Samson's Vengeance on the Philistines
Judges 15
Finding his wife given to another man, Samson burns the Philistines' crops using foxes with torches tied to their tails, then strikes them down after they burn his wife and her father. When the men of Judah bind him and hand him over, Samson breaks free and kills a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, and the Lord provides him water from the jawbone when he grows faint with thirst.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHE next year, however, in the days of the wheat harvest, Sampson visited his wife with a kid of the goats, and said, Let me go in, to my wife, into the chamber; but her father would not suffer him to go in.
BrentonAnd it came to pass after a time, in the days of wheat harvest, that Sampson visited his wife with a kid, and said, I will go in to my wife even into the chamber: but her father did not suffer him to go in.
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο μεθʼ ἡμέρας ἐν ἡμέραις θερισμοῦ πυρῶν, καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο Σαμψὼν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐρίφῳ αἰγῶν, καὶ εἶπεν, εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκά μου καὶ εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον· καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῆς εἰσελθεῖν.
KJVBut it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
JPSBut it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said: ‘I will go in to my wife into the chamber.’ But her father would not suffer him to go in.
2
ThomsonAnd her father said, I thought that thou didst utterly hate her, therefore I gave her to one of thy friends. But is not her younger sister better than she? Let this one, I pray thee, be thine, instead of her.
BrentonAnd her father spoke, saying, I said that thou didst surely hate her, and I gave her to one of thy friends: is not her younger sister better than she? let her be to thee instead of her.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτὴς, λέγων, εἶπα ὅτι μισῶν ἐμίσησας αὐτὴν, καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτὴν ἑνὶ τῶν ἐκ τῶν φίλων σου· μὴ οὐχὶ ἡ ἀδελφὴ αὐτῆς ἡ νεωτέρα ἀγαθωτέρα ὑπὲρ αὐτήν; ἔστω δή σοι ἀντὶ αὐτῆς.
KJVAnd her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
JPSAnd her father said: ‘I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion; is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.’
3
ThomsonThereupon Sampson said to them, Now, at least for once, I must be justified by the Philistines in doing them an injury.
BrentonAnd Sampson said to them, Even for once am I guiltless with regard to the Philistines, in that I do mischief among them.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Σαμψὼν, ἠθὼωμαι καὶ τὸ ἅπαξ ἀπὸ ἀλλοφύλων, ὅτι ποιῶ ἐγὼ μετʼ αὐτῶν πονηρίαν·
KJV—
JPSAnd Samson said unto them: ‘This time shall I be quits with the Philistines, when I do them a mischief.’
4
ThomsonThen Sampson went and caught three hundred foxes, and he took torches; and when he had turned tail to tail,
BrentonAnd Sampson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put a torch between two tails, and fastened it.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπορεύθη Σαμψὼν, καὶ συνέλαβε τριακοσίας ἀλώπεκας, καὶ ἔλαβε λαμπάδας, καὶ ἐπέστρεψε κέρκον πρὸς κέρκον, καὶ ἔθηκε λαμπάδα μίαν ἀναμέσον τῶν δύο κέρκων καὶ ἔδησε,
KJVAnd Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
JPSAnd Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put a torch in the midst between every two tails.
5
Thomsonhe put a torch between every two tails, and tied them, and set fire to the torches, and let them go through the standing corn of the Philistines. And they burned both what was on the threshing floors, and the standing corn, and also the vineyards, and the olive trees.
BrentonAnd he set fire to the torches, and sent the foxes into the corn of the Philistines; and every thing was burnt from the threshing floor to the standing corn, and even to the vineyard and olives.
Greekκαὶ ἐξέκαυσε πῦρ ἐν ταῖς λαμπάσι, καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν ἐν τοῖς στάχυσι τῶν ἀλλοφύλων· καὶ ἐκάησαν ἀπὸ ἅλωνος καὶ ἕως σταχύων ὀρθῶν, καὶ ἕως ἀμπελῶνος καὶ ἐλαίας.
KJVAnd when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.
JPSAnd when he had set the torches on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks and the standing corn, and also the oliveyards.
6
ThomsonWhereupon the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And when they were told that is was Sampson, the son-in-law of Thamni, because he had taken his wife, and given her to one of his friends, the Philistines went up and burned her, and her father’s house, with fire.
BrentonAnd the Philistines said, Who has done these things? and they said, Sampson the son-in-law of the Thamnite, because he has taken his wife, and given her to one of his friends; and the Philistines went up, and burnt her and her father's house with fire.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι, τίς ἐποίησε ταῦτα; καὶ εἶπαν, Σαμψὼν ὁ νυμφίος τοῦ Θαμνὶ, ὅτι ἔλαβε τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν τῷ ἐκ τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι, καὶ ἐνέπρησαν αὐτὴν καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς ἐν πυρί.
KJVThen the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
JPSThen the Philistines said: ‘Who hath done this?’ And they said: ‘Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he hath taken his wife, and given her to his companion.’ And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
7
ThomsonAnd Sampson said to them, As you have served her, so I will take vengeance on you, and then I will be at rest.
BrentonAnd Sampson said to them, Though ye may have dealt thus with her, verily I will be avenged of you, and afterwards I will cease.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Σαμψὼν, ἐὰν ποιήσητε οὕτως ταύτην, ὅτι ἦ μὴν ἐκδικήσω ἐν ὑμῖν, καὶ ἔσχατον κοπάσω.
KJVAnd Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
JPSAnd Samson said unto them: ‘If ye do after this manner, surely I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.’
8
ThomsonSo he smote them in combat with a great slaughter, and went down and dwelt in a hollow of the rock Etam.
BrentonAnd he smote them leg on thigh with a great overthrow; and went down and dwelt in a cave of the rock Etam.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς κνήμην ἐπὶ μηρὸν πληγὴν μεγάλην· καὶ κατέβη καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐν τρυμαλιᾷ τῆς πέτρας Ἠτάμ.
KJVAnd he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
JPSAnd he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter; and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.
9
ThomsonThen the Philistines went up, and encamped in Juda, and spread themselves through Lechi.
BrentonAnd the Philistines went up, and encamped in Juda, and spread themselves abroad in Lechi.
GreekΚαὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι, καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν Ἰούδα, καὶ ἐξεῤῥίφησαν ἐν Λεχί.
KJVThen the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
JPSThen the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves against Lehi.
10
ThomsonAnd the chief of Juda said, Why are you come up against us? And the Philistines said, We are come up to bind Sampson, and to do to him as he hath done to us.
BrentonAnd the men of Juda said, Why are ye come up against us? and the Philistines said, We are come up to bind Sampson, and to do to him as he has done to us.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπαν ἀνὴρ Ἰούδα, εἰς τί ἀνέβητε ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς; καὶ εἶπον οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι, δῆσαι τὸν Σαμψὼν ἀνέβημεν, καὶ ποιῆσαι αὐτῷ ὃν τρόπον ἐποίησεν ἡμῖν.
KJVAnd the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
JPSAnd the men of Judah said: ‘Why are ye come up against us?’ And they said: ‘To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.’
11
ThomsonUpon this three thousand men of Juda went down to the hollow of the rock Etam, and said to Sampson, Dost thou not know that the Philistines have dominion over us? Why then hast thou done this to us? And Sampson said, As they did to me, so have I done to them.
BrentonAnd the three thousand men of Juda went down to the hole of the rock Etam, and they said to Sampson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines rule over us? and what is this that thou hast done to us? and Sampson said to them, As they did to me, so have I done to them.
GreekΚαὶ κατέβησαν τρισχίλιοι ἀπὸ Ἰούδα ἄνδρες εἰς τρυμαλιὰν πέτρας Ἠτὰμ, καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς Σαμψὼν, οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι κυριεύουσιν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι ἡμῶν; καὶ τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας ἡμῖν; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Σαμψὼν, ὃν τρόπον ἐποίησάν μοι, οὕτως ἐποίησα αὐτοῖς·
KJVThen three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
JPSThen three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson: ‘Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what then is this that thou hast done unto us?’ And he said unto them: ‘As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.’
12
ThomsonThen they said to him, We are come down to bind thee, and deliver thee into the hands of the Philistines. And Sampson said to them, Swear to me. Perhaps you yourselves will fall upon me.
BrentonAnd they said to him, We are come down to bind thee to deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines: and Sampson said to them, Swear to me that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, δῆσαί σε κατέβημεν τοῦ δοῦναί σε ἐν χειρὶ ἀλλοφύλων· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Σαμψὼν, ὀμόσατέ μοι μή ποτε συναντήσητε ἐν ἐμοὶ ὑμεῖς.
KJVAnd they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
JPSAnd they said unto him: ‘We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines.’ And Samson said unto them: ‘Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.’
13
ThomsonAnd they said to him, No; we will only bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hands; but we will not put thee to death. So They bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.
BrentonAnd they spoke to him, saying, Nay, but we will only bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand, and will by no means slay thee: and they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him from that rock.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ, λέγοντες, οὐχὶ, ὅτι ἀλλʼ ἢ δεσμῷ δήσομέν σε, καὶ παραδώσωμέν σε ἐν χειρὶ αὐτῶν, καὶ θανάτῳ οὐ θανατώσωμέν σε· καὶ ἔδησαν αὐτὸν ἐν δυσὶ καλωδίοις καινοῖς, καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς πέτρας ἐκείνης.
