I will go forth, as I have done many times, I will depart: and he knew not that the LORD was departed from him.

And the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with two fetters of brass; and he was mangled in prison.

But the hair of his head began to grow again where it was shorn.

And when the princes of the Philistines were gathered together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice, they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

Likewise when the people saw him, they praised their God: for they said: Our God hath delivered into our hand our enemy, which destroyed our land, and slew our many.

And when their hearts were in good cheer, they said, Send for Samson, that he may play before us. So they fetched Samson out of prison, and he played before them: and they set him between two pillars.

And Samson said unto the lad that led him by the hand, Let me feel the pillars, and let the house stand, that I may lean upon it.

And the house was full of men and women. And the princes of the Philistines were all there, and upon the housetop about three thousand, both men and women, watching Samson play.

And Samson called upon the LORD, and said, O LORD, remember me, and strengthen me, O GOD, this time, that I may avenge myself on the Philistines for my two eyes.

And he took the two middle pillars, upon which the house was set, and upon which it stood, one in his right hand, and the other in his left hand,

And he said, My soul dieth with the Philistines: and he bowed it vigorously. And the house fell upon the princes, and upon all the people that were therein: and there were more dead in his death, than in his life.

And his brethren came down, and all his father’s house, and took him up, and bare him, and buried him in Manoah his father’s sepulchre, between Zareah and Esthaol. And he judged Israel twenty years.
(Judges)
Chapter 17
Micah sets up idolatry.

Now there was a man in mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

And he said unto his mother, The thousand and hundred pieces of silver which thou hast taken unto thee, and hast sworn and said in mine ears, behold, the same money is with me, and I have taken it unto me. And his mother said, Blessed be my son unto the LORD.

So he restored unto his mother the thousand and an hundred pieces of silver. And his mother said: I have sanctified the money of mine hand unto the LORD for my son, to make an image and an idol: now therefore I restore it unto thee.

But he restored the money unto his mother. And his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and put them in the goldsmith’s hand, and he made her an image and an idol, which was afterward in the house of Micah.

And the man Micah had a house of God, and made an ephod and a sanctuary, and filled the hand of one of his sons to be his priest.

In those days there was no king in Israel: and every man did that which seemed right unto him.

Now there was a young man of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah: and he was a Levite, and a stranger there.

And he departed out of the city of Bethlehemjudah, to wander whithersoever he might. And when he was come to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to go his way, 9. And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he answered him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and wander whithersoever I may.

And Micah said unto him, Abide with me, and thou shalt be my father, and my priest: and I will give thee ten shekels of silver yearly, and thy named garments, and thy food. And the Levite went.

And the Levite came to dwell with the man; and he kept the lad as a son.

And Micah filled the Levite’s hand, and he became his priest: so he was in the house of Micah.

And Micah said, Now I know that the LORD will do me good, because I have a Levite for a priest.
(Judges)
Chapter 18
The Danites win Lais and set up idolatry.

In those days there was no king in Israel. And the tribe of Dan sought him an inheritance, where they might dwell: for there was no inheritance fallen to them among the tribes of Israel until that day.

And the children of Dan sent out of their families from the ends thereof five valiant men of Czar and Esthaol, to search out the land, and to search it out, and said unto them: Go and explore the land. And they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there overnight.

And when they were with the servants of Micah, they knew the voice of the Levite the boy: and they departed thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? What doest thou there, and what hast thou here?

And he said unto them, Thus and thus did Micah unto me, and appointed me to be his priest.

And they said unto him, Ask of GOD, that we may know whether the way which we take be prosperous.

And the priest answered them: Go in peace: your way is right in the sight of the LORD, which ye go.

And the five men went and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein dwelling safely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quietly and securely; and there was none to hurt them in the land, or to lord it over them: and they were far from the Zidonians, and had nothing to do with men.

And they came to their brethren to Zareah and Esthaol: and their brethren said unto them: How is it with you?

And they said: Up, let us go up to them: for we have seen the land, which is almost good.
Make haste therefore, and be not slothful to go, that ye may come and possess the land.

When ye come, ye shall come unto a sure people; and the land is far and wide, for God hath given it into your hands, such a place as nothing faileth, all that is in the earth.

And there went out from thence of the families of Dan, and of Zareah, and of Esthaol, six hundred men armed with their weapons to battle.

And they went up, and pitched in Kiriathjearim of Judah. Wherefore they called the place the camp of Dan unto this day, which is beyond Kiriathjearim.

And from thence they went up into mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

And the five men that went out to search the land of Laish answered and said unto their brethren: Know ye also that in these houses there is an ephod, and a sanctuary, and an image, and an idol? Now think ye what ye shall do.

And they entered in, and came to the house of the lad the Levite, which was in Micah’s house, and greeted him kindly.

And the six hundred armed men with their armour, which were of the children of Dan, stood at the gate.

And the five men that went out to search the land went up, and came thither: and they took the image, and the ephod, and the sanctuary, and the idol. And the priest stood at the gate by the six hundred armed men with their armour.

And when they were come into the house of Micah, and had taken the image, and the ephod, and the sanctuary, and the idol, the priest said unto them: What do ye?

And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, and shut thy mouth, and shew thyself to us, that thou mayest be our father and priest. Is it better for thee to be a priest in the house of one man, or in all the tribe and family of Israel?

And it pleased the priest well, and he took both the ephod, and the sanctuary, and the image, and went with them among the people.

And when they turned and went, they sent before them the little children, and the cattle, and
all that they had that was good.

And when they were come afar off from Micha’s house, the men that were in the houses of Micha’s house cried out, and followed after the children of Dan, and called unto the children of Dan.

And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What is the matter with thee, that thou hast made such a noise?

And he answered: Ye have taken my gods, which I made, and the priest, and are gone; and now what have I more? And ye ask yet what I lack?

And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry men fall upon thee, and thy soul, and the soul of thy house, be troubled.

So the children of Dan went their way. And Micah, when he saw that they were too strong for him, turned and came again to his house.

And they took that which Micah had made, and the nest that he had, and came unto Laish, unto a quiet, sure people, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

And there was none to deliver them, because they were far from Zidon, and had no business with the people: and they lay in the valley, which is by Beth-rehob. And they built the city, and dwelt therein;

And they called