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Judges

Chapter 15
1
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayehi֨y miyּami֜ym bּiyme֣y qetziyr-chitּi֗ym vayּipeqo֨d shshimeshsh֤on 'et-'ishshetּo֙ bּigedi֣y 'izּi֔ym vayּo֕'mer 'abo֥'ah 'el-'ishshetּi֖y hecha֑derah veloֽ'-netan֥o 'abi֖yha labֽo'׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Later on, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. He said, "I’m going to my wife’s room." But her father would not let him go in.

וַיְהִ֨י מִיָּמִ֜ים בִּימֵ֣י קְצִיר־חִטִּ֗ים וַיִּפְקֹ֨ד שִׁמְשׁ֤וֹן אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ בִּגְדִ֣י עִזִּ֔ים וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָבֹ֥אָה אֶל־אִשְׁתִּ֖י הֶחָ֑דְרָה וְלֹֽא־נְתָנ֥וֹ אָבִ֖יהָ לָבֽוֹא׃

2
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֣'mer 'abi֗yha 'amo֤r 'ama֨retּiy֙ kּiy-shsano֣ shsene'ta֔hּ va'etּene֖nּah lemere'e֑ka halo֨ 'achota֤hּ haqּetanּah֙ toba֣h mimּe֔nּah tּehiy-na֥ leka֖ tּachetּeֽyha׃
Edified Edition (EDE)"I was so sure you hated her," he said, "that I gave her to your companion. Isn’t her younger sister more attractive? Take her instead."

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אָבִ֗יהָ אָמֹ֤ר אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ כִּי־שָׂנֹ֣א שְׂנֵאתָ֔הּ וָאֶתְּנֶ֖נָּה לְמֵרֵעֶ֑ךָ הֲלֹ֨א אֲחֹתָ֤הּ הַקְּטַנָּה֙ טוֹבָ֣ה מִמֶּ֔נָּה תְּהִי־נָ֥א לְךָ֖ תַּחְתֶּֽיהָ׃

3
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֤'mer lahem֙ shshimeshsh֔on niqּe֥ytiy hapּa֖'am mipּelishshetּi֑ym kּiֽy-'oshse֥h 'ani֛y 'imּa֖m ra'aֽh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Samson said to them, "This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines; I will really harm them."

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן נִקֵּ֥יתִי הַפַּ֖עַם מִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים כִּֽי־עֹשֶׂ֥ה אֲנִ֛י עִמָּ֖ם רָעָֽה׃

4
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּe֣leke shshimeshsh֔on vayּilekּo֖d shsheloshsh-me'֣ot shshu'ali֑ym vayּiqּa֣ch lapּidi֗ym vayּe֤pen zanab֙ 'el-zana֔b vayּa֨shsem lapּi֥yd 'echa֛d bּeyn-shshene֥y hazּenab֖ot bּatּaֽveke׃
Edified Edition (EDE)So he went out and caught three hundred foxes and tied them tail to tail in pairs. He then fastened a torch to every pair of tails,

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן וַיִּלְכֹּ֖ד שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת שׁוּעָלִ֑ים וַיִּקַּ֣ח לַפִּדִ֗ים וַיֶּ֤פֶן זָנָב֙ אֶל־זָנָ֔ב וַיָּ֨שֶׂם לַפִּ֥יד אֶחָ֛ד בֵּין־שְׁנֵ֥י הַזְּנָב֖וֹת בַּתָּֽוֶךְ׃

5
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּabe'er-'eshsh֙ bּalּapּiydi֔ym vayeshshalּa֖ch bּeqam֣ot pּelishshetּi֑ym vayּabe'e֛r migּadi֥yshsh ve'ad-qama֖h ve'ad-kּe֥rem zaֽyit׃
Edified Edition (EDE)lit the torches and let the foxes loose in the standing grain of the Philistines. He burned up the shocks and standing grain, together with the vineyards and olive groves.

וַיַּבְעֶר־אֵשׁ֙ בַּלַּפִּידִ֔ים וַיְשַׁלַּ֖ח בְּקָמ֣וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיַּבְעֵ֛ר מִגָּדִ֥ישׁ וְעַד־קָמָ֖ה וְעַד־כֶּ֥רֶם זָֽיִת׃

6
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo'mer֣u pelishshetּiym֮ mi֣y 'a֣shsah zo't֒ vayּo'mer֗u shshimeshshon֙ chata֣n hatּimeni֔y kּi֚y laqa֣ch 'et-'ishshetּ֔o vaֽyּitּena֖hּ lemere'e֑hu vayּa'al֣u pelishshetּi֔ym vayּishserep֥u 'ota֛hּ ve'et-'abi֖yha bּa'eֽshsh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)When the Philistines asked, "Who did this?" they were told, "Samson, the Timnite’s son-in-law, because his wife was given to his companion." So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father to death.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּים֮ מִ֣י עָ֣שָׂה זֹאת֒ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ חֲתַ֣ן הַתִּמְנִ֔י כִּ֚י לָקַ֣ח אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַֽיִּתְּנָ֖הּ לְמֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ וַיַּעֲל֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיִּשְׂרְפ֥וּ אוֹתָ֛הּ וְאֶת־אָבִ֖יהָ בָּאֵֽשׁ׃

7
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֤'mer lahem֙ shshimeshsh֔on 'iֽm-tּa'ashs֖un kּazo֑'t kּi֛y 'im-niqּa֥metּiy bake֖m ve'acha֥r 'echedּaֽl׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Samson said to them, "Since you’ve acted like this, I swear that I won’t stop until I get my revenge on you."

