geneva - 16

geneva@Judges:16:1 @ Then went Samson to (note:)One of the five chief cities of the Philistines.(:note) Gaza, and saw there an harlot, That is, he lodged with her. and went in unto her.

geneva@Judges:16:2 @ And it was tolde to the Azzahites, Samson is come hither. And they went about, and laied wayte for him all night in the gate of the citie, & were quiet all the nyght, saying, Abide till the morning earely, and we shall kill him.

geneva@Judges:16:3 @ And Samson slept till midnight, and arose at midnight, and tooke the doores of the gates of the citie, and the two postes and lift them away with the barres, and put them vpon his shoulders, and caried them vp to the top of the mountaine that is before Hebron.

geneva@Judges:16:4 @ And after this hee loued a woman by the riuer of Sorek, whose name was Delilah:

geneva@Judges:16:5 @ And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength [lieth], and by what [means] we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred (note:)Of the value of a shekel, read (Gen_23:15).(:note) [pieces] of silver.

geneva@Judges:16:6 @ And Delilah saide to Samson, Tell mee, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest bee bound, to doe thee hurt.

geneva@Judges:16:7 @ Samson then answered vnto her, If they binde mee with seuen greene cordes, that were neuer dryed, then shall I bee weake, and be as an other man.

geneva@Judges:16:8 @ And the princes of the Philistims brought her seuen greene cordes that were not dry, and she bound him therewith.

geneva@Judges:16:9 @ Now [there were] (note:)Certain Philistines in a secret chamber.(:note) men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when When fire comes near it. it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

geneva@Judges:16:10 @ And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now (note:)Though her deceit threatened his life, yet his affection so blinded him, that he could not beware.(:note) tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

geneva@Judges:16:11 @ Then he answered her, If they binde mee with newe ropes that neuer were occupied, then shal I be weake, and be as an other man.

geneva@Judges:16:12 @ Delilah therefore tooke newe ropes, and bounde him therewith, and saide vnto him, The Philistims be vpon thee, Samson: (and men lay in wayte in the chamber) and hee brake them from his armes, as a threede.

geneva@Judges:16:13 @ And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. (note:)It is impossible if we give place to our wicked affections, for eventually we will be destroyed.(:note) And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

geneva@Judges:16:14 @ And she fastened it with a pinne, and saide vnto him, The Philistims be vpon thee, Samson; he awoke out of his sleepe, and went away with the pinne of the webbe and the woufe.

geneva@Judges:16:15 @ And she said unto him, How canst thou say, (note:)For Samson used to say «I love you».(:note) I love thee, when thine heart [is] not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength [lieth].

geneva@Judges:16:16 @ And because shee was importunate vpon him with her wordes continually, and vexed him, his soule was pained vnto the death.

geneva@Judges:16:17 @ That he told her all his (note:)Thus his immoderate affections toward a wicked woman caused him to lose God's excellent gifts, and become a slave to those whom he should have ruled.(:note) heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I [have been] a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any [other] man.

geneva@Judges:16:18 @ And when Delilah sawe that he had tolde her all his heart, she sent, and called for the Princes of ye Philistims, saying, Come vp once againe: for he hath shewed mee all his heart. Then the Princes of the Philistims came vp vnto her, and brought the money in their handes.

geneva@Judges:16:19 @ And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went (note:)Not for the loss of his hair, but for the contempt of the ordinance of God, which was the reason God departed from him.(:note) from him.

geneva@Judges:16:20 @ Then she said, The Philistims be vpon thee, Samson; hee awoke out of his sleepe, and thought, I will go out now as at other times, and shake my selfe, but he knewe not that the Lorde was departed from him.

geneva@Judges:16:21 @ Therefore the Philistims tooke him, and put out his eyes, and brought him downe to Azzah, and bounde him with fetters: and hee did grinde in the prison house.

geneva@Judges:16:22 @ Howbeit the hair of his head began to (note:)Yet he did not regain his strength, till he had called on God and reconciled himself.(:note) grow again after he was shaven.

geneva@Judges:16:23 @ Then the Princes of the Philistims 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 enemie into our handes.

geneva@Judges:16:24 @ Also when the people saw him, they praysed their god: for they sayde, Our god hath deliuered into our hands our enemie and destroyer of our countrey, which hath slayne many of vs.

geneva@Judges:16:25 @ And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he (note:)Thus by God's just judgments they are made slaves to infidels if they neglect their calling to defend the faithful.(:note) made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

geneva@Judges:16:26 @ Then Samson saide vnto the seruant that led him by the hande, Lead me, that I may touch the pillars that the house standeth vpon, and that I may leane to them.

geneva@Judges:16:27 @ (Nowe the house was full of men and women, and there were all the princes of the Philistims: also vpon the roofe were about three thousande men and women that behelde while Samson played)

geneva@Judges:16:28 @ And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once (note:)According to my calling which is to execute God's judgments on the wicked.(:note) avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

geneva@Judges:16:29 @ And Samson layd hold on the two middle pillars whereupon the house stood, and on which it was borne vp: on the one with his right hand, and on the other with his left.

geneva@Judges:16:30 @ And Samson said, (note:)He does not speak out of despair, but humbling himself for neglecting his office and the offence thereby given.(:note) Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.

geneva@Judges:16:31 @ Then his brethren, and all the house of his father came downe and tooke him, and brought him vp and buryed him betweene Zorah & Eshtaol, in the sepulchre of Manoah his father: nowe he had iudged Israel twenty yeeres.

Judges 16