unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that

were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another 'man.' Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 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.

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.' 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.' 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.

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.' 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.

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.' And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so

that his soul was vexed unto death; that he told her all 'There hath not come a razor

his heart, and said unto her,

6

upon mine head; if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any ' other man.'

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 showed me all his heart.' Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. 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. 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. 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.

Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. 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.' 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.' 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. And

Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, 'Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house 'standeth, that I may lean upon them.' 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. And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, 'O LORD GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen 6 me, I pray thee, only this once, O GOD, that I may be 'at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.' 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. 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.

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 burying-place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL.

SAMUEL.

THERE was a certain man of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other

Peninnah and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And Hannah went up to the house of the LORD in Shiloh, and rose up after they had eaten and after they had drunk. (Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.) And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, 'O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt ' indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and 6 remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then I will give 'him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there ⚫ shall no razor come upon his head.'

:

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, 'How long wilt thou be drunken ? 'put away thy wine from thee.' And Hannah answered and said, 'No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.' Then Eli answered and said, 'Go in peace: and the GOD of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.' And she said, 'Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.' So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah and it came to pass that she bare a son, and called

his name Samuel, saying, 'Because I have asked him of 'the LORD.'

And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, ‘I 'will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will ' bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there ' abide for ever.' And Elkanah her husband said unto her, 'Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have 'weaned him; only the LORD establish his word.' So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, 'O my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman 'that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this 'child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition ' which I asked of Him: therefore also I have lent him to 'the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the ' LORD.'

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; and ere the lamp of GOD went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of GOD was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; that the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, 'Here am I.' And