwhichבָּעֲרוּwas burntבָאֵשׁin fireוַיִּמַּסּוּand they dropped offאֱסוּרָיוhis bondsמֵעַלfrom uponיָדָיו׃his hands

    And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.

15. 15

    וַיִּמְצָאand foundלְחִי־חֲמוֹרa jawbone of a donkeyטְרִיָּהfreshוַיִּשְׁלַחand he put forthיָדוֹhis handוַיִּקָּחֶהָand he took itוַיַּךְ־בָּהּand he smote in itאֶלֶףthousandאִישׁ׃men

    And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

16. 16

    וַיֹּאמֶרand saidשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonבִּלְחִיwith the jawbone ofהַחֲמוֹרthe donkeyחֲמוֹרa heapחֲמֹרָתָיִםtwo heapsבִּלְחִיwith the jawbone ofהַחֲמוֹרthe donkeyהִכֵּיתִיI have smittenאֶלֶףthousandאִישׁ׃men

    And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

17. 17

    וַיְהִיand it came to passכְּכַלֹּתוֹwhen he finishedלְדַבֵּרto speakוַיַּשְׁלֵךְand he castהַלְּחִיthe jawboneמִיָּדוֹfrom his handוַיִּקְרָאand calledלַמָּקוֹםthe placeהַהוּאthatרָמַתRamath-לֶחִי׃lehi

    And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi.

18. 18

    וַיִּצְמָאand he was thirstyמְאֹדexceedinglyוַיִּקְרָאand calledאֶל־יְהֹוָהto the LORDוַיֹּאמַרand saidאַתָּהyouנָתַתָּyou have givenבְיַד־עַבְדְּךָinto the hand of your servantאֶת־הַתְּשׁוּעָהthe deliveranceהַגְּדֹלָהthe greatהַזֹּאתthisוְעַתָּהand nowאָמוּתI shall dieבַּצָּמָאby the thirstוְנָפַלְתִּיand I fallבְּיַדin the hand ofהָעֲרֵלִים׃the uncircumcised

    And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

19. 19

    וַיִּבְקַעand claveאֱלֹהִיםGodאֶת־הַמַּכְתֵּשׁthe deep hollowאֲשֶׁר־בַּלֶּחִיwhich was in Lehiוַיֵּצְאוּand they went outמִמֶּנּוּfrom himמַיִםwaterוַיֵּשְׁתְּand he drankוַתָּשׇׁבand it returnedרוּחוֹhis spiritוַיֶּחִיand he revivedעַל־כֵּןthereforeקָרָאcalledשְׁמָהּits nameעֵיןEn-הַקּוֹרֵאhakkoreאֲשֶׁרwhichבַּלֶּחִיat the Lehiעַדuntilהַיּוֹםthe dayהַזֶּה׃this

    But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.

20. 20

    וַיִּשְׁפֹּטand he did judgeאֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelבִּימֵיin the days ofפְלִשְׁתִּיםthe Philistinesעֶשְׂרִיםtwentyשָׁנָה׃years

    And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.