Greek Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The Book of Judges, Chapter 16ΚΡΙΤΑΙ ΙϚ′

Each verse opens with the running Greek, an English translation, and a discourse note (its connective, relation, and role in the argument). Below follows the word-by-word breakdown in six tiers: gloss, case (color), parsing, syntax, semantic force, and a lexical note.

Case Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative Verb (no case) Indeclinable

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

Theme

Samson falls through Delilah, yet in death the Lord grants his last and greatest blow against the Philistines.

Translation & textual notes

The Greek text of Judges 16 follows the Rahlfs–Hanhart critical edition of the Septuagint (Septuaginta, rev. ed. 2006), an ancient and public-domain text; the critical apparatus is not reproduced. Judges survives in the LXX in two divergent text-forms — the so-called A-text (Codex Alexandrinus and allies) and B-text (Codex Vaticanus and allies) — and Rahlfs prints the two in parallel for this book; the present annotation follows the verbatim reference supplied for this chapter. Judges 16 narrates the climax and fall of Samson the Nazirite: his night at Gaza and the carrying-off of the city gates to the hill 'facing Hebron' (ἐπὶ προσώπου Χεβρων, vv. 1–3); the love of Delilah in the Valley of Sorek (ἐν Αλσωρηχ, v. 4) and the bribe of the Philistine lords (οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων), eleven hundred pieces of silver from each (v. 5); the three false answers — seven fresh bowstrings (νευρέαι ὑγραί, v. 7), new ropes (καλώδια καινά, v. 11), and the weaving of the seven locks of his head (αἱ ἑπτὰ σειραὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς) into the loom (vv. 13–14); the wearing-down of his soul (ὠλιγοψύχησεν ἕως τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν, v. 16); the disclosure of the true secret — that no razor (σίδηρος) has come upon his head because he is ἅγιος θεοῦ from his mother's womb (v. 17); the shaving, and the chilling note that 'he did not know that the LORD had departed from him' (ἀπέστη ὁ κύριος ἀπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ, v. 20); the gouging out of his eyes, the bronze fetters, and the grinding in the prison-house (vv. 21); the feast to Dagon (τῷ Δαγων θεῷ αὐτῶν, v. 23); and the final prayer — 'remember me … strengthen me only this once' (μνήσθητι δή μου … ἐνίσχυσόν με ἔτι τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο, v. 28) — followed by the pulling-down of the temple's two pillars (οἱ δύο κίονες) and the cry ἀποθανέτω ψυχή μου μετὰ ἀλλοφύλων ('let my soul die with the Philistines', v. 30), so that the dead he killed in his death were more than those he killed in his life. The chapter's theology turns on the Nazirite hair as the visible sign of consecration, the LORD's withdrawal as the true loss of strength, and the restoration of both hair (v. 22) and power (v. 28) as the ground of Samson's paradoxical victory-in-death.

1

καὶ ἐπορεύθη Σαμψων εἰς Γάζαν καὶ εἶδεν ἐκεῖ γυναῖκα πόρνην καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτήν

And Samson went to Gaza, and he saw there a harlot woman, and he went in to her.

New narrative episode (main storyline)καὶ ἐπορεύθη Σαμψων
The chapter opens with the standard Hebraizing καί-parataxis and a string of wayyiqtol-equivalent aorists (ἐπορεύθη … εἶδεν … εἰσῆλθεν) that drive Samson abruptly into Philistine territory; the terse 'went … saw … went in' establishes the impulsive sexual pattern that will recur with Delilah and prove his undoing.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (movement)→ constative aorist (single completed journey)πορεύομαι: 'go / travel / proceed'; deponent with aorist passive form ἐπορεύθη; renders Hebrew הָלַךְ; the verb launches the episode by relocating Samson into the Philistine city of Gaza.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject (indeclinable proper noun)Σαμψων: transliteration of Hebrew שִׁמְשׁוֹן (perhaps 'sun-man', from שֶׁמֶשׁ); indeclinable in the LXX; the Nazirite judge whose strength, fall, and death dominate the chapter.
εἰςto / intopreposition + accusative (direction)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΓάζανGazaAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (destination)Γάζα (acc. Γάζαν): renders Hebrew עַזָּה; the southernmost of the five Philistine cities; declined as a first-declension Greek noun; the same city whose gates Samson will carry off (v. 3) and whose prison will later hold him (v. 21).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶδενsawAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (perception)→ constative aoristὁράω: 'see / perceive'; suppletive aorist εἶδεν; renders רָאָה; Samson's 'seeing' a woman triggers desire, the same fatal pattern as the Timnite woman of 14:1–2.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of placeἐκεῖ: 'there'; locates the encounter within Gaza.
γυναῖκαwomanAccusativedirect object of εἶδενγυνή: 'woman / wife'; renders אִשָּׁה; here qualified by πόρνην as a prostitute.
πόρνηνharlotAccusativeaccusative in apposition / attributive to γυναῖκαπόρνη: 'prostitute / harlot'; renders זוֹנָה; the noun marks the woman's profession; Samson's involvement with a Gazite harlot anticipates the more fateful liaison with Delilah.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἰσῆλθενwent inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (movement/euphemism)→ constative aoristεἰσέρχομαι: 'enter / go in'; the idiom εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτήν ('went in to her') renders the Hebrew בּוֹא אֶל, a standard euphemism for sexual intercourse (cf. Gen 16:4; 38:18).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction toward person)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτήνherAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςαὐτός: third-person pronoun; the feminine accusative refers to the harlot.
2

καὶ ἀνηγγέλη τοῖς Γαζαίοις λέγοντες ἥκει Σαμψων ὧδε καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν καὶ ἐνήδρευσαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐν τῇ πύλῃ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐκώφευσαν ὅλην τὴν νύκτα λέγοντες ἕως διαφαύσῃ ὁ ὄρθρος καὶ φονεύσωμεν αὐτόν

And it was reported to the Gazites, saying, 'Samson has come here'; and they surrounded him and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city, and they kept quiet all night, saying, 'Until the dawn breaks, then let us kill him.'

