Chapter 15

1Some time later, in the season of the wheat harvest, Shimshon came to visit his wife, bringing a kid as a gift. He said, “Let me go into the chamber to my wife.” But her father would not let him go in.

vai-HEE mi-ya-MEEM bee-MAY k'-tzeer khi-TEEM va-yif-KOD shim-SHON et ish-TO big-DEE i-ZEEM va-YO-mer a-VO-ah el ish-TEE he-KHAD-rah v'-lo n'-ta-NO a-VEE-ha la-VO

אוַיְהִי מִיָּמִים בִּימֵי קְצִיר־חִטִּים וַיִּפְקֹד שִׁמְשׁוֹן אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ בִּגְדִי עִזִּים וַיֹּאמֶר אָבֹאָה אֶל־אִשְׁתִּי הֶחָדְרָה וְלֹא־נְתָנוֹ אָבִיהָ לָבוֹא׃

2“I was sure,” said her father, “that you had taken a dislike to her, so I gave her to your wedding companion. But her younger sister is more beautiful than she; let her become your wife instead.”

va-YO-mer a-VEE-ha a-MOR a-MAR-tee kee sa-NO s'-nay-TAH va-e-t'-NE-nah l'-may-ray-E-kha ha-LO a-kho-TAH ha-k'-ta-NAH to-VAH mi-ME-nah t'-hee NA l'-KHA takh-TE-ha

בוַיֹּאמֶר אָבִיהָ אָמֹר אָמַרְתִּי כִּי־שָׂנֹא שְׂנֵאתָהּ וָאֶתְּנֶנָּה לְמֵרֵעֶךָ הֲלֹא אֲחֹתָהּ הַקְּטַנָּה טוֹבָה מִמֶּנָּה תְּהִי־נָא לְךָ תַּחְתֶּיהָ׃

3Thereupon Shimshon declared, “Now the Philistines can have no claim against me for the harm I shall do them.”

va-YO-mer la-HEM shim-SHON ni-KAY-tee ha-PA-am mi-p'-lish-TEEM kee o-SEH a-NEE i-MAM ra-AH

גוַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְשׁוֹן נִקֵּיתִי הַפַּעַם מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי־עֹשֶׂה אֲנִי עִמָּם רָעָה׃

4Shimshon went and caught three hundred foxes. He took torches and, turning [the foxes] tail to tail, he placed a torch between each pair of tails.

va-YAY-lekh shim-SHON va-yil-KOD sh'-losh may-OT shu-a-LEEM va-yi-KAKH la-pi-DEEM va-YE-fen za-NAV el za-NAV va-YA-sem la-PEED e-KHAD bayn sh'-NAY ha-z'-na-VOT ba-TA-vekh

דוַיֵּלֶךְ שִׁמְשׁוֹן וַיִּלְכֹּד שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹת שׁוּעָלִים וַיִּקַּח לַפִּדִים וַיֶּפֶן זָנָב אֶל־זָנָב וַיָּשֶׂם לַפִּיד אֶחָד בֵּין־שְׁנֵי הַזְּנָבוֹת בַּתָּוֶךְ׃

5He lit the torches and turned [the foxes] loose among the standing grain of the Philistines, setting fire to stacked grain, standing grain, vineyards, [and] olive trees.

va-yav-er AYSH ba-la-pee-DEEM vai-sha-LAKH b'-ka-MOT p'-lish-TEEM va-yav-AYR mi-ga-DEESH v'-ad ka-MAH v'-ad KE-rem ZA-yit

הוַיַּבְעֶר־אֵשׁ בַּלַּפִּידִים וַיְשַׁלַּח בְּקָמוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּבְעֵר מִגָּדִישׁ וְעַד־קָמָה וְעַד־כֶּרֶם זָיִת׃

6The Philistines asked, “Who did this?” And they were told, “It was Shimshon, the son-in-law of the Timnite, who took Shimshon's wife and gave her to his wedding companion.” Thereupon the Philistines came up and put her and her father to the fire.

va-yo-m'-RU f'-lish-TEEM MEE A-sah ZOT va-yo-m'-RU shim-SHON kha-TAN ha-tim-NEE KEE la-KAKH et ish-TO va-yi-t'-NAH l'-may-ray-AY-hu va-ya-a-LU f'-lish-TEEM va-yis-r'-FU o-TAH v'-et a-VEE-ha ba-AYSH

ווַיֹּאמְרוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים מִי עָשָׂה זֹאת וַיֹּאמְרוּ שִׁמְשׁוֹן חֲתַן הַתִּמְנִי כִּי לָקַח אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְמֵרֵעֵהוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּשְׂרְפוּ אוֹתָהּ וְאֶת־אָבִיהָ בָּאֵשׁ׃

