Judges 16 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Judges 16 (WEBP)

[1] Samson went to Gaza, and saw there a prostitute, and went in to her.
[2] The Gazites were told, “Samson is here!” They surrounded him and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, “Wait until morning light; then we will kill him.”
[3] Samson lay until midnight, then arose at midnight and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, with the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
[4] It came to pass afterward that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
[5] The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see in which his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.”
[6] Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and what you might be bound to afflict you.”
[7] Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”
[8] Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
[9] Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room. She said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He broke the cords as a flax thread is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.
[10] Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies. Now please tell me how you might be bound.”
[11] He said to her, “If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”
[12] So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, then said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” The ambush was waiting in the inner room. He broke them off his arms like a thread.
[13] Delilah said to Samson, “Until now, you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me with what you might be bound.” He said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the fabric on the loom.”
[14] She fastened it with the pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He awakened out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam and the fabric.
[15] She said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.”
[16] When she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, his soul was troubled to death.
[17] He told her all his heart and said to her, “No razor has ever come on my head; for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me and I will become weak, and be like any other man.”
[18] When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up this once, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand.
[19] She made him sleep on her knees; and she called for a man and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
[20] She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” He awoke out of his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that Yahweh had departed from him.
[21] The Philistines laid hold on him and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with fetters of bronze; and he ground at the mill in the prison.
[22] However, the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaved.
[23] The lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.”
[24] When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, “Our god has delivered our enemy and the destroyer of our country, who has slain many of us, into our hand.”
[25] When their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.” They called for Samson out of the prison; and he performed before them. They set him between the pillars;
[26] and Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, “Allow me to feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean on them.”
[27] Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were on the roof about three thousand men and women, who saw while Samson performed.
[28] Samson called to Yahweh, and said, “Lord Yahweh, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, only this once, God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”
[29] Samson took hold of the two middle pillars on which the house rested and leaned on them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left.
[30] Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life.
[31] Then his brothers and all the house of his father came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burial site of Manoah his father. He judged Israel twenty years.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Judges 16 (KJVS)

[1] Then went () Samson to Gaza , and saw () there an harlot (), and went in () unto her.
[2] [And it was told] the Gazites , saying (), Samson is come () hither. And they compassed [him] in (), and laid wait () for him all night in the gate of the city , and were quiet () all the night , saying (), In the morning , when it is day , we shall kill () him.
[3] And Samson lay () till midnight , and arose () at midnight , and took () the doors of the gate of the city , and the two posts , and went away () with them, bar and all, and put () [them] upon his shoulders , and carried them up () to the top of an hill that [is] before Hebron .
[4] And it came to pass afterward , that he loved () a woman in the valley of Sorek , whose name [was] Delilah .
[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 [pieces] of silver .
[6] And Delilah said () to Samson , Tell () me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength [lieth], and wherewith thou mightest be bound () to afflict () thee.
[7] And Samson said () unto her, If they bind () me with seven green withs that were never dried (), then shall I be weak (), and be as another man .
[8] Then the lords of the Philistines brought up () to her seven green withs which had not been dried (), and she bound () him with them.
[9] Now [there were] 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 it toucheth () the fire . So his strength was not known ().
[10] And Delilah said () unto Samson , Behold, thou hast mocked () me, and told () me lies : now tell () me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound ().
[11] And he said () unto her, If they bind () me fast () with new ropes that never were occupied (), then shall I be weak (), and be as another man .
[12] Delilah therefore took () new ropes , and bound () him therewith, and said () unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson . And [there were] liers in wait () abiding () in the chamber . And he brake () them from off his arms like a thread .
[13] And Delilah said () unto Samson , Hitherto thou hast mocked () me, and told () me lies : tell () me wherewith thou mightest be bound (). And he said () unto her, If thou weavest () the seven locks of my head with the web .
[14] And she fastened () [it] with the pin , and said () unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson . And he awaked () out of his sleep , and went away () with the pin of the beam , and with the web .
[15] And she said () unto him, How canst thou say (), 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].
[16] And it came to pass, when she pressed () him daily with her words , and urged () him, [so] that his soul was vexed () unto death ();
[17] That he told () her all his 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 .
[18] And when Delilah saw () that he had told () her all his heart , she sent () and called () for the lords of the Philistines , saying (), Come up () this once , for he hath shewed () me all his heart . Then the lords of the Philistines came up () unto her, and brought () money in their hand .
[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 () from him.
[20] And she said (), The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson . And he awoke () out of his sleep , and said (), I will go out () as at other times before , and shake () myself. And he wist () not that the LORD was departed () from him.
[21] But the Philistines took () him, and put out () his eyes , and brought him down () to Gaza , and bound () him with fetters of brass ; and he did grind () in the prison () house .
[22] Howbeit the hair of his head began () to grow again () after he was shaven ().
[23] Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together () for to offer () a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god , and to rejoice : for they said (), Our god hath delivered () Samson our enemy () into our hand .
[24] And when the people saw () him, they praised () their god : for they said (), Our god hath delivered () into our hands our enemy (), and the destroyer () of our country , which slew many () of us.
[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 made them sport (): and they set () him between the pillars .
[26] And Samson said () unto the lad that held () him by the hand , Suffer () me that I may feel () (8675) () the pillars whereupon the house standeth (), that I may lean () upon them.
[27] Now the house was full () of men and women ; and all the lords of the Philistines [were] there; and [there were] upon the roof about three thousand men and women , that beheld () while Samson made sport ().
[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 avenged () of the Philistines for my two eyes .
[29] And Samson took hold () of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood (), and on which it was borne up (), of the one with his right hand , and of the other with his left .
[30] And Samson said (), 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 .
[31] Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down (), and took () him, and brought [him] up (), and buried () him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father . And he judged () Israel twenty years .

Young’s Literal Translation

Judges 16 (YLT)

[1] And Samson goeth to Gaza, and seeth there a woman, a harlot, and goeth in unto her;
[2] it is told to the Gazathites, saying, ‘Samson hath come in hither;’ and they go round and lay wait for him all the night at the gate of the city, and keep themselves silent all the night, saying, ‘Till the light of the morning-then we have slain him.’
[3] And Samson lieth down till the middle of the night, and riseth in the middle of the night, and layeth hold on the doors of the gate of the city, and on the two side posts, and removeth them with the bar, and putteth on his shoulders, and taketh them up unto the top of the hill, which is on the front of Hebron.
[4] And it cometh to pass afterwards that he loveth a woman in the valley of Sorek, and her name is Delilah,
[5] and the princes of the Philistines come up unto her, and say to her, ‘Entice him, and see wherein his great power is, and wherein we are able for him-and we have bound him to afflict him, and we-we give to thee, each one, eleven hundred silverlings.’
[6] And Delilah saith unto Samson, ‘Declare, I pray thee, to me, wherein thy great power is, and wherewith thou art bound, to afflict thee.’
[7] And Samson saith unto her, ‘If they bind me with seven green withs which have not been dried, then I have been weak, and have been as one of the human race.’
[8] And the princes of the Philistines bring up to her seven green withs which have not been dried, and she bindeth him with them.
[9] And the ambush is abiding with her in an inner chamber, and she saith unto him, ‘Philistines are upon thee, Samson;’ and he breaketh the withs as a thread of tow is broken in its smelling fire, and his power hath not been known.
[10] And Delilah saith unto Samson, ‘Lo, thou hast played upon me, and speakest unto me lies; now, declare, I pray thee, to me, wherewith thou art bound.’
[11] And he saith unto her, ‘If they certainly bind me with thick bands, new ones, by which work hath not been done, then I have been weak, and have been as one of the human race.’
[12] And Delilah taketh thick bands, new ones, and bindeth him with them, and saith unto him, ‘Philistines are upon thee, Samson;’ and the ambush is abiding in an inner chamber, and he breaketh them from off his arms as a thread.
[13] And Delilah saith unto Samson, ‘Hitherto thou hast played upon me, and dost speak unto me lies; declare to me wherewith thou art bound.’ And he saith unto her, ‘If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.’
[14] And she fixeth it with the pin, and saith unto him, ‘Philistines are upon thee, Samson;’ and he awaketh out of his sleep, and journeyeth with the pin of the weaving machine, and with the web.
[15] And she saith unto him, ‘How dost thou say, I have loved thee, and thy heart is not with me? these three times thou hast played upon me, and hast not declared to me wherein thy great power is.’
[16] And it cometh to pass, because she distressed him with her words all the days, and doth urge him, and his soul is grieved to death,
[17] that he declareth to her all his heart, and saith to her, ‘A razor hath not gone up on my head, for a Nazarite to God I am from the womb of my mother; if I have been shaven, then hath my power turned aside from me, and I have been weak, and have been as any of the human race.’
[18] And Delilah seeth that he hath declared to her all his heart, and she sendeth and calleth for the princes of the Philistines, saying, ‘Come up this time, for he hath declared to me all his heart;’ and the princes of the Philistines have come up unto her, and bring up the money in their hand.
[19] And she maketh him sleep on her knees, and calleth for a man, and shaveth the seven locks of his head, and beginneth to afflict him, and his power turneth aside from off him;
[20] and she saith, ‘Philistines are upon thee, Samson;’ and he awaketh out of his sleep, and saith, ‘I go out as time by time, and shake myself;’ and he hath not known that Jehovah hath turned aside from off him.
[21] And the Philistines seize him, and pick out his eyes, and bring him down to Gaza, and bind him with two brazen fetters; and he is grinding in the prison-house.
[22] And the hair of his head beginneth to shoot up, when he hath been shaven,
[23] and the princes of the Philistines have been gathered together to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; and they say, ‘Our god hath given into our hand Samson our enemy.’
[24] And the people see him, and praise their god, for they said, ‘Our god hath given in our hand our enemy, and he who is laying waste our land, and who multiplied our wounded.’
[25] And it cometh to pass, when their heart is glad, that they say, ‘Call for Samson, and he doth play before us;’ and they call for Samson out of the prison-house, and he playeth before them, and they cause him to stand between the pillars.
[26] And Samson saith unto the young man who is keeping hold on his hand, ‘Let me alone, and let me feel the pillars on which the house is established, and I lean upon them.’
[27] And the house hath been full of men and of women, and thither are all the princes of the Philistines, and on the roof are about three thousand men and women, who are looking on the playing of Samson.
[28] And Samson calleth unto Jehovah, and saith, ‘Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me, I pray Thee, only this time, O God; and I am avenged-vengeance at once-because of my two eyes, on the Philistines.’
[29] And Samson turneth aside to the two middle pillars, on which the house is established, and on which it is supported, to the one with his right hand, and one with his left;
[30] and Samson saith, ‘Let me die with the Philistines,’ and he inclineth himself powerfully, and the house falleth on the princes, and on all the people who are in it, and the dead whom he hath put to death in his death are more than those whom he put to death in his life.
[31] And his brethren come down, and all the house of his father, and lift him up, and bring him up, and bury him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the burying-place of Manoah his father; and he hath judged Israel twenty years.