Complication: the ambush is setκαὶ ἀνηγγέλη
The passive ἀνηγγέλη ('it was reported') with the loosely-attached participle λέγοντες is a Hebraism (the participle agrees not with the impersonal verb but with the implied reporters). The Gazites' nocturnal ambush at the city gate sets up the dramatic reversal of v. 3, where the very gate of their entrapment is torn out.
Word-by-word analysis· 35 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνηγγέληit was reportedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀναγγέλλωmain verb (impersonal passive)→ constative aoristἀναγγέλλω: 'report / announce / tell'; the aorist passive ἀνηγγέλη is used impersonally ('it was reported'), rendering the Hebrew passive/impersonal הֻגַּד; the compound ἀνα- intensifies the sense of bringing news up to someone.
τοῖςtheDativearticleτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΓαζαίοιςGazitesDativedative indirect object (recipients of the report)Γαζαῖος: 'Gazite, inhabitant of Gaza'; gentilic noun; dative as recipient of the report; the men of the city who set the ambush.
λέγοντεςsayingPres Act Part Nom Pl Masc · λέγωparticiple introducing direct speech (Hebraism: nom. for the implied reporters)→ progressive participleλέγω: the masculine nominative plural participle λέγοντες stands loosely, agreeing with the implied human reporters rather than the impersonal ἀνηγγέλη — a Semitic construction calquing לֵאמֹר ('saying').
ἥκειhas comePres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἥκωmain verb of reported speech→ present with perfect sense (resultant state: 'is here')ἥκω: 'have come / be present'; the present tense carries a perfective sense ('has arrived and is now here'); the report announces Samson's presence in Gaza.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject of ἥκει (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ὧδεhereadverb of placeὧδε: 'here / hither'; pinpoints Samson's location within the city, prompting the ambush.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκύκλωσανthey surroundedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κυκλόωmain verb→ constative aoristκυκλόω: 'encircle / surround'; renders סָבַב; the Gazites encircle the place to trap Samson.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνήδρευσανthey lay in waitAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐνεδρεύωmain verb→ constative aoristἐνεδρεύω: 'lie in wait / ambush'; renders אָרַב; the cognate noun ἔνεδρον ('ambush') reappears at vv. 9, 12 for Delilah's hidden men.
ἐπ᾿againstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction)ἐπ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ὅληνwholeAccusativeattributive adjective (accusative of extent of time)ὅλος: 'whole / entire'; with νύκτα forms an accusative of duration ('all night long').
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νύκταnightAccusativeaccusative of extent of timeνύξ: 'night'; the accusative of duration ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ('all night') is repeated for emphasis, underscoring the watchers' futile vigil.
ἐνat / inpreposition + dative (location)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῇtheDativearticleτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πύλῃgateDativedative of placeπύλη: 'gate'; renders שַׁעַר; the city gate is both the place of ambush and the object Samson will carry off in v. 3.
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive (the gate of the city)πόλις: 'city'; renders עִיר; the genitive specifies the gate as belonging to Gaza.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκώφευσανthey kept quietAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κωφεύωmain verb→ constative aoristκωφεύω: 'be silent / keep still'; from κωφός ('mute / deaf'); the ambushers stay silent through the night to avoid alerting their quarry, rendering the Hebrew sense of waiting quietly (וַיַּחֲרִישׁוּ).
ὅληνwholeAccusativeattributive adjective (accusative of extent of time)ὅλην: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νύκταnightAccusativeaccusative of extent of timeνύκτα: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
λέγοντεςsayingPres Act Part Nom Pl Masc · λέγωparticiple introducing direct speech→ progressive participleλέγω: the participle agrees with the subject of ἐκώφευσαν (the Gazites), introducing their plan for the morning.
ἕωςuntiltemporal conjunction (with subjunctive)ἕως: 'until'; with the subjunctive διαφαύσῃ it marks the point up to which they wait — daybreak.
διαφαύσῃdawns / breaksAor Act Subj 3 Sg · διαφαύσκωverb of temporal clause (subjunctive after ἕως)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (onset of daylight)διαφαύσκω: 'shine through / grow light / dawn'; renders the breaking of morning (אוֹר הַבֹּקֶר); the subjunctive after ἕως envisions the as-yet-unrealized dawn at which they mean to strike.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄρθροςdawn / morningNominativesubject of διαφαύσῃὄρθρος: 'daybreak / early morning'; renders בֹּקֶר / שַׁחַר; the appointed hour of the planned killing — which Samson forestalls by rising at midnight (v. 3).
καὶand (then)coordinating conjunction (consecutive: 'and then')καί: here consecutive within the plan — 'until dawn, and then let us kill him.'
φονεύσωμενlet us killAor Act Subj 1 Pl · φονεύωhortatory subjunctive (the ambushers' resolve)→ hortatory aorist subjunctiveφονεύω: 'murder / slay'; renders הָרַג; the first-person plural subjunctive expresses the conspirators' shared intent to kill Samson at first light.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of φονεύσωμεναὐτόν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
3

καὶ ἐκοιμήθη Σαμψων ἕως μεσονυκτίου καὶ ἀνέστη ἐν ἡμίσει τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ ἐπελάβετο τῶν θυρῶν τῆς πύλης τῆς πόλεως σὺν τοῖς δυσὶ σταθμοῖς καὶ ἀνεβάστασεν αὐτὰς σὺν τῷ μοχλῷ καὶ ἔθηκεν ἐπ᾿ ὤμων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ ἐπὶ προσώπου Χεβρων καὶ ἔθηκεν αὐτὰ ἐκεῖ

And Samson slept until midnight, and he rose at the middle of the night, and he took hold of the doors of the city gate together with the two posts, and he lifted them up together with the bar, and he placed them upon his shoulders, and he went up to the top of the hill that is before Hebron, and he set them there.

Reversal: the trapped one escapes with the gate itselfκαὶ ἐκοιμήθη Σαμψων
A rapid chain of aorists (ἐκοιμήθη … ἀνέστη … ἐπελάβετο … ἀνεβάστασεν … ἔθηκεν … ἀνέβη … ἔθηκεν) narrates the great feat of strength. The detail σὺν τοῖς δυσὶ σταθμοῖς … σὺν τῷ μοχλῷ ('with the two posts … with the bar') stresses that Samson uproots the entire gate-structure, not merely the doors; carrying it 'to the top of the hill facing Hebron' (some forty miles uphill) is a hyperbolic emblem of his unbroken Nazirite vigor.
Word-by-word analysis· 49 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκοιμήθηsleptAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · κοιμάωmain verb→ constative aoristκοιμάομαι (aor. pass. ἐκοιμήθη): 'lie down / sleep'; renders שָׁכַב; Samson sleeps only to the midpoint of the night, then acts before the planned dawn ambush.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἕωςuntilpreposition + genitive (temporal limit)ἕως: here a preposition with the genitive μεσονυκτίου, 'until midnight.'
μεσονυκτίουmidnightGenitivegenitive object of ἕως (temporal)μεσονύκτιον: 'midnight'; compound of μέσος + νύξ; the hour at which Samson breaks the would-be trap.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνέστηroseAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb→ constative aoristἀνίστημι: 'rise up / stand up'; the intransitive second aorist ἀνέστη; renders קוּם.
ἐνatpreposition + dative (time)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἡμίσειhalf / middleDativedative of time (with τῆς νυκτὸς: 'at the middle of the night')ἥμισυς: 'half'; the substantive ἐν ἡμίσει τῆς νυκτός ('at the half of the night') restates μεσονυκτίου, a Hebraizing fullness of expression.
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νυκτὸςnightGenitivepartitive genitive (with ἡμίσει)νύξ: 'night'; the genitive depends on ἡμίσει ('the half of the night').
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπελάβετοtook hold ofAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιλαμβάνωmain verb (middle, governing genitive)→ constative aoristἐπιλαμβάνομαι: 'take hold of / grasp'; the middle voice governs the genitive (τῶν θυρῶν); renders אָחַז / לָקַח; Samson seizes the gate-doors to wrench them out.
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυρῶνdoorsGenitivegenitive object of ἐπελάβετοθύρα: 'door / leaf of a gate'; renders דֶּלֶת; the plural denotes the two leaves of the city gate.
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πύληςgateGenitivegenitive (the doors of the gate)πύλη: 'gate'; the gateway whose leaves Samson removes.
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive (gate of the city)πόλις: 'city'; specifies Gaza's gate.
σὺνwithpreposition + dative (accompaniment)σύν: 'with / together with'; marks the gateposts torn out along with the doors.
τοῖςtheDativearticleτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δυσὶtwoDativenumeral (dative, modifying σταθμοῖς)δύο: 'two'; dative δυσί agreeing with σταθμοῖς; the two doorposts framing the gate.
σταθμοῖςpostsDativedative object of σύνσταθμός: 'doorpost / gatepost'; renders מְזוּזָה; the upright posts of the gateway, uprooted with the doors.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνεβάστασενlifted upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναβαστάζωmain verb→ constative aoristἀναβαστάζω: 'lift up / take up / carry'; the compound ἀνα- emphasizes raising the heavy gate; renders נָשָׂא; the feat dramatizes Samson's superhuman strength.
αὐτὰςthemAccusativedirect object (the doors)αὐτός: feminine accusative plural referring to the doors (θύραι).
σὺνwithpreposition + dative (accompaniment)σὺν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticleτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μοχλῷbarDativedative object of σύνμοχλός: 'bar / bolt'; renders בְּרִיחַ; the crossbar that locked the gate, carried off along with the doors and posts.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔθηκενplacedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · τίθημιmain verb→ constative aoristτίθημι: 'put / place / set'; renders שִׂים; Samson loads the gate onto his shoulders.
ἐπ᾿uponpreposition + genitive (position)ἐπ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ὤμωνshouldersGenitivegenitive object of ἐπίὦμος: 'shoulder'; renders שֶׁכֶם / כָּתֵף; the shoulders bear the entire gate-structure.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνέβηwent upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναβαίνωmain verb→ constative aoristἀναβαίνω: 'go up / ascend'; renders עָלָה; the verb suits the uphill journey toward Hebron's heights.
ἐπὶto / up topreposition + accusative (goal)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κορυφὴνtop / summitAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (goal)κορυφή: 'top / summit / peak'; renders רֹאשׁ (of a hill); the high point to which the gate is hauled.
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄρουςhill / mountainGenitivegenitive (the top of the hill)ὄρος: 'mountain / hill'; renders הַר; the eminence facing Hebron.
τοῦthe (one)Genitivearticle (substantizing the following phrase)the article τοῦ here substantizes ἐπὶ προσώπου Χεβρων ('the one that is before Hebron') as an attribute of the hill.
ἐπὶbefore / facingpreposition + genitive (in the idiom ἐπὶ προσώπου)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
προσώπουfaceGenitivegenitive in the idiom ἐπὶ προσώπου ('in front of')πρόσωπον: 'face / presence'; the idiom ἐπὶ προσώπου renders the Hebrew עַל פְּנֵי ('before / facing / east of'); locates the hill opposite Hebron.
ΧεβρωνHebrongenitive of relation (indeclinable place name)Χεβρων: transliteration of Hebrew חֶבְרוֹן; indeclinable in the LXX; the chief city of the Judean hill country, far inland and uphill from Gaza — the destination underscores the hyperbole of the feat.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔθηκενsetAor Act Indic 3 Sg · τίθημιmain verb→ constative aoristτίθημι: the repeated 'placed/set' brackets the carrying-off — first onto his shoulders, now down on the summit.
αὐτὰthemAccusativedirect object (the gate-pieces)αὐτός: neuter accusative plural, generalizing over the doors, posts, and bar as the whole gate-assembly.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of placeἐκεῖ: 'there'; on the hilltop facing Hebron, where the trophy is left.
4

καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἠγάπησεν γυναῖκα ἐν Αλσωρηχ καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῇ Δαλιδα

And it came to pass after this that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, and her name was Delilah.

Episode transition (formulaic temporal marker)καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τοῦτο
The formula καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τοῦτο ('and it came to pass after this') opens the central Delilah cycle. The redundant καί before ἠγάπησεν is a Hebraism (apodotic waw after the temporal protasis). The woman is introduced by location (ἐν Αλσωρηχ, the Valley of Sorek) and name (Δαλιδα) but, pointedly, not by nationality.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (temporal-formula opener)→ constative aoristγίνομαι: 'become / happen / come to pass'; the formula καὶ ἐγένετο renders the Hebrew narrative opener וַיְהִי, signaling a new scene.
μετὰafterpreposition + accusative (temporal)μετὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῦτοthisAccusativeaccusative object of μετά (temporal)οὗτος: the demonstrative; μετὰ τοῦτο ('after this') links the Delilah episode to the Gaza exploit just narrated.
καὶand (then)apodotic conjunction (Hebraism after ἐγένετο-clause)καί: the apodotic καί following καὶ ἐγένετο is a Semitism rendering the waw that introduces the main clause after a temporal phrase.
ἠγάπησενlovedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀγαπάωmain verb→ ingressive aorist (fell in love / came to love)ἀγαπάω: 'love'; renders אָהַב; Samson's love for Delilah — unlike the lust of v. 1 — is named explicitly, making her power over him a matter of the heart and so the more dangerous.
γυναῖκαwomanAccusativedirect object of ἠγάπησενγυνή: 'woman'; the third woman associated with Samson (after the Timnite, ch. 14, and the Gaza harlot, v. 1), and the fatal one.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
Αλσωρηχthe Valley of Sorekplace name (indeclinable transliteration)Αλσωρηχ: a transliteration of Hebrew נַחַל שֹׂרֵק ('Wadi/Valley of Sorek'), the Greek collapsing the Hebrew construct into a single indeclinable form; the valley running west from the Judean hills toward Philistine territory, fittingly the borderland of Samson's entanglement.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ὄνομαnameNominativesubject of verbless clause ('her name was')ὄνομα: 'name'; the nominal clause ὄνομα αὐτῇ Δαλιδα ('a name to her, Delilah') is a Hebraism (וּשְׁמָהּ) for 'her name was Delilah.'
αὐτῇto herDativedative of possession ('the name belonging to her')αὐτός: dative of possession in the naming-formula.
ΔαλιδαDelilahpredicate of the naming-clause (indeclinable name)Δαλιδα: transliteration of Hebrew דְּלִילָה (Delilah); indeclinable in the LXX; the woman who extracts Samson's secret and betrays him to the Philistine lords.
5

καὶ ἀνέβησαν πρὸς αὐτὴν οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ ἀπάτησον αὐτὸν καὶ ἰδὲ ἐν τίνι ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ἡ μεγάλη καὶ ἐν τίνι δυνησόμεθα αὐτῷ καὶ δήσομεν αὐτὸν τοῦ ταπεινῶσαι αὐτόν καὶ ἡμεῖς δώσομέν σοι ἀνὴρ χιλίους καὶ ἑκατὸν ἀργυρίου

And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, 'Entice him and see in what his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him so that we may bind him to humble him; and we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.'