7Shimshon said to them, “If that is how you act, I will not rest until I have taken revenge on you.”

va-YO-mer la-HEM shim-SHON im ta-a-SUN ka-ZOT KEE im ni-KAM-tee va-KHEM v'-a-KHAR ekh-DAL

זוַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְשׁוֹן אִם־תַּעֲשׂוּן כָּזֹאת כִּי אִם־נִקַּמְתִּי בָכֶם וְאַחַר אֶחְדָּל׃

8He gave them a sound and thorough thrashing. Then he went down and stayed in the cave of the rock of Etam.

va-YAKH o-TAM SHOK al ya-RAYKH ma-KAH g'-do-LAH va-YAY-red va-YAY-shev bis-EEF SE-la ay-TAM

חוַיַּךְ אוֹתָם שׁוֹק עַל־יָרֵךְ מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה וַיֵּרֶד וַיֵּשֶׁב בִּסְעִיף סֶלַע עֵיטָם׃

9The Philistines came up, pitched camp in Yehuda and spread out over Lehi.

va-ya-a-LU f'-lish-TEEM va-ya-kha-NU bee-hu-DAH va-yi-na-t'-SHU ba-LE-khee

טוַיַּעֲלוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּחֲנוּ בִּיהוּדָה וַיִּנָּטְשׁוּ בַּלֶּחִי׃

10The men of Yehuda asked, “Why have you come up against us?” They answered, “We have come to take Shimshon prisoner, and to do to him as he did to us.”

va-yo-m'-RU EESH y'-hu-DAH la-MAH a-lee-TEM a-LAY-nu va-yo-m'-RU le-e-SOR et shim-SHON a-LEE-nu la-a-SOT LO ka-a-SHER A-sah LA-nu

יוַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ יְהוּדָה לָמָה עֲלִיתֶם עָלֵינוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֶאֱסוֹר אֶת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן עָלִינוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָנוּ׃

11Thereupon three thousand men of Yehuda went down to the cave of the rock of Etam, and they said to Shimshon, “You knew that the Philistines rule over us; why have you done this to us?” He replied, “As they did to me, so I did to them.”

va-yay-r'-DU sh'-LO-shet a-la-FEEM EESH mee-hu-DAH el s'-EEF SE-la ay-TAM va-yo-m'-RU l'-shim-SHON ha-LO ya-DA-ta kee mo-sh'-LEEM BA-nu p'-lish-TEEM u-mah ZOT a-SEE-ta LA-nu va-YO-mer la-HEM ka-a-SHER A-su LEE KAYN a-SEE-tee la-HEM

יאוַיֵּרְדוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ מִיהוּדָה אֶל־סְעִיף סֶלַע עֵיטָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לְשִׁמְשׁוֹן הֲלֹא יָדַעְתָּ כִּי־מֹשְׁלִים בָּנוּ פְּלִשְׁתִּים וּמַה־זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לִי כֵּן עָשִׂיתִי לָהֶם׃

12“We have come down,” they told him, “to take you prisoner and to hand you over to the Philistines.” “But swear to me,” said Shimshon to them, “that you yourselves will not attack me.”

va-YO-m'-ru LO le-e-sor-KHA ya-RAD-nu l'-ti-t'-KHA b'-yad p'-lish-TEEM va-YO-mer la-HEM shim-SHON hi-sha-v'-U LEE pen tif-g'-UN BEE a-TEM

יבוַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ לֶאֱסָרְךָ יָרַדְנוּ לְתִתְּךָ בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְשׁוֹן הִשָּׁבְעוּ לִי פֶּן־תִּפְגְּעוּן בִּי אַתֶּם׃

13“We won't,” they replied. “We will only take you prisoner and hand you over to them; we will not slay you.” So they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

va-YO-m'-ru LO lay-MOR LO kee a-SOR ne-e-sor-KHA un-ta-NU-kha v'-ya-DAM v'-ha-MAYT LO n'-mee-TE-kha va-ya-as-RU-hu bish-NA-yim a-vo-TEEM kha-da-SHEEM va-ya-a-LU-hu min ha-SA-la

יגוַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ לֵאמֹר לֹא כִּי־אָסֹר נֶאֱסָרְךָ וּנְתַנּוּךָ בְיָדָם וְהָמֵת לֹא נְמִיתֶךָ וַיַּאַסְרֻהוּ בִּשְׁנַיִם עֲבֹתִים חֲדָשִׁים וַיַּעֲלוּהוּ מִן־הַסָּלַע׃

14When he reached Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Thereupon the spirit of Hashem gripped him, and the ropes on his arms became like flax that catches fire; the bonds melted off his hands.

hu VA ad LE-khee uf-lish-TEEM hay-REE-u lik-ra-TO va-titz-LAKH a-LAV RU-akh a-do-NAI va-tih-YE-nah ha-a-vo-TEEM a-SHER al z'-ro-o-TAV ka-pish-TEEM a-SHER ba-a-RU va-AYSH va-yi-MA-su e-su-RAV may-AL ya-DAV

ידהוּא־בָא עַד־לֶחִי וּפְלִשִׁתִּים הֵרִיעוּ לִקְרָאתוֹ וַתִּצְלַח עָלָיו רוּחַ יְהֹוָה וַתִּהְיֶינָה הָעֲבֹתִים אֲשֶׁר עַל־זְרוֹעוֹתָיו כַּפִּשְׁתִּים אֲשֶׁר בָּעֲרוּ בָאֵשׁ וַיִּמַּסּוּ אֱסוּרָיו מֵעַל יָדָיו׃

15He came upon a fresh jawbone of an ass and he picked it up; and with it he killed a thousand men.

va-yim-TZA l'-khee kha-MOR t'-ri-YAH va-yish-LAKH ya-DO va-yi-ka-KHE-ha va-yakh BAH E-lef EESH

טווַיִּמְצָא לְחִי־חֲמוֹר טְרִיָּה וַיִּשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיִּקָּחֶהָ וַיַּךְ־בָּהּ אֶלֶף אִישׁ׃

16Then Shimshon said: “With the jaw of an ass, Mass upon mass! With the jaw of an ass I have slain a thousand men.”

va-YO-mer shim-SHON bil-KHEE ha-kha-MOR kha-MOR kha-mo-ra-TA-yim bil-KHEE ha-kha-MOR hi-KAY-tee E-lef EESH

טזוַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְשׁוֹן בִּלְחִי הַחֲמוֹר חֲמוֹר חֲמֹרָתָיִם בִּלְחִי הַחֲמוֹר הִכֵּיתִי אֶלֶף אִישׁ׃

17As he finished speaking, he threw the jawbone away; hence that place was called Ramath-lehi.

vai-HEE kikh-LOT l'-da-BAYR va-yash-LAYKH ha-l'-KHEE mi-ya-DO va-yik-RA la-ma-KOM ha-HU RA-mat LE-khee

יזוַיְהִי כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לְדַבֵּר וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ הַלְּחִי מִיָּדוֹ וַיִּקְרָא לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא רָמַת לֶחִי׃

18He was very thirsty and he called to Hashem, “You Yourself have granted this great victory through Your servant; and must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”

va-yitz-MA m'-OD va-yik-RA el a-do-NAI va-YO-mer a-TAH na-TA-tah v'-yad av-d'-KHA et ha-t'-shu-AH ha-g'-do-LAH ha-ZOT v'-a-TAH a-MUT ba-tza-MA v'-na-fal-TEE b'-YAD ha-a-ray-LEEM

יחוַיִּצְמָא מְאֹד וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמַר אַתָּה נָתַתָּ בְיַד־עַבְדְּךָ אֶת־הַתְּשׁוּעָה הַגְּדֹלָה הַזֹּאת וְעַתָּה אָמוּת בַּצָּמָא וְנָפַלְתִּי בְּיַד הָעֲרֵלִים׃

19So Hashem split open the hollow which is at Lehi, and the water gushed out of it; he drank, regained his strength, and revived. That is why it is called to this day “En-hakkore of Lehi.”

va-yiv-KA e-lo-HEEM et ha-makh-TAYSH a-sher ba-LE-khee va-yay-tz'-U mi-ME-nu MA-yim va-yaysht va-TA-shov ru-KHO va-YE-khee al KAYN ka-RA sh'-MAH AYN ha-ko-RAY a-SHER ba-LE-khee AD ha-YOM ha-ZEH

יטוַיִּבְקַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הַמַּכְתֵּשׁ אֲשֶׁר־בַּלֶּחִי וַיֵּצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַיִם וַיֵּשְׁתְּ וַתָּשָׁב רוּחוֹ וַיֶּחִי עַל־כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ עֵין הַקּוֹרֵא אֲשֶׁר בַּלֶּחִי עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃

20He led Yisrael in the days of the Philistines for twenty years.

va-yish-POT et yis-ra-AYL bee-MAY f'-lish-TEEM es-REEM sha-NAH

כוַיִּשְׁפֹּט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּימֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה׃