Shoftim (שופטים) - Giudici 16

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW JERUSALEM
1 וַיֵּלֶךְ שִׁמְשֹׁון עַזָּתָה וַיַּרְא־שָׁם אִשָּׁה זֹונָה וַיָּבֹא אֵלֶיהָ	1 Samson then went to Gaza and, seeing a prostitute there, went in to her.
2 לַעַזָּתִים ׀ לֵאמֹר בָּא שִׁמְשֹׁון הֵנָּה וַיָּסֹבּוּ וַיֶּאֶרְבוּ־לֹו כָל־הַלַּיְלָה בְּשַׁעַר הָעִיר וַיִּתְחָרְשׁוּ כָל־הַלַּיְלָה לֵאמֹר עַד־אֹור הַבֹּקֶר וַהֲרְגְנֻהוּ	2 The men of Gaza being told, 'Samson has arrived,' surrounded the place and kept watch for him thewhole night at the town gate. Al that night they were going to make no move, thinking, 'Let us wait untildaybreak, and then kil him.'
3 וַיִּשְׁכַּב שִׁמְשֹׁון עַד־חֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה וַיָּקָם ׀ בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה וַיֶּאֱחֹז בְּדַלְתֹות שַׁעַר־הָעִיר וּבִשְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹות וַיִּסָּעֵם עִם־הַבְּרִיחַ וַיָּשֶׂם עַל־כְּתֵפָיו וַיַּעֲלֵם אֶל־רֹאשׁ הָהָר אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי חֶבְרֹון׃ פ	3 Til midnight, however, Samson stayed in bed, and then at midnight he got up, seized the doors of thetown gate and the two posts as wel ; he tore them up, bar and al , hoisted them on to his shoulders and carriedthem to the top of the hill overlooking Hebron.
4 וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי־כֵן וַיֶּאֱהַב אִשָּׁה בְּנַחַל שֹׂרֵק וּשְׁמָהּ דְּלִילָה	4 After this, he fell in love with a woman in the Vale of Sorek; she was called Delilah.
5 וַיַּעֲלוּ אֵלֶיהָ סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהּ פַּתִּי אֹותֹו וּרְאִי בַּמֶּה כֹּחֹו גָדֹול וּבַמֶּה נוּכַל לֹו וַאֲסַרְנֻהוּ לְעַנֹּתֹו וַאֲנַחְנוּ נִתַּן־לָךְ אִישׁ אֶלֶף וּמֵאָה כָּסֶף	5 The Philistine chiefs visited her and said, 'Cajole him and find out where his great strength comesfrom, and how we can master him, so that we can bind him and subdue him. In return we shall each give youeleven hundred silver shekels.'
6 וַתֹּאמֶר דְּלִילָה אֶל־שִׁמְשֹׁון הַגִּידָה־נָּא לִי בַּמֶּה כֹּחֲךָ גָדֹול וּבַמֶּה תֵאָסֵר לְעַנֹּותֶךָ	6 Delilah said to Samson, 'Please tel me where your great strength comes from, and what would beneeded to bind and subdue you.'
7 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ שִׁמְשֹׁון אִם־יַאַסְרֻנִי בְּשִׁבְעָה יְתָרִים לַחִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־חֹרָבוּ וְחָלִיתִי וְהָיִיתִי כְּאַחַד הָאָדָם	7 Samson replied, 'If I were bound with seven new bowstrings which had not yet been dried, I shouldlose my strength and become like any other man.'
8 וַיַּעֲלוּ־לָהּ סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים שִׁבְעָה יְתָרִים לַחִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־חֹרָבוּ וַתַּאַסְרֵהוּ בָּהֶם	8 The Philistine chiefs brought Delilah seven new bowstrings which had not yet been dried and she tookthem and bound him with them.
9 וְהָאֹרֵב יֹשֵׁב לָהּ בַּחֶדֶר וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו פְּלִשְׁתִּים עָלֶיךָ שִׁמְשֹׁון וַיְנַתֵּק אֶת־הַיְתָרִים כַּאֲשֶׁר יִנָּתֵק פְּתִיל־הַנְּעֹרֶת בַּהֲרִיחֹו אֵשׁ וְלֹא נֹודַע כֹּחֹו	9 She had men concealed in her room, and she shouted, 'The Philistines are on you, Samson!' Then hesnapped the bowstrings as a strand of tow snaps at a touch of the fire. So the secret of his strength remainedunknown.
10 וַתֹּאמֶר דְּלִילָה אֶל־שִׁמְשֹׁון הִנֵּה הֵתַלְתָּ בִּי וַתְּדַבֵּר אֵלַי כְּזָבִים עַתָּה הַגִּידָה־נָּא לִי בַּמֶּה תֵּאָסֵר	10 Delilah then said to Samson, 'You have been laughing at me and tel ing me lies. But now please telme what would be needed to bind you.'
11 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ אִם־אָסֹור יַאַסְרוּנִי בַּעֲבֹתִים חֲדָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־נַעֲשָׂה בָהֶם מְלָאכָה וְחָלִיתִי וְהָיִיתִי כְּאַחַד הָאָדָם	11 He replied, 'If I were bound tightly with new ropes which have never been used, I should lose mystrength and become like any other man.'
12 וַתִּקַּח דְּלִילָה עֲבֹתִים חֲדָשִׁים וַתַּאַסְרֵהוּ בָהֶם וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו פְּלִשְׁתִּים עָלֶיךָ שִׁמְשֹׁון וְהָאֹרֵב יֹשֵׁב בֶּחָדֶר וַיְנַתְּקֵם מֵעַל זְרֹעֹתָיו כַּחוּט	12 Delilah then took new ropes and bound him with them, and she shouted, 'The Philistines are on you,Samson!' She had men concealed in her room, but he snapped the ropes round his arms like thread.
13 וַתֹּאמֶר דְּלִילָה אֶל־שִׁמְשֹׁון עַד־הֵנָּה הֵתַלְתָּ בִּי וַתְּדַבֵּר אֵלַי כְּזָבִים הַגִּידָה לִּי בַּמֶּה תֵּאָסֵר וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ אִם־תַּאַרְגִי אֶת־שֶׁבַע מַחְלְפֹות רֹאשִׁי עִם־הַמַּסָּכֶת	13 Delilah then said to Samson, 'Up to now you have been laughing at me and tel ing me lies. Tell mewhat would be needed to bind you.' He replied, 'If you wove the seven locks of my hair into the warp of a clothand beat them together tight with the reed, I should lose my strength and become like any other man.'
14 וַתִּתְקַע בַּיָּתֵד וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו פְּלִשְׁתִּים עָלֶיךָ שִׁמְשֹׁון וַיִּיקַץ מִשְּׁנָתֹו וַיִּסַּע אֶת־הַיְתַד הָאֶרֶג וְאֶת־הַמַּסָּכֶת	14 She lul ed him to sleep, then wove the seven locks of his hair into the warp, beat them together tightwith the reed and shouted, 'The Philistines are on you, Samson!' He woke from his sleep and pul ed out bothreed and warp. So the secret of his strength remained unknown.
15 וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֵיךְ תֹּאמַר אֲהַבְתִּיךְ וְלִבְּךָ אֵין אִתִּי זֶה שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים הֵתַלְתָּ בִּי וְלֹא־הִגַּדְתָּ לִּי בַּמֶּה כֹּחֲךָ גָדֹול	15 Delilah said to him, 'How can you say that you love me, when your heart is not with me? Three timesnow you have laughed at me and have not told me where your great strength comes from.'
16 וַיְהִי כִּי־הֵצִיקָה לֹּו בִדְבָרֶיהָ כָּל־הַיָּמִים וַתְּאַלֲצֵהוּ וַתִּקְצַר נַפְשֹׁו לָמוּת	16 And day after day she pestered him with her talk, nagging him til he grew sick to death of it.
17 וַיַּגֶּד־לָהּ אֶת־כָּל־לִבֹּו וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ מֹורָה לֹא־עָלָה עַל־רֹאשִׁי כִּי־נְזִיר אֱלֹהִים אֲנִי מִבֶּטֶן אִמִּי אִם־גֻּלַּחְתִּי וְסָר מִמֶּנִּי כֹחִי וְחָלִיתִי וְהָיִיתִי כְּכָל־הָאָדָם	17 At last he confided everything to her; he said to her, 'A razor has never touched my head, because Ihave been God's nazirite from my mother's womb. If my head were shorn, then my power would leave me and Ishould lose my strength and become like any other man.'
18 וַתֵּרֶא דְּלִילָה כִּי־הִגִּיד לָהּ אֶת־כָּל־לִבֹּו וַתִּשְׁלַח וַתִּקְרָא לְסַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים לֵאמֹר עֲלוּ הַפַּעַם כִּי־הִגִּיד [לָהּ כ] (לִי ק) אֶת־כָּל־לִבֹּו וְעָלוּ אֵלֶיהָ סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּעֲלוּ הַכֶּסֶף בְּיָדָם	18 Delilah then realized that he had real y confided in her; she sent for the Philistine princes with themessage, 'Come just once more: he has confided everything to me.' And the Philistine chiefs came to her withthe money in their hands.
19 וַתְּיַשְּׁנֵהוּ עַל־בִּרְכֶּיהָ וַתִּקְרָא לָאִישׁ וַתְּגַלַּח אֶת־שֶׁבַע מַחְלְפֹות רֹאשֹׁו וַתָּחֶל לְעַנֹּותֹו וַיָּסַר כֹּחֹו מֵעָלָיו	19 She lul ed Samson to sleep in her lap, summoned a man and had him shear off the seven locks fromhis head. Thus for the first time she got control over him, and his strength left him.
20 וַתֹּאמֶר פְּלִשְׁתִּים עָלֶיךָ שִׁמְשֹׁון וַיִּקַץ מִשְּׁנָתֹו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵצֵא כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם וְאִנָּעֵר וְהוּא לֹא יָדַע כִּי יְהוָה סָר מֵעָלָיו	20 She cried, 'The Philistines are on you, Samson!' He awoke from sleep, thinking, 'I shal break free as I have done time after time and shake myself clear.' But he did not know that Yahweh had left him.
21 וַיֹּאחֲזוּהוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיְנַקְּרוּ אֶת־עֵינָיו וַיֹּורִידוּ אֹותֹו עַזָּתָה וַיַּאַסְרוּהוּ בַּנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם וַיְהִי טֹוחֵן בְּבֵית [הָאֲסִירִים כ] (הָאֲסוּרִים׃ ק)	21 The Philistines seized him, put out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. They fettered him with adouble chain of bronze and he spent his time turning the mil in the prison.
22 וַיָּחֶל שְׂעַר־רֹאשֹׁו לְצַמֵּחַ כַּאֲשֶׁר גֻּלָּח׃ פ	22 But his hair began to grow again when it had been cut off.
23 וְסַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים נֶאֱסְפוּ לִזְבֹּחַ זֶבַח־גָּדֹול לְדָגֹון אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וּלְשִׂמְחָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ נָתַן אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּיָדֵנוּ אֵת שִׁמְשֹׁון אֹויְבֵינוּ	23 The Philistine chiefs assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god. And amid their festivitiesthey said: Into our hands our god has delivered Samson our enemy.
24 וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתֹו הָעָם וַיְהַלְלוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶם כִּי אָמְרוּ נָתַן אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְיָדֵנוּ אֶת־אֹויְבֵנוּ וְאֵת מַחֲרִיב אַרְצֵנוּ וַאֲשֶׁר הִרְבָּה אֶת־חֲלָלֵינוּ	24 And as soon as the people saw their god, they acclaimed him, shouting his praises: Into our handsour god has delivered Samson our enemy, the man who laid our country waste and kil ed so many of us.
25 וַיְהִי [כִּי כ] [טֹוב כ] (כְּטֹוב ק) לִבָּם וַיֹּאמְרוּ קִרְאוּ לְשִׁמְשֹׁון וִישַׂחֶק־לָנוּ וַיִּקְרְאוּ לְשִׁמְשֹׁון מִבֵּית [הָאֲסִירִים כ] (הָאֲסוּרִים ק) וַיְצַחֵק לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיַּעֲמִידוּ אֹותֹו בֵּין הָעַמּוּדִים	25 And as their hearts were full of joy, they shouted, 'Summon Samson out to amuse us.' So Samsonwas summoned from prison, and he performed feats in front of them; then he was put to stand between thepil ars.
26 וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְשֹׁון אֶל־הַנַּעַר הַמַּחֲזִיק בְּיָדֹו הַנִּיחָה אֹותִי [וַהֵימִשֵׁנִי כ] (וַהֲמִשֵׁנִי ק) אֶת־הָעַמֻּדִים אֲשֶׁר הַבַּיִת נָכֹון עֲלֵיהֶם וְאֶשָּׁעֵן עֲלֵיהֶם	26 Samson then said to the boy who was leading him by the hand, 'Lead me where I can touch thepil ars supporting the building, so that I can lean against them.'
27 וְהַבַּיִת מָלֵא הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְשָׁמָּה כֹּל סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וְעַל־הַגָּג כִּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה הָרֹאִים בִּשְׂחֹוק שִׁמְשֹׁון	27 Now the building was crowded with men and women. Al the Philistine chiefs were there, while aboutthree thousand men and women were watching Samson's feats from the terrace.
28 וַיִּקְרָא שִׁמְשֹׁון אֶל־יְהוָה וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה זָכְרֵנִי נָא וְחַזְּקֵנִי נָא אַךְ הַפַּעַם הַזֶּה הָאֱלֹהִים וְאִנָּקְמָה נְקַם־אַחַת מִשְּׁתֵי עֵינַי מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים	28 Samson cal ed on Yahweh and cried out, 'Lord Yahweh, I beg you, remember me; give me strengthagain this once, O God, and let me be revenged on the Philistines at one blow for my two eyes.'
29 וַיִּלְפֹּת שִׁמְשֹׁון אֶת־שְׁנֵי ׀ עַמּוּדֵי הַתָּוֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הַבַּיִת נָכֹון עֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּסָּמֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶחָד בִּימִינֹו וְאֶחָד בִּשְׂמֹאלֹו	29 And Samson took hold of the two central pil ars supporting the building, and braced himself with hisright arm round one and his left round the other;
30 וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְשֹׁון תָּמֹות נַפְשִׁי עִם־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיֵּט בְּכֹחַ וַיִּפֹּל הַבַּיִת עַל־הַסְּרָנִים וְעַל־כָּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־בֹּו וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית בְּמֹותֹו רַבִּים מֵאֲשֶׁר הֵמִית בְּחַיָּיו	30 and he shouted, 'Let me die with the Philistines!' He then heaved with al his might, and the buildingfel on the chiefs and on all the people there. Those whom he brought to their death by his death outnumberedthose whom he had done to death during his life.
31 וַיֵּרְדוּ אֶחָיו וְכָל־בֵּית אָבִיהוּ וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֹתֹו וַיַּעֲלוּ ׀ וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹותֹו בֵּין צָרְעָה וּבֵין אֶשְׁתָּאֹל בְּקֶבֶר מָנֹוחַ אָבִיו וְהוּא שָׁפַט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה׃ פ	31 His brothers and the whole of his father's family came down and carried him away. They took himback and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel fortwenty years.