Inciting bargain: the lords commission Delilahκαὶ ἀνέβησαν πρὸς αὐτὴν οἱ ἄρχοντες
The Philistine 'lords' (οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων — pointedly the rulers/satraps of the five cities, never κύριος, which the LXX reserves for the Tetragrammaton) commission Delilah with a chain of imperatives (ἀπάτησον … ἰδέ) and a purpose clause (τοῦ ταπεινῶσαι). The sum 'eleven hundred of silver' from each man (ἀνήρ distributive) makes the betrayal a coordinated state operation.
Word-by-word analysis· 42 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνέβησανcame upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναβαίνωmain verb→ constative aoristἀναβαίνω: 'go up / come up'; the lords ascend from the coastal plain to Delilah in the Sorek valley.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction toward person)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτὴνherAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςαὐτὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
οἱtheNominativearticleοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχοντεςlords / rulersNominativesubjectἄρχων: 'ruler / chief / lord'; renders Hebrew סֶרֶן, the title of the five Philistine city-rulers ('lords / tyrants of the Philistines'); the LXX uses ἄρχοντες (not κύριοι) for these human rulers, reserving κύριος for the divine name.
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀλλοφύλωνPhilistines / foreignersGenitivegenitive (lords of the Philistines)ἀλλόφυλος: lit. 'of another tribe / foreigner'; the standard LXX rendering of פְּלִשְׁתִּים ('Philistines'), characterizing them as the alien, uncircumcised people; the recurrent designation of Samson's enemies throughout the chapter.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: the Koine alpha-aorist form εἶπαν (for classical εἶπον) introduces the lords' instructions.
αὐτῇto herDativedative indirect objectαὐτῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἀπάτησονentice / deceiveAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀπατάωimperative (commission)→ ingressive aorist imperativeἀπατάω: 'deceive / beguile / seduce'; renders פָּתָה ('persuade / entice'); the lords charge Delilah to coax the secret from Samson, the same verb-field as her later success.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἰδὲsee / find outAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ὁράωimperative→ ingressive aorist imperativeὁράω (impv. ἰδέ): 'see / observe / ascertain'; here 'find out' — Delilah is to discover the source of the strength.
ἐνin / bypreposition + dative (means)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίνιwhatDativeinterrogative pronoun (dative of means)τίς: interrogative pronoun; ἐν τίνι ('in/by what') asks the source or means of Samson's strength; the refrain of the whole interrogation (vv. 5, 6, 10, 13, 15).
theNominativearticleἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἰσχὺςstrengthNominativesubject of verbless clauseἰσχύς: 'strength / might'; renders כֹּחַ; the keyword of the chapter — the strength whose secret is sought, lost (v. 19), and finally restored (v. 28).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
theNominativearticle (attributive position)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μεγάληgreatNominativeattributive adjective (modifying ἰσχύς)μέγας: 'great'; the attributive ἡ ἰσχὺς ἡ μεγάλη ('the great strength') emphasizes the extraordinary, superhuman quality of Samson's power.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνbypreposition + dative (means)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίνιwhatDativeinterrogative pronoun (dative of means)τίνι: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
δυνησόμεθαwe may prevailFut Mid Indic 1 Pl · δύναμαιmain verb (deliberative future)→ deliberative futureδύναμαι: 'be able / have power / prevail'; with the dative αὐτῷ ('against him'), 'by what means we may overpower him'; renders יָכֹל.
αὐτῷagainst himDativedative of disadvantage (object of δυνησόμεθα)αὐτός: dative governed by δύναμαι in the sense 'prevail against'.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
δήσομενwe shall bindFut Act Indic 1 Pl · δέωmain verb→ predictive futureδέω: 'bind / tie'; renders אָסַר; the verb dominates the deception scenes (vv. 7, 8, 11, 12) — every false answer concerns how Samson can be bound.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τοῦto / so as toGenitivearticle governing the articular infinitive (purpose)the genitive article τοῦ with the infinitive ταπεινῶσαι forms a purpose construction ('in order to humble').
ταπεινῶσαιto humbleAor Act Inf · ταπεινόωarticular infinitive of purposeταπεινόω: 'humble / bring low / subdue'; renders עִנָּה ('afflict / humiliate'); the lords' aim is to reduce the mighty Samson to helplessness — fulfilled when his strength departs (v. 19).
αὐτόνhimAccusativeobject of the infinitiveαὐτόν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἡμεῖςweNominativeemphatic subject pronounἡμεῖς: emphatic 'we (for our part)'; foregrounds the lords' promised payment in exchange for her service.
δώσομένwe shall giveFut Act Indic 1 Pl · δίδωμιmain verb→ promissory futureδίδωμι: 'give'; the future promises the bribe; the enclitic-bearing accent (δώσομέν σοι) reflects the following enclitic σοι.
σοιto youDativedative indirect object (enclitic)σοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἀνὴρeach manNominativesubject in apposition (distributive: 'each man')ἀνήρ: 'man'; here distributive — 'each man (will give)', a Hebraism (אִישׁ) meaning that every one of the lords contributes the sum, so the total is large.
χιλίουςa thousandAccusativenumeral (direct object with ἑκατόν)χίλιοι: 'thousand'; with ἑκατόν ('hundred') the phrase renders Hebrew אֶלֶף וּמֵאָה ('eleven hundred') pieces of silver — the standard betrayal-price (cf. 17:2).
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (compound numeral)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἑκατὸνa hundredindeclinable numeral (with χιλίους)ἑκατόν: 'hundred'; indeclinable; χιλίους καὶ ἑκατόν = 'eleven hundred'.
ἀργυρίουof silverGenitivegenitive of material/contentἀργύριον: 'silver / piece of silver / money'; renders כֶּסֶף; the partitive genitive specifies the eleven hundred as pieces of silver.
6

καὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα πρὸς Σαμψων ἀπάγγειλον δή μοι ἐν τίνι ἡ ἰσχύς σου ἡ μεγάλη καὶ ἐν τίνι δεθήσῃ τοῦ ταπεινωθῆναί σε

And Delilah said to Samson, 'Tell me, please, in what your great strength lies, and by what you might be bound so as to be humbled.'

First interrogation (echoes the lords' commission)καὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα πρὸς Σαμψων
Delilah's request closely echoes the lords' words of v. 5 (ἐν τίνι ἡ ἰσχύς … τοῦ ταπεινῶσαι), now turned into a direct, intimate appeal with the softening particle δή ('please'). The passive δεθήσῃ ('you might be bound') sets the pattern for the three trial-bindings to follow.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Delilah's first probing question.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣαμψωνSamsonaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἀπάγγειλονtell / declareAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωimperative (request)→ ingressive aorist imperativeἀπαγγέλλω: 'report / declare / tell'; renders נָגַד (Hiphil, 'make known'); Delilah's recurring demand that Samson 'declare' his secret (cf. vv. 10, 13, 18).
δήplease / nowentreating particleδή: an emphasizing/entreating particle, 'pray / please / do'; renders the Hebrew נָא; softens the imperative into a coaxing appeal.
μοιto meDativedative indirect objectμοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (means)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίνιwhatDativeinterrogative pronoun (dative of means)τίς: interrogative; ἐν τίνι repeats the lords' question (v. 5).
theNominativearticleἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἰσχύςstrengthNominativesubject of verbless clauseἰσχύς: 'strength'; the keyword again, now in the second person ('your strength').
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possessionσου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
theNominativearticle (attributive)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μεγάληgreatNominativeattributive adjectiveμέγας: 'great'; ἡ ἰσχύς σου ἡ μεγάλη ('your great strength').
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνbypreposition + dative (means)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίνιwhatDativeinterrogative pronoun (dative of means)τίνι: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
δεθήσῃyou might be boundFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · δέωmain verb (deliberative future passive)→ deliberative futureδέω: 'bind'; future passive δεθήσῃ ('you would be bound'); the question of binding recurs as the test-formula of each false answer.
τοῦso as toGenitivearticle governing the articular infinitive (result/purpose)τοῦ + infinitive: result/purpose construction, 'so as to be humbled'.
ταπεινωθῆναίto be humbledAor Pass Inf · ταπεινόωarticular infinitive (passive)ταπεινόω (aor. pass. inf.): 'be humbled / subdued'; the passive echoes the lords' active τοῦ ταπεινῶσαι (v. 5), now from Samson's prospective standpoint.
σεyouAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitiveσύ: accusative subject of the passive infinitive ('that you be humbled').
7

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὴν Σαμψων ἐὰν δήσωσίν με ἐν ἑπτὰ νευρέαις ὑγραῖς μὴ διεφθαρμέναις καὶ ἀσθενήσω καὶ ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων

And Samson said to her, 'If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been spoiled, then I shall grow weak and shall be like one of the men.'

First false answer (conditional)καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὴν Σαμψων
Samson's reply is a future-more-vivid condition (ἐὰν + subjunctive δήσωσιν … apodosis ἀσθενήσω … ἔσομαι). The refrain ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ('I shall be like one of the men') recurs in each false answer (vv. 11, 13, 17), marking the diminishment of the superhuman to the ordinary as the stake of the secret.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Samson's first deceptive answer.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτὴνherAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςαὐτὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (with subjunctive)ἐάν: 'if'; introduces a future-more-vivid condition with the subjunctive δήσωσιν.
δήσωσίνthey bindAor Act Subj 3 Pl · δέωverb of protasis (subjunctive)→ aorist subjunctive (condition)δέω: 'bind'; the impersonal third plural ('if they/one bind') leaves the binders unspecified.
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrument)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἑπτὰsevenindeclinable numeral (modifying νευρέαις)ἑπτά: 'seven'; indeclinable; the number recurs significantly (seven bowstrings; seven locks, vv. 13, 19), evoking the sacral fullness associated with Samson's Nazirite consecration.
νευρέαιςbowstrings / sinewsDativedative of instrumentνευρέα (var. of νευρά): 'bowstring / sinew / cord'; renders Hebrew יֶתֶר ('fresh bowstring / cord'); animal-gut strings still moist and pliable, thought to bind most tightly.
ὑγραῖςfresh / moistDativeattributive adjectiveὑγρός: 'wet / moist / fresh'; renders לַח; undried bowstrings retain elasticity and strength — hence the supposed potency of the binding.
μὴnotnegative particle (with participle)μή: the negative used with the participle διεφθαρμέναις.
διεφθαρμέναιςspoiled / dried outPerf Pass Part Dat Pl Fem · διαφθείρωperfect passive participle (attributive, modifying νευρέαις)→ resultative perfect (settled state of decay)διαφθείρω: 'destroy / corrupt / spoil'; the perfect passive participle μὴ διεφθαρμέναις ('not having been spoiled / not dried out') stresses that the bowstrings must be fresh and intact to hold; the perfect denotes a fixed condition.
καὶand (then)apodotic conjunction (introducing result)καί: apodotic 'then', introducing the consequence of the condition (Hebraism).
ἀσθενήσωI shall grow weakFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀσθενέωmain verb of apodosis→ predictive futureἀσθενέω: 'be weak / sick / feeble'; renders חָלָה ('be weak'); the loss of strength is the recurring claim of each false answer (vv. 11, 17).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔσομαιI shall beFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (predicate nominative follows)→ predictive futureεἰμί: 'be'; future ἔσομαι; the refrain ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ('I shall be like one of the men') frames the loss of strength as a return to ordinary humanity.
ὡςas / likecomparative particleὡς: 'as / like'; introduces the comparison to ordinary men.
εἷςoneNominativepredicate nominative (with partitive genitive)εἷς: 'one'; εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων = 'one of (ordinary) men', i.e. an ordinary mortal.
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνθρώπωνmenGenitivepartitive genitive (with εἷς)ἄνθρωπος: 'man / human being'; the partitive 'one of men' contrasts Samson's superhuman strength with ordinary human weakness.
8

καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν αὐτῇ οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἑπτὰ νευρὰς ὑγρὰς μὴ διεφθαρμένας καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν ἐν αὐταῖς

And the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been spoiled, and she bound him with them.

Enactment of the first testκαὶ ἀνήνεγκαν αὐτῇ οἱ ἄρχοντες
The narrator enacts Samson's false prescription almost verbatim (ἑπτὰ νευρὰς ὑγρὰς μὴ διεφθαρμένας repeats v. 7), a Hebraic command-and-fulfillment pattern. The lords supply the materials; Delilah does the binding (ἔδησεν, fem. sg.).
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνήνεγκανbrought upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναφέρωmain verb→ constative aoristἀναφέρω: 'bring up / carry up / offer'; the lords convey the bowstrings up to Delilah; the same verb recurs at v. 18 for bringing up the silver.
αὐτῇto herDativedative indirect objectαὐτῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
οἱtheNominativearticleοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχοντεςlordsNominativesubjectἄρχων: the Philistine rulers (see v. 5); they personally furnish the binding-cords.
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀλλοφύλωνPhilistinesGenitivegenitiveἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines / foreigners' (see v. 5).
ἑπτὰsevenindeclinable numeralἑπτά: 'seven'; exactly matching Samson's prescription.
νευρὰςbowstringsAccusativedirect object of ἀνήνεγκαννευρά: 'bowstring / sinew' (the standard form; cf. νευρέα v. 7).
ὑγρὰςfreshAccusativeattributive adjectiveὑγρός: 'fresh / moist' (see v. 7).
μὴnotnegative particle (with participle)μὴ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
διεφθαρμέναςspoiled / dried outPerf Pass Part Acc Pl Fem · διαφθείρωperfect passive participle (attributive)→ resultative perfectδιαφθείρω: 'spoil / corrupt'; μὴ διεφθαρμένας ('not spoiled') reproduces v. 7, confirming the materials matched the prescription exactly.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔδησενshe boundAor Act Indic 3 Sg · δέωmain verb (Delilah the subject)→ constative aoristδέω: 'bind'; the singular subject is Delilah, who binds Samson while he submits to the test.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrument)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐταῖςthemDativedative of instrument (the bowstrings)αὐτός: feminine dative plural referring to the bowstrings.
9

καὶ τὸ ἔνεδρον αὐτῇ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ ταμιείῳ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ Σαμψων καὶ διέσπασεν τὰς νευρέας ὡς εἴ τις ἀποσπάσοι στρέμμα στιππύου ἐν τῷ ὀσφρανθῆναι αὐτὸ πυρός καὶ οὐκ ἐγνώσθη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ

Now the ambush was sitting for her in the chamber; and she said to him, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' And he snapped the bowstrings as a strand of tow is snapped apart when it smells fire, and his strength was not discovered.

Outcome of the first test (failure)καὶ τὸ ἔνεδρον αὐτῇ ἐκάθητο
A circumstantial clause (imperfect ἐκάθητο, 'was sitting in wait') sets the hidden ambush before the alarm-cry. The vivid simile ὡς εἴ τις ἀποσπάσοι στρέμμα στιππύου ('as one snaps a strand of tow') with an optative (ἀποσπάσοι) in a comparison shows the effortlessness of Samson's escape; the secret remains hidden (οὐκ ἐγνώσθη).
Word-by-word analysis· 36 words
καὶand / nownarrative conjunction (introducing circumstantial clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸtheNominativearticleτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔνεδρονambushNominativesubjectἔνεδρον: 'ambush / those lying in wait'; cognate with ἐνεδρεύω (v. 2); a collective for the hidden Philistine men awaiting Samson's capture.
αὐτῇfor herDativedative of advantageαὐτός: dative of advantage ('for her / at her disposal') — the ambush is positioned to serve Delilah's scheme.
ἐκάθητοwas sittingImpf Mid Indic 3 Sg · κάθημαιmain verb (circumstantial imperfect)→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing concealed waiting)κάθημαι: 'sit / remain'; the imperfect ἐκάθητο gives the background — the ambush was lying in wait while the test was tried.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticleτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ταμιείῳinner chamberDativedative of placeταμ(ι)εῖον: 'storeroom / inner chamber / private room'; renders חֶדֶר; the hidden interior room where the ambushers wait unseen.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενshe saidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (Delilah's alarm-cry)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Delilah's signal-cry, the same in all three tests (vv. 12, 14, 20).
αὐτῷto himDativedative indirect objectαὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἀλλόφυλοιPhilistinesNominativesubject of the verbless alarm-cryἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines'; the cry ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ ('the Philistines are upon you!') is a nominal exclamation, sounding the (false) alarm of attack.
ἐπὶupon / againstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
σέyouAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίσύ: accusative 'you'; the cry warns (or pretends to warn) Samson of the onslaught, testing whether the binding holds.
ΣαμψωνSamsonvocative (direct address, indeclinable)Σαμψων: address-form of the name (functioning as vocative though morphologically indeclinable).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
διέσπασενhe snapped apartAor Act Indic 3 Sg · διασπάωmain verb→ constative aoristδιασπάω: 'tear apart / snap / rend asunder'; renders נָתַק; Samson bursts the bowstrings effortlessly — the same verb at v. 12 for the ropes.
τὰςtheAccusativearticleτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νευρέαςbowstringsAccusativedirect objectνευρέα: 'bowstrings' (see v. 7).
ὡςascomparative particle (introducing simile)ὡς: 'as / just as'; introduces the simile of snapping tow.
εἴifconditional particle (with optative, in comparison)εἰ: with the optative ἀποσπάσοι in a comparative clause, 'as if one were to tear away'; expresses a hypothetical likeness.
τιςsomeoneNominativeindefinite pronoun (subject of ἀποσπάσοι)τις: indefinite 'someone / anyone'; the generic subject of the simile.
ἀποσπάσοιshould tear awayAor Act Opt 3 Sg · ἀποσπάωoptative in comparative-conditional clause→ potential optative (hypothetical comparison)ἀποσπάω: 'pull away / tear off'; the rare optative in a ὡς εἰ comparison conveys the ease of the act — like idly tearing a fiber of tow.
στρέμμαstrand / twistAccusativedirect object of ἀποσπάσοιστρέμμα: 'twist / strand / something twisted'; a coil or strand of fiber, easily broken.
στιππύουof towGenitivegenitive of materialστιππύον (στύππιον): 'tow / coarse flax fiber'; renders נְעֹרֶת; loose flax-fiber that flares and parts instantly at a flame — the image of total fragility.
ἐνwhen / inpreposition + dative (articular infinitive: temporal)ἐν τῷ + infinitive: a temporal construction, 'when it smells fire' (Hebraism rendering בְּ + infinitive construct).
τῷtheDativearticle governing the articular infinitiveτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὀσφρανθῆναιto smell / catch the scentAor Pass Inf · ὀσφραίνομαιarticular infinitive (temporal)ὀσφραίνομαι: 'smell / catch the scent of'; with the genitive πυρός ('of fire'); the vivid idiom 'when the tow smells fire' captures the instantaneous flaring and parting of flax at a flame.
αὐτὸitAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitiveαὐτός: neuter accusative subject of the infinitive ('it', i.e. the tow).
πυρόςof fireGenitivegenitive object of ὀσφρανθῆναιπῦρ: 'fire'; the genitive object of the verb of smelling; flax-tow ignites and disintegrates at the merest touch of flame.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οὐκnotnegative particleοὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐγνώσθηwas discoveredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · γινώσκωmain verb (passive)→ constative aorist passiveγινώσκω: 'know / discover'; aorist passive ἐγνώσθη; the source of his strength remained undiscovered after the first test — a refrain of frustrated inquiry.
theNominativearticleἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἰσχὺςstrengthNominativesubject of ἐγνώσθηἰσχύς: 'strength'; its secret source is what 'was not discovered'.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
10

καὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα πρὸς Σαμψων ἰδοὺ ἐπλάνησάς με καὶ ἐλάλησας πρός με ψευδῆ νῦν οὖν ἀνάγγειλόν μοι ἐν τίνι δεθήσῃ

And Delilah said to Samson, 'Behold, you have deceived me and spoken lies to me; now then tell me by what you might be bound.'

Second interrogation (renewed pressure)καὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα πρὸς Σαμψων
Delilah's complaint (ἐπλάνησάς με … ἐλάλησας ψευδῆ) and renewed demand (νῦν οὖν ἀνάγγειλόν μοι) form a fixed accusation-formula repeated almost verbatim at v. 13. The inferential νῦν οὖν ('now therefore') drives the dialogue forward toward the next false answer.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the renewed interrogation.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣαμψωνSamsonobject of πρός (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative particleἰδού: 'behold / see'; renders הִנֵּה; a frozen imperatival particle drawing attention to her grievance.
ἐπλάνησάςyou have deceivedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · πλανάωmain verb→ constative aoristπλανάω: 'lead astray / deceive / mislead'; renders הָתַל / רָמָה; Delilah accuses Samson of trifling with her — the same charge at vv. 13, 15.
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐλάλησαςyou have spokenAor Act Indic 2 Sg · λαλέωmain verb→ constative aoristλαλέω: 'speak'; with ψευδῆ as object, 'spoke falsehoods'.
πρόςtopreposition + accusativeπρός: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μεmeAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ψευδῆlies / falsehoodsAccusativedirect object of ἐλάλησας (neuter plural)ψευδής: 'false / lying'; the neuter plural substantive ψευδῆ ('falsehoods / lies'); renders כְּזָבִים; Samson's false answers are named as lies.
νῦνnowtemporal adverbνῦν: 'now'; with οὖν forms the transition 'now therefore'.
οὖνthereforeinferential particleοὖν: 'therefore / then'; νῦν οὖν renews the demand on the basis of the prior deception.
ἀνάγγειλόνtellAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀναγγέλλωimperative (renewed demand)→ ingressive aorist imperativeἀναγγέλλω: 'declare / report'; Delilah's renewed command to reveal the secret.
μοιto meDativedative indirect objectμοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνbypreposition + dative (means)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίνιwhatDativeinterrogative pronoun (dative of means)τίς: 'what'; the binding-question once more.
δεθήσῃyou might be boundFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · δέωmain verb (deliberative future passive)→ deliberative futureδέω: 'bind'; future passive, repeating the formula of v. 6.
11

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτήν ἐὰν δεσμεύοντες δήσωσίν με ἐν καλωδίοις καινοῖς οἷς οὐκ ἐγένετο ἐν αὐτοῖς ἔργον καὶ ἀσθενήσω καὶ ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων

And he said to her, 'If, binding me fast, they bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then I shall grow weak and shall be like one of the men.'

Second false answer (conditional)καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτήν
The second answer parallels the first (ἐάν + δήσωσιν … ἀσθενήσω … ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων), substituting 'new ropes' for 'fresh bowstrings'. The pleonastic participle δεσμεύοντες δήσωσιν ('binding they bind') is a Hebraism rendering the emphatic infinitive absolute, intensifying the supposed security of the binding.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the second deceptive answer.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτήνherAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςαὐτήν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (with subjunctive)ἐάν: 'if'; future-more-vivid condition.
δεσμεύοντεςbinding (fast)Pres Act Part Nom Pl Masc · δεσμεύωcircumstantial participle (Hebraizing emphatic, with δήσωσιν)→ intensifying (calque of infinitive absolute)δεσμεύω: 'bind / tie up'; the participle δεσμεύοντες with the cognate finite verb δήσωσιν ('binding, they bind') reproduces the Hebrew emphatic infinitive absolute אָסֹר יַאַסְרוּנִי ('surely/securely bind me'), conveying intensity and certainty.
δήσωσίνthey bindAor Act Subj 3 Pl · δέωverb of protasis (subjunctive)→ aorist subjunctive (condition)δέω: 'bind'; the impersonal third plural again.
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrument)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
καλωδίοιςropes / cordsDativedative of instrumentκαλώδιον: 'small rope / cord'; renders עֲבֹתִים ('ropes / cords'); the second binding-material, supposedly stronger because unused.
καινοῖςnewDativeattributive adjectiveκαινός: 'new / fresh / unused'; renders חָדָשׁ; the ropes' newness is the point — unworn cords are assumed to hold best.
οἷςwith whichDativerelative pronoun (dative, antecedent καλωδίοις)ὅς: relative pronoun; with the resumptive ἐν αὐτοῖς ('in which … in them') it forms a Hebraizing relative construction (אֲשֶׁר … בָּהֶם).
οὐκnotnegative particleοὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐγένετοhas been doneAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιverb of relative clause→ constative aoristγίνομαι: 'be / happen / be done'; 'with which no work has been done' marks the ropes as wholly new and unworn.
ἐνin / withpreposition + dative (resumptive, Hebraism)ἐν: the resumptive ἐν αὐτοῖς resolves the relative οἷς, a Semitic redundancy.
αὐτοῖςthemDativeresumptive pronoun (with the relative)αὐτός: resumes the antecedent (the ropes).
ἔργονworkNominativesubject of ἐγένετοἔργον: 'work / labor / use'; renders מְלָאכָה; 'no work has been done with them' = they are brand-new.
καὶand (then)apodotic conjunctionκαί: apodotic 'then' (Hebraism).
ἀσθενήσωI shall grow weakFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀσθενέωmain verb of apodosis→ predictive futureἀσθενέω: 'be weak' (see v. 7).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔσομαιI shall beFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίmain verb→ predictive futureεἰμί: 'be'; the refrain repeats v. 7.
ὡςas / likecomparative particleὡς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εἷςoneNominativepredicate nominativeεἷς: 'one'; 'one of the men' (see v. 7).
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνθρώπωνmenGenitivepartitive genitiveἄνθρωπος: 'man / human being' (see v. 7).
12