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן אִֽם־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּן כָּזֹ֑את כִּ֛י אִם־נִקַּ֥מְתִּי בָכֶ֖ם וְאַחַ֥ר אֶחְדָּֽל׃

8
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa֨ke 'ota֥m shsh֛oq 'al-yare֖ke makּa֣h gedola֑h vayּe֣red vayּe֔shsheb bּise'i֖yp se֥la 'eytaֽm׃s
Edified Edition (EDE)He attacked them viciously and slaughtered many of them. Then he went down and stayed in a cave in the rock of Etam.

וַיַּ֨ךְ אוֹתָ֥ם שׁ֛וֹק עַל־יָרֵ֖ךְ מַכָּ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וַיֵּ֣רֶד וַיֵּ֔שֶׁב בִּסְעִ֖יף סֶ֥לַע עֵיטָֽם׃ס

9
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa'al֣u pelishshetּi֔ym vaֽyּachan֖u bּiyhuda֑h vayּinּateshsh֖u bּalּeֽchiy׃
Edified Edition (EDE)The Philistines went up and camped in Judah, spreading out near Lehi.

וַיַּעֲל֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בִּיהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּנָּטְשׁ֖וּ בַּלֶּֽחִי׃

10
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּoֽ'meru֙ 'i֣yshsh yehuda֔h lama֖h 'aliyte֣m 'ale֑ynu vayּo'mer֗u le'es֤or 'et-shshimeshshon֙ 'ali֔ynu la'ashs֣ot l֔o kּa'ashshe֖r 'a֥shsah laֽnu׃
Edified Edition (EDE)The people of Judah asked, "Why have you come to fight us?" "We have come to take Samson prisoner," they answered, "to do to him as he did to us."

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה לָמָ֖ה עֲלִיתֶ֣ם עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ לֶאֱס֤וֹר אֶת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ עָלִ֔ינוּ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת ל֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר עָ֥שָׂה לָֽנוּ׃

11
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּered֡u shsheloshshet֩ 'alapi֨ym 'i֜yshsh miֽyhuda֗h 'el-se'iyp֮ se֣la 'eytam֒ vayּo'mer֣u leshshimeshsh֗on halo֤ yada֨'etּa֙ kּiֽy-moshsheli֥ym bּa֨nu֙ pּelishshetּi֔ym umah-zּo֖'t 'ashsi֣yta lּa֑nu vayּo֣'mer lahe֔m kּa'ashsher֙ 'a֣shsu li֔y kּe֖n 'ashsi֥ytiy laheֽm׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Then three thousand men from Judah went down to the cave in the rock of Etam and said to Samson, "Don’t you realise that the Philistines are rulers over us? What have you done to us?" He answered, "I merely did to them what they did to me."

וַיֵּרְד֡וּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת֩ אֲלָפִ֨ים אִ֜ישׁ מִֽיהוּדָ֗ה אֶל־סְעִיף֮ סֶ֣לַע עֵיטָם֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְשִׁמְשׁ֗וֹן הֲלֹ֤א יָדַ֨עְתָּ֙ כִּֽי־מֹשְׁלִ֥ים בָּ֨נוּ֙ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וּמַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ עָ֣שׂוּ לִ֔י כֵּ֖ן עָשִׂ֥יתִי לָהֶֽם׃

12
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֤'meru lo֙ le'esareka֣ yara֔denu letitּeka֖ bּeyad-pּelishshetּi֑ym vayּo֤'mer lahem֙ shshimeshsh֔on hishshּabe'֣u li֔y pּeֽn-tּipegּe'֥un bּi֖y 'atּeֽm׃
Edified Edition (EDE)They said to him, "We’ve come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines." Samson said, "Swear to me that you won’t kill me yourselves."

וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ לֶאֱסָרְךָ֣ יָרַ֔דְנוּ לְתִתְּךָ֖ בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ לִ֔י פֶּֽן־תִּפְגְּע֥וּן בִּ֖י אַתֶּֽם׃

13
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֧'meru l֣o le'mo֗r lo֚ kּiֽy-'aso֤r neֽ'esareka֙ unetanּ֣uka beyada֔m vehame֖t lo֣ nemiyte֑ka vayּa'aseru֗hu bּishshena֨yim֙ 'aboti֣ym chadashshi֔ym vaֽyּa'al֖uhu min-hasּaֽla'׃
Edified Edition (EDE)"Agreed," they answered. "We will only tie you up and hand you over to them. We will not kill you." So they bound him with two new ropes and led him up from the rock.

וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ ל֣וֹ לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹ֚א כִּֽי־אָסֹ֤ר נֶֽאֱסָרְךָ֙ וּנְתַנּ֣וּךָ בְיָדָ֔ם וְהָמֵ֖ת לֹ֣א נְמִיתֶ֑ךָ וַיַּאַסְרֻ֗הוּ בִּשְׁנַ֨יִם֙ עֲבֹתִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּהוּ מִן־הַסָּֽלַע׃

14
Phonetic (Hebrew): hu'-ba֣ 'ad-le֔chiy upileshshitּi֖ym heri֣y'u liqera't֑o vatּitzela֨ch 'ala֜yv r֣ucha yehva֗h vatּiheye֨ynah ha'aboti֜ym 'ashshe֣r 'al-zero'ota֗yv kּapּishshetּiym֙ 'ashshe֣r bּa'ar֣u ba'e֔shsh vayּimּa֥sּu 'esura֖yv me'a֥l yadaֽyv׃
Edified Edition (EDE)As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came meeting him with shouts. The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands.

הוּא־בָ֣א עַד־לֶ֔חִי וּפִלְשִׁתִּ֖ים הֵרִ֣יעוּ לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וַתִּצְלַ֨ח עָלָ֜יו ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֗ה וַתִּהְיֶ֨ינָה הָעֲבֹתִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־זְרוֹעוֹתָ֗יו כַּפִּשְׁתִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּעֲר֣וּ בָאֵ֔שׁ וַיִּמַּ֥סּוּ אֱסוּרָ֖יו מֵעַ֥ל יָדָֽיו׃

15
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּimetza֥ lechiֽy-cham֖or teriyּa֑h vayּishshela֤ch yado֙ vayּiqּache֔ha vayּake-bּa֖hּ 'e֥lep 'iֽyshsh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men.

וַיִּמְצָ֥א לְחִֽי־חֲמ֖וֹר טְרִיָּ֑ה וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָדוֹ֙ וַיִּקָּחֶ֔הָ וַיַּךְ־בָּ֖הּ אֶ֥לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

16
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֣'mer shshimeshsh֔on bּilechi֣y hacham֔or cham֖or chamorata֑yim bּilechi֣y hacham֔or hikּe֖ytiy 'e֥lep 'iֽyshsh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Then Samson said, "With a donkey’s jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey’s jawbone I have killed a thousand men."

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן בִּלְחִ֣י הַחֲמ֔וֹר חֲמ֖וֹר חֲמֹרָתָ֑יִם בִּלְחִ֣י הַחֲמ֔וֹר הִכֵּ֖יתִי אֶ֥לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

17
Phonetic (Hebrew): vaֽyehiy֙ kּekalּot֣o ledabּe֔r vayּashshele֥ke halּechi֖y miyּad֑o vayּiqera֛ lamּaq֥om hah֖u ra֥mat leֽchiy׃
Edified Edition (EDE)When he finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone; and the place was called Ramath Lehi.

וַֽיְהִי֙ כְּכַלֹּת֣וֹ לְדַבֵּ֔ר וַיַּשְׁלֵ֥ךְ הַלְּחִ֖י מִיָּד֑וֹ וַיִּקְרָ֛א לַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא רָ֥מַת לֶֽחִי׃

18
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּitzema'֮ me'od֒ vayּiqera֤ 'el-yehvah֙ vayּo'ma֔r 'atּah֙ nata֣tּa beyaֽd-'abedּeka֔ 'et-hatּeshshu'a֥h hagּedola֖h hazּo֑'t ve'atּah֙ 'am֣ut bּatzּama֔ venapaletּi֖y bּeya֥d ha'areliֽym׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the LORD, "You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?"

וַיִּצְמָא֮ מְאֹד֒ וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אַתָּה֙ נָתַ֣תָּ בְיַֽד־עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את וְעַתָּה֙ אָמ֣וּת בַּצָּמָ֔א וְנָפַלְתִּ֖י בְּיַ֥ד הָעֲרֵלִֽים׃

19
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּibeqa֨ 'elohi֜ym 'et-hamּaketּe֣shsh 'ashsher-bּalּe֗chiy vayּetze'֨u mimּe֤nּu ma֨yim֙ vayּe֔shshetּe vatּa֥shshab ruch֖o vayּe֑chiy 'al-kּe֣n ׀ qara֣ shshema֗hּ 'e֤yn haqּore'֙ 'ashshe֣r bּalּe֔chiy 'a֖d hayּ֥om hazּeֽh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived. So the spring was called En Hakkore, and it is still there in Lehi.

וַיִּבְקַ֨ע אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הַמַּכְתֵּ֣שׁ אֲשֶׁר־בַּלֶּ֗חִי וַיֵּצְא֨וּ מִמֶּ֤נּוּ מַ֨יִם֙ וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּח֖וֹ וַיֶּ֑חִי עַל־כֵּ֣ן ׀ קָרָ֣א שְׁמָ֗הּ עֵ֤ין הַקּוֹרֵא֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלֶּ֔חִי עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

20
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּishshepּo֧t 'et-yishsera'e֛l bּiyme֥y pelishshetּi֖ym 'eshseri֥ym shshanaֽh׃p
Edified Edition (EDE)Samson led Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֧ט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בִּימֵ֥י פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃פ