Samson and Delilah
1One day Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. 2The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place. They hid and waited for him at the city gate all night long. They didn’t make any move against him during the night. They said, “Let’s wait until the sun comes up. Then we’ll kill him.”
3But Samson stayed there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up. He took hold of the doors of the city gate. He also took hold of the two doorposts. He tore them loose, together with their metal bar. He picked them up and put them on his shoulders. Then he carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.
4Some time later, Samson fell in love again. The woman lived in the Valley of Sorek. Her name was Delilah. 5The rulers of the Philistines went to her. They said, “See if you can get him to tell you the secret of why he’s so strong. Find out how we can overpower him. Then we can tie him up. We can bring him under our control. Each of us will give you 28 pounds of silver.”
6So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of why you are so strong. Tell me how you can be tied up and controlled.”
7Samson answered her, “Let someone tie me up with seven new bowstrings. They must be strings that aren’t completely dry. Then I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
8So the Philistine rulers brought seven new bowstrings to her. They weren’t completely dry. Delilah tied Samson up with them. 9Men were hiding in the room. She called out to him, “Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!” But he snapped the bowstrings easily. They were like pieces of string that had come too close to a flame. So the secret of why he was so strong wasn’t discovered.
10Delilah spoke to Samson again. “You have made me look foolish,” she said. “You told me a lie. Come on. Tell me how you can be tied up.”
11Samson said, “Let someone tie me tightly with new ropes. They must be ropes that have never been used. Then I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
12So Delilah got some new ropes. She tied him up with them. Men were hiding in the room. She called out to him, “Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!” But he snapped the ropes off his arms. They fell off just as if they were threads.
13Delilah spoke to Samson again. “All this time you have been making me look foolish,” she said. “You have been telling me lies. This time really tell me how you can be tied up.”
He replied, “Weave the seven braids of my hair into the cloth on a loom. Then tighten the cloth with a pin. If you do, I’ll become as weak as any other man.” So while Samson was sleeping, Delilah took hold of the seven braids of his hair. She wove them into the cloth on a loom. 14Then she tightened the cloth with a pin.
Again she called out to him, “Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!” He woke up from his sleep. He pulled up the pin and the loom, together with the cloth.
15Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you’? You won’t even share your secret with me. This is the third time you have made me look foolish. And you still haven’t told me the secret of why you are so strong.” 16She continued to pester him day after day. She nagged him until he was sick and tired of it.
17So he told her everything. He said, “My hair has never been cut. That’s because I’ve been a Nazirite since the day I was born. A Nazirite is set apart to God. If you shave my head, I won’t be strong anymore. I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
18Delilah realized he had told her everything. So she sent a message to the Philistine rulers. She said, “Come back one more time. He has told me everything.” So the rulers returned. They brought the silver with them. 19Delilah got Samson to go to sleep on her lap. Then she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair. That’s how she began to bring Samson under her control. And he wasn’t strong anymore.
20She called out, “Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!”
He woke up from his sleep. He thought, “I’ll go out just as I did before. I’ll shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that the Lord had left him.
21Then the Philistines grabbed him. They poked his eyes out. They took him down to Gaza. They put bronze chains around him. Then they made him grind grain in the prison. 22His head had been shaved. But the hair on it began to grow again.
Samson Dies
23The rulers of the Philistines gathered together. They were going to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They were going to celebrate. They said, “Our god has handed our enemy Samson over to us.”
24When the people saw Samson, they praised their god. They said,
“Our god has handed our enemy over to us.
Our enemy has destroyed our land.
He has killed large numbers of our people.”
25After they had drunk a lot of wine, they shouted, “Bring Samson out. Let him put on a show for us.” So they called Samson out of the prison. He put on a show for them.
They had him stand near the temple pillars. 26Then he spoke to the servant who was holding his hand. He said, “Put me where I can feel the pillars. I’m talking about the ones that hold up the temple. I want to lean against them.” 27The temple was crowded with men and women. All the Philistine rulers were there. About 3,000 men and women were on the roof. They were watching Samson put on a show. 28Then he prayed to the Lord. Samson said, “Lord and King, show me that you still have concern for me. Please, God, make me strong just one more time. Let me pay the Philistines back for what they did to my two eyes. Let me do it with only one blow.” 29Then Samson reached toward the two pillars that were in the middle of the temple. They were the ones that held up the temple. He put his right hand on one of them. He put his left hand on the other. He leaned hard against them. 30Samson said, “Let me die together with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might. The temple came down on the rulers. It fell on all the people in it. So Samson killed many more Philistines when he died than he did while he lived.
31Then his brothers went down to get him. So did his father’s whole family. All of them brought Samson back home. They buried him in the tomb of his father Manoah. It’s between Zorah and Eshtaol. Samson had led Israel for 20 years.
Si Samson sa Gaza
1Isa ka adlaw, nagkadto si Samson sa Gaza nga isa ka banwa sang Filistinhon. May nakita siya didto nga isa ka babayi nga nagabaligya sang iya lawas, kag naghulid siya sa sadto nga babayi. 2Nabalitaan sang mga taga-Gaza nga didto si Samson, gani ginpalibutan nila ang banwa kag ginbantayan ang puwertahan sang banwa sa bilog nga gab-i. Wala sila magsalakay sang sadto nga gab-i. Nagdesisyon sila nga patyon nila si Samson sa kaagahon. 3Pero naghulid si Samson sa babayi hasta sang tungang gab-i lang. Dayon nagbangon siya kag nagkadto sa may puwertahan sang banwa. Ginkaptan niya ang puwertahan kag ginhukas dala ang mga haligi kag mga trangka sini. Dayon ginpas-an niya ini kag gindala sa putokputokan sang bukid nga nagaatubang sa Hebron.
Si Samson kag si Delila
4Sang ulihi, naluyag si Samson sa isa ka babayi nga nagaestar sa Sorek nga ililigan sang tubig. Ang iya ngalan amo si Delila. 5Karon, ginkadtuan sang mga pangulo sang mga Filistinhon si Delila kag ginsilingan, “Kombinsiha siya nga isugid niya sa imo ang sekreto kon ngaa puwerte siya kakusog kag kon paano siya mapierdi, agod magapos kag mabihag namon siya. Kon mahimo mo ina, ang kada isa sa amon magahatag sa imo sang 1,100 ka bilog nga pilak.”
6Gani ginpamangkot ni Delila si Samson. Siling niya, “Sugiri ako sang sekreto kon ngaa puwerte sa imo kakusog. Kag halimbawa, kon may maggapos ukon magdakop sa imo paano niya ini himuon?” 7Nagsabat si Samson, “Kon gapuson ako sing pito ka bag-o nga banting sang pana,16:7 banting sang pana: sa English, bowstring. mangin pareho na lang ang akon kusog sa iban nga mga tawo.”
8Sang mahibaluan ini sang mga pangulo sang mga Filistinhon, ginhatagan nila si Delila sang pito ka bag-o nga banting sang pana kag gin-gapos niya si Samson. 9May pila ka mga Filistinhon nga nagapanago sadto sa pihak nga kuwarto. Dayon nagsinggit si Delila, “Samson, may mga Filistinhon nga nag-abot sa pagdakop sa imo.” Pero ginpangbugto lang ni Samson ang mga banting sang pana nga daw pareho lang sa lubid nga nakatandog sa kalayo. Gani wala pa gid nila mahibaluan ang sekreto sang iya kusog.
10Nagsiling si Delila kay Samson, “Gin-into mo lang ako; nagbutig ka sa akon. Sige na, sugiri ako kon paano ka magapos.” 11Nagsiling si Samson, “Kon gapuson ako sang bag-o nga lubid nga wala pa gid magamit, mangin pareho na lang ang akon kusog sa iban nga mga tawo.”
12Gani nagkuha si Delila sang bag-o nga lubid nga wala pa gid magamit kag gin-gapos niya si Samson. May pila ka mga Filistinhon nga nagapanago sadto sa pihak nga kuwarto. Dayon nagsinggit si Delila, “Samson, may mga Filistinhon nga nag-abot sa pagdakop sa imo!” Pero ginpangbugto lang ni Samson ang higot sa iya butkon nga daw pareho lang sa hilo.
13Gani nagsiling liwat si Delila kay Samson, “Hasta subong ginainto mo lang gihapon ako kag ginabutigan. Sige na, sugiri ako kon paano ka magapos.” Nagsiling si Samson, “Kon ihigot mo ang pito ka salapid sang akon buhok sa teral16:13 teral: ukon, hablanan (sa English, loom). Ginagamit ini sa paghimo sang tela. kag hugton sang palpal, mangin pareho na lang ang akon kusog sa iban nga mga tawo.”
14Gani sang nagakatulog si Samson, ginhigot ni Delila ang pito ka salapid sang buhok ni Samson sa teral, kag nagsinggit dayon, “Samson, may mga Filistinhon nga nag-abot sa pagdakop sa imo.” Nakabugtaw si Samson kag ginpalos niya ang iya buhok sa teral.
15Gani nagsiling si Delila sa iya, “Siling mo ginahigugma mo ako, pero indi gali matuod. Tatlo na ka beses nga gin-into mo ako. Wala ka gid nanugid kon diin nagahalin ang imo kusog.” 16Adlaw-adlaw niya nga ginapamangkot si Samson hasta sang ulihi natak-an si Samson. 17Gani ginsugiran na lang siya ni Samson sang matuod. Siling ni Samson, “Wala gid maguntingi ang akon buhok bisan kaisa lang. Kay halin sang akon pagkatawo, gindedikar na ako sa Dios bilang isa ka Nazareo. Gani kon maguntingan ang akon buhok, mangin pareho na lang ang akon kusog sa iban nga mga tawo.”
18Nabatyagan ni Delila nga nagasugid si Samson sing matuod. Gani nagpasugo siya nga hambalan ang mga pangulo sang mga Filistinhon nga magbalik tungod kay nagsugid na sa iya si Samson sing matuod. Gani nagbalik ang mga pangulo, dala ang kuwarta nga ibayad kay Delila. 19Ginpatulog ni Delila si Samson sa iya paa, kag sang matulugan na ini, nagtawag siya sang isa ka tawo agod guntingon ang pito ka salapid sang buhok ni Samson. Gani nagluya si Samson, kag ginpadakop siya ni Delila. 20Nagsinggit si Delila, “Samson, may mga Filistinhon nga nag-abot sa pagdakop sa imo.” Pagbangon ni Samson abi niya nga makabuhi pa siya pareho sang ginhimo niya sadto. Pero wala siya kahibalo nga wala na nagbulig ang Ginoo sa iya. 21Gindakop siya sang mga Filistinhon kag ginlukat ang iya mga mata. Dayon gindala nila siya sa Gaza kag ginkadenahan sang saway. Ginpaobra nila siya sa sulod sang prisohan bilang manuggaling sang uyas. 22Pero amat-amat nga nagtubo liwat ang iya buhok.
Ang Pagkapatay ni Samson
23Isa sina ka bes, nagtilipon ang mga pangulo sang mga Filistinhon agod magsaulog kag maghalad sang madamo nga mga halad sa ila dios nga si Dagon. Sa ila nga pagsaulog nagakanta sila: “Ginpadaog kita sang aton dios kontra kay Samson nga aton kaaway.” 24-25Puwerte ang ila kinalipay kag nagsinggit sila, “Dal-a diri si Samson sa paglingaw sa aton!” Gani ginpaguwa si Samson sa prisohan. Kag sang makita siya sang mga tawo, gindayaw nila ang ila dios. Siling nila, “Ginpadaog kita sang aton dios sa aton kaaway nga naglaglag sa aton duta kag nagpamatay sang madamo sa aton.” Dayon ginpatindog nila si Samson sa tunga sang duha ka haligi kag ginhimo nga kaladlawan. 26Nagsiling si Samson sa suluguon16:26 suluguon: ukon, pamatan-on. nga nagatuytoy sa iya, “Pauyata ako sa haligi sang sini nga templo agod makasandig ako.” 27Puno sang tawo ang templo. Ato didto ang tanan nga pangulo sang mga Filistinhon. Sa atop lang, may ara sang 3,000 ka tawo, lalaki kag babayi. Nagakinasadya sila nga nagatan-aw kay Samson.
28Karon, nagpangamuyo si Samson: “O Ginoong Dios, dumduma ako. Kon mahimo, ibalik ang akon kusog bisan kaisa na lang agod nga makabalos ako sa mga Filistinhon sa paglukat nila sang akon mga mata.” 29Nagkapot si Samson sa duha ka sentro nga haligi nga nagatukod sa atop sang templo. Ang tuo niya nga kamot ara sa isa ka haligi kag ang wala ara sa isa pa ka haligi. 30Dayon nagsinggit siya, “Mapatay ako kaupod sang sini nga mga Filistinhon!” Kag gintulod niya ang duha ka haligi sa bug-os niya nga kusog, kag narumpag ang templo sa mga pangulo kag sa tanan nga tawo didto. Mas madamo pa ang iya napatay sang sadto nga tion sang sa nagakabuhi pa siya.
31Ang bangkay ni Samson ginkuha sang iya mga utod kag mga paryente kag ginlubong sa ginlubngan sang iya amay nga si Manoa, didto sa tunga-tunga sang Zora kag Eshtaol. Ginpanguluhan ni Samson ang Israel sa sulod sang 20 ka tuig.