καὶ ἔλαβεν Δαλιδα καλώδια καινὰ καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰ ἔνεδρα ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ ταμιείου καὶ εἶπεν ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ Σαμψων καὶ διέσπασεν αὐτὰ ἀπὸ βραχιόνων αὐτοῦ ὡς σπαρτίον

And Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and the ambush came out from the chamber, and she said, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' And he snapped them off his arms like a thread.

Enactment and outcome of the second test (failure)καὶ ἔλαβεν Δαλιδα καλώδια καινὰ
The second test repeats the structure of vv. 8–9: Delilah binds, the ambush is poised, the alarm-cry sounds, and Samson breaks free (διέσπασεν … ὡς σπαρτίον, 'like a thread'). The simile of the snapped thread answers the simile of burnt tow (v. 9), keeping the secret intact.
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb→ constative aoristλαμβάνω: 'take / get'; Delilah takes the new ropes to bind Samson.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
καλώδιαropesAccusativedirect objectκαλώδιον: 'rope / cord' (see v. 11).
καινὰnewAccusativeattributive adjectiveκαινός: 'new'; matching Samson's prescription exactly.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔδησενboundAor Act Indic 3 Sg · δέωmain verb→ constative aoristδέω: 'bind'; Delilah binds Samson with the ropes.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrument)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτοῖςthemDativedative of instrumentαὐτός: neuter dative plural referring to the ropes.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὰtheNominativearticleτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔνεδραambushNominativesubject (neuter plural with singular verb)ἔνεδρον: 'ambush'; the neuter plural τὰ ἔνεδρα takes a singular verb (ἐξῆλθεν), as is normal in Greek for neuter plurals.
ἐξῆλθενcame outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb→ constative aoristἐξέρχομαι: 'go out / come out'; here the ambush emerges (or is poised to emerge) from the chamber at the signal.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source)ἐκ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ταμιείουchamberGenitivegenitive of sourceταμ(ι)εῖον: 'inner chamber' (see v. 9).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενshe saidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (alarm-cry)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the alarm-cry, identical to v. 9.
ἀλλόφυλοιPhilistinesNominativesubject of verbless alarm-cryἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines'; the cry 'the Philistines are upon you!' again.
ἐπὶupon / againstpreposition + accusativeἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
σέyouAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίσέ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ΣαμψωνSamsonvocative (direct address, indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
διέσπασενhe snappedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · διασπάωmain verb→ constative aoristδιασπάω: 'tear apart / snap' (see v. 9).
αὐτὰthemAccusativedirect object (the ropes)αὐτός: neuter accusative plural referring to the ropes.
ἀπὸfrom / offpreposition + genitive (separation)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
βραχιόνωνarmsGenitivegenitive of separationβραχίων: 'arm'; renders זְרוֹעַ; Samson casts the ropes off his arms, the very limbs of his strength.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ὡςas / likecomparative particleὡς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σπαρτίονthread / stringAccusativeobject of comparison (accusative)σπαρτίον: 'small cord / string / thread'; renders חוּט; the comparison 'like a thread' underscores how trivially the ropes part.
13

καὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα πρὸς Σαμψων ἰδοὺ ἐπλάνησάς με καὶ ἐλάλησας πρὸς ἐμὲ ψευδῆ ἀπάγγειλον δή μοι ἐν τίνι δεθήσῃ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτήν ἐὰν ὑφάνῃς τὰς ἑπτὰ σειρὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς μου σὺν τῷ διάσματι καὶ ἐγκρούσῃς τῷ πασσάλῳ εἰς τὸν τοῖχον καὶ ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀσθενής

And Delilah said to Samson, 'Behold, you have deceived me and spoken lies to me; tell me, please, by what you might be bound.' And he said to her, 'If you weave the seven locks of my head into the web with the loom-pin and fasten it with the peg into the wall, then I shall be weak like one of the men.'

Third interrogation and third (near-true) answerκαὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα πρὸς Σαμψων
The third exchange repeats the accusation-formula of v. 10 but the answer now dangerously approaches the truth: for the first time Samson involves his hair (τὰς ἑπτὰ σειρὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς μου, 'the seven locks of my head'), though still attributing power to a binding-trick (the loom) rather than to the Nazirite vow itself. The final word ἀσθενής ('weak') is climactic.
Word-by-word analysis· 48 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the third interrogation.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣαμψωνSamsonobject of πρός (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative particleἰδού: 'behold' (see v. 10).
ἐπλάνησάςyou have deceivedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · πλανάωmain verb→ constative aoristπλανάω: 'deceive / mislead' (see v. 10).
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐλάλησαςyou have spokenAor Act Indic 2 Sg · λαλέωmain verb→ constative aoristλαλέω: 'speak'; with ψευδῆ, 'spoke lies'.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἐμὲmeAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (emphatic form)ἐγώ: emphatic accusative ἐμέ (vs. enclitic με of v. 10).
ψευδῆliesAccusativedirect object of ἐλάλησαςψευδής: 'falsehoods / lies' (see v. 10).
ἀπάγγειλονtellAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωimperative (demand)→ ingressive aorist imperativeἀπαγγέλλω: 'declare / tell' (see v. 6); with the entreating δή.
δήpleaseentreating particleδή: 'pray / please' (see v. 6).
μοιto meDativedative indirect objectμοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνbypreposition + dative (means)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίνιwhatDativeinterrogative pronoun (dative of means)τίς: 'what'; the binding-question again.
δεθήσῃyou might be boundFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · δέωmain verb (deliberative future passive)→ deliberative futureδέω: 'bind' (see vv. 6, 10).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (Samson's reply)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the third answer.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτήνherAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςαὐτήν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (with subjunctive)ἐάν: 'if'; future-more-vivid condition.
ὑφάνῃςyou weaveAor Act Subj 2 Sg · ὑφαίνωverb of protasis (subjunctive)→ aorist subjunctive (condition)ὑφαίνω: 'weave'; the third trick involves weaving Samson's hair into a loom; the verb belongs to the textile imagery (διάσμα, πάσσαλος) of this episode.
τὰςtheAccusativearticleτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἑπτὰsevenindeclinable numeral (modifying σειράς)ἑπτά: 'seven'; the seven locks correspond to the seven bowstrings (v. 7) and recall the sacral number; the unshorn hair is the heart of the Nazirite vow (Num 6:5).
σειρὰςlocks / braidsAccusativedirect object of ὑφάνῃςσειρά: 'plait / lock / braid of hair'; renders מַחְלְפוֹת ('locks / braids'); Samson's seven plaited locks, the visible sign of his consecration.
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεφαλῆςheadGenitivegenitive (locks of the head)κεφαλή: 'head'; renders רֹאשׁ; the head whose hair is the seat of the Nazirite vow and Samson's strength.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possessionμου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
σὺνwith / intopreposition + dative (accompaniment/instrument)σύν: 'with / together with'; the locks are woven together with the loom-web.
τῷtheDativearticleτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
διάσματιweb / warpDativedative object of σύνδιάσμα: 'warp / web (on a loom)'; the stretched threads of weaving; renders מַסֶּכֶת ('web / warp'); Samson's hair is to be interwoven with the loom's warp.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγκρούσῃςyou drive in / fastenAor Act Subj 2 Sg · ἐγκρούωverb of protasis (subjunctive, coordinate with ὑφάνῃς)→ aorist subjunctive (condition)ἐγκρούω: 'knock / drive in / hammer'; fastening the loom-pin into the wall would, supposedly, pin Samson down by his woven hair.
τῷthe / with theDativearticle (dative of instrument)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πασσάλῳpin / pegDativedative of instrumentπάσσαλος: 'peg / pin / stake'; renders יָתֵד; the loom-pin (or the wall-peg) used to fix the weaving in place.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticleτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τοῖχονwallAccusativeaccusative object of εἰςτοῖχος: 'wall (of a house)'; renders קִיר; the peg is to be driven into the wall to anchor the loom.
καὶand (then)apodotic conjunctionκαί: apodotic 'then' (Hebraism).
ἔσομαιI shall beFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίmain verb of apodosis→ predictive futureεἰμί: 'be'; the refrain (see vv. 7, 11), here climactically capped by ἀσθενής.
ὡςas / likecomparative particleὡς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εἷςoneNominativepredicate nominativeεἷς: 'one of the men' (see v. 7).
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνθρώπωνmenGenitivepartitive genitiveἄνθρωπος: 'man' (see v. 7).
ἀσθενήςweakNominativepredicate adjective (climactic)ἀσθενής: 'weak / feeble'; the adjective (cognate with ἀσθενέω) caps the refrain, naming the very condition the lords seek to impose.
14

καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ κοιμᾶσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλαβεν Δαλιδα τὰς ἑπτὰ σειρὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὕφανεν ἐν τῷ διάσματι καὶ ἔπηξεν τῷ πασσάλῳ εἰς τὸν τοῖχον καὶ εἶπεν ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ Σαμψων καὶ ἐξυπνίσθη ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξῆρεν τὸν πάσσαλον τοῦ ὑφάσματος ἐκ τοῦ τοίχου

And it came to pass, while he slept, that Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web, and fastened them with the peg into the wall, and said, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' And he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the peg of the weaving from the wall.

Enactment and outcome of the third test (failure)καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ κοιμᾶσθαι αὐτὸν
The temporal ἐν τῷ κοιμᾶσθαι αὐτόν ('while he slept') marks the first time Delilah acts on a sleeping Samson — anticipating the fatal sleep of v. 19. He again breaks free at the alarm, pulling out peg, loom, and web together; the secret still holds, but the involvement of his hair has brought the danger to the threshold.
Word-by-word analysis· 48 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (temporal-formula opener)→ constative aoristγίνομαι: the formula καὶ ἐγένετο (וַיְהִי) opening the scene of the third binding.
ἐνwhilepreposition + dative (articular infinitive: temporal)ἐν τῷ + infinitive: temporal, 'while he was sleeping' (Hebraism).
τῷtheDativearticle governing the articular infinitiveτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κοιμᾶσθαιto sleepPres Mid Inf · κοιμάωarticular infinitive (temporal)κοιμάομαι: 'sleep'; the present infinitive denotes ongoing sleep — the vulnerable state in which Delilah works.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitiveαὐτός: accusative subject of κοιμᾶσθαι ('while he slept').
καὶand (then)apodotic conjunction (after temporal clause)καί: apodotic 'then' after the ἐγένετο-clause (Hebraism).
ἔλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb→ constative aoristλαμβάνω: 'take'; Delilah takes the seven locks to weave them.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
τὰςtheAccusativearticleτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἑπτὰsevenindeclinable numeralἑπτά: 'seven'; the seven locks (see v. 13).
σειρὰςlocksAccusativedirect objectσειρά: 'lock / braid' (see v. 13).
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεφαλῆςheadGenitivegenitive (of the head)κεφαλή: 'head' (see v. 13).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ὕφανενshe woveAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὑφαίνωmain verb→ constative aoristὑφαίνω: 'weave'; Delilah carries out the prescription, weaving the locks into the warp.
ἐνinto / inpreposition + dative (location/instrument)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticleτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
διάσματιweb / warpDativedative (the web)διάσμα: 'warp / web' (see v. 13).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔπηξενfastened / drove inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πήγνυμιmain verb→ constative aoristπήγνυμι: 'fix / fasten / drive in'; she pins the weaving fast with the peg into the wall.
τῷwith theDativearticle (dative of instrument)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πασσάλῳpegDativedative of instrumentπάσσαλος: 'peg / pin' (see v. 13).
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticleτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τοῖχονwallAccusativeaccusative object of εἰςτοῖχος: 'wall' (see v. 13).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενshe saidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (alarm-cry)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the alarm-cry, identical to vv. 9, 12.
ἀλλόφυλοιPhilistinesNominativesubject of verbless alarm-cryἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines'; the cry again.
ἐπὶupon / againstpreposition + accusativeἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
σέyouAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίσέ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ΣαμψωνSamsonvocative (direct address, indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξυπνίσθηhe awokeAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐξυπνίζωmain verb→ constative aoristἐξυπνίζω: 'awaken / rouse from sleep'; passive ἐξυπνίσθη ('was wakened'); the same verb at v. 20, where waking will be tragically too late.
ἐκfrom / out ofpreposition + genitive (source)ἐκ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὕπνουsleepGenitivegenitive of sourceὕπνος: 'sleep'; renders שֵׁנָה; the sleep from which he wakes still strong (contrast v. 20).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξῆρενpulled outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξαίρωmain verb→ constative aoristἐξαίρω: 'lift out / remove / pull up'; Samson wrenches the peg (with the whole loom-web) out of the wall, again escaping the binding.
τὸνtheAccusativearticleτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πάσσαλονpegAccusativedirect objectπάσσαλος: 'peg / pin' (see v. 13).
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὑφάσματοςweaving / webGenitivegenitive (the peg of the weaving)ὕφασμα: 'woven fabric / web'; cognate with ὑφαίνω; the finished weaving from which he tears the peg, hauling the whole apparatus away.
ἐκfrom / out ofpreposition + genitive (source)ἐκ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τοίχουwallGenitivegenitive of sourceτοῖχος: 'wall' (see v. 13).
15

καὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα πρὸς Σαμψων πῶς λέγεις ἠγάπηκά σε καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ καρδία σου μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ τοῦτο τρίτον ἐπλάνησάς με καὶ οὐκ ἀπήγγειλάς μοι ἐν τίνι ἡ ἰσχύς σου ἡ μεγάλη

And Delilah said to Samson, 'How can you say, "I love you," when your heart is not with me? This is the third time you have deceived me, and you have not told me in what your great strength lies.'

Emotional escalation: the appeal to loveκαὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα πρὸς Σαμψων
Delilