Samson

And the wife bare a sonne, and called his name Samson: and the childe grewe, and the Lord blessed him.

Nowe Samson went downe to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistims,

Then his father and his mother sayde vnto him, Is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, that thou must go to take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistims? And Samson sayd vnto his father, Giue mee her, for she pleaseth me well.

Then went Samson and his father and his mother downe to Timnath, and came to ye vineyardes at Timnath: and beholde, a young Lyon roared vpon him.

And he went down, and talked with the woman which was beautifull in the eyes of Samson.

So his father went down vnto the woman, and Samson made there a feast: for so vsed the yong men to doe.

Then Samson sayd vnto them, I will nowe put forth a riddle vnto you: and if you can declare it me within seuen dayes of the feast, and finde it out, I will giue you thirty sheetes, and thirtie change of garments.

And when the seuenth day was come, they said vnto Samsons wife, Entise thine husband, that he may declare vs the riddle, lest wee burne thee and thy fathers house with fire. Haue ye called vs, to possesse vs? is it not so?

And Samsons wife wept before him, and said, Surely thou hatest mee and louest mee not: for thou hast put forth a riddle vnto the children of my people, and hast not told it mee. And hee sayd vnto her, Beholde, I haue not told it my father, nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

Then Samsons wife was giuen to his companion, whom he had vsed as his friend.

But within a while after, in the time of wheate haruest, Samson visited his wife with a kid, saying, I wil go in to my wife into the chamber: but her father would not suffer him to goe in.

Then Samson saide vnto them, Nowe am I more blamelesse then the Philistims: therefore will I doe them displeasure.

And Samson went out, and tooke three hundreth foxes, and tooke firebrands, and turned them taile to taile, and put a firebrand in ye middes betweene two tailes.

Then the Philistims sayde, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson the sonne in law of the Timnite, because hee had taken his wife, and giuen her to his companion. Then the Philistims came vp and burnt her and her father with fire.

And Samson saide vnto them, Though yee haue done this, yet wil I be auenged of you, and then I wil cease.

And the men of Iudah sayde, Why are yee come vp vnto vs? And they answered, To binde Samson are we come vp, and to do to him as hee hath done to vs.

Then three thousande men of Iudah went to the top of the rocke Etam, and sayde to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistims are rulers ouer vs? Wherefore then hast thou done thus vnto vs? And he answered them, As they did vnto me, so haue I done vnto them.

Againe they sayd vnto him, Wee are come to binde thee, and to deliuer thee into the hande of the Philistims. And Samson sayde vnto them, Sweare vnto me, that yee will not fall vpon me your selues.

Then Samson sayd, With the iaw of an asse are heapes vpon heapes: with the iawe of an asse haue I slaine a thousand men.

Then went Samson to Azzah, and sawe there an harlot, and went in vnto her.

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, and were quiet all the nyght, saying, Abide till the morning earely, and we shall kill him.

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.

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.

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.

(And she had men lying in wayte with her in the chamber) Then she said vnto him, The Philistims be vpon thee, Samson. And hee brake the cordes, as a threede of towe is broken, when it feeleth fire: so his strength was not knowen.