KJVAnd they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
JPSAnd they spoke unto him, saying: ‘No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand; but surely we will not kill thee.’ And they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.
14
ThomsonAnd when they came to the place called Jaw Bone, the Philistines shouted, and ran to meet him. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him; and the cords which were on his arms became like tow, which is burned with fire; and the bands dropped from his hands,
BrentonAnd they came to Lechi: and the Philistines shouted, and ran to meet him: and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as tow which is burnt with fire; and his bonds were consumed from off his hands.
GreekΚαὶ ἦλθον ἕως σιαγόνος· καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι ἠλάλαξαν, καὶ ἔδραμον εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἥλατο ἐπʼ αὐτὸν πνεῦμα Κυρίου· καὶ ἐγενήθη τὰ καλώδια τὰ ἐπὶ βραχίοσιν αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ στυππίον ὃ ἐξεκαύθη ἐν πυρί· καὶ ἐτάκησαν δεσμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ χειρῶν αὐτοῦ.
KJVAnd when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
JPSWhen he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands dropped from off his hands.
15
Thomsonand he found the jaw bone of an ass lying there; so he stretched forth his hand, and took it up, and with it smote a thousand men.
BrentonAnd he found the jaw-bone of an ass that had been cast away, and he put forth his hand and took it, and smote with it a thousand men.
GreekΚαὶ εὗρε σιαγόνα ὄνου ἐξεῤῥιμμένην, καὶ ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν αὐτῇ χιλίους ἄνδρας.
KJVAnd he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
JPSAnd he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and smote a thousand men therewith.
16
ThomsonAnd Sampson said, With the jaw of an ass I have utterly routed them; for with the jaw of an ass I have slain a thousand men.
BrentonAnd Sampson said, With the jaw-bone of an ass I have utterly destroyed them, for with the jaw-bone of an ass I have smitten a thousand men.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Σαμψὼν, ἐν σιαγόνι ὄνου ἐξαλείφων ἐξήλειψα αὐτοὺς, ὅτι ἐν τῇ σιαγόνι τοῦ ὄνου ἐπάταξα χιλίους ἄνδρας.
KJVAnd Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
JPSAnd Samson said: With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men.
17
ThomsonAnd when he had done speaking, he threw the jaw out of his hand, and called that place, Slaughter of the Jaw.
BrentonAnd it came to pass when he ceased speaking, that he cast the jaw-bone out of his hand; and he called that place the Lifting of the jaw-bone.
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν, καὶ ἔῤῥιψε τὴν σιαγόνα ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον, ἀναίρεσις σιαγόνος.
KJVAnd it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.
JPSAnd it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand; and that place was called Ramath-lehi.
18
ThomsonAnd being very thirsty he wept before the Lord and said, Thou hast vouchsafed this great deliverance to the hand of thy servant; but now I must die of thirst, and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised.
BrentonAnd he was very thirsty, and wept before the Lord, and said, Thou hast been well pleased to grant this great deliverance by the hand of thy servant, and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
GreekΚαὶ ἐδίψησε σφόδρα, καὶ ἔκλαυσε πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ εἶπε, σὺ εὐδόκησας ἐν χειρὶ δούλου σου τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν μεγάλην ταύτην, καὶ νῦν ἀποθανοῦμαι τῷ δίψει, καὶ ἐμπεσοῦμαι ἐν χειρὶ τῶν ἀπεριτμήτων;
KJVAnd he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
JPSAnd he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said: ‘Thou hast given this great deliverance by the hand of Thy servant; and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?’
19
ThomsonWhereupon God caused that pool at Jaw to break forth, and water flowed out of it, and he drank, and his spirit returned, and he revived. For this cause the name of that fountain which is at Jaw is now called, The Fountain of the Invoked.
BrentonAnd God broke open a hollow place in the jaw, and there came thence water, and he drank; and his spirit returned and he revived: therefore the name of the fountain was called ‘The well of the invoker,’ which is in Lechi, until this day.
GreekΚαὶ ἔῤῥηξεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν λάκκον τὸν ἐν τῇ σιαγόνι, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ αὐτοῦ ὕδωρ, καὶ ἔπιε· καὶ ἐπέστρεψε τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔζησε. διὰ τοῦτο ἐκλήθη τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς, Πηγὴ τοῦ ἐπικαλουμένου, ἥ ἐστιν ἐν σιαγόνι, ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.
KJVBut God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
JPSBut God cleaved the hollow place that is in Lehi, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came back, and he revived; wherefore the name thereof was called En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
20
ThomsonNow he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
BrentonAnd he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
GreekΚαὶ ἔκρινε τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐν ἡμέραις ἀλλοφύλων εἴκοσι ἔτη.
KJVAnd he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
JPSAnd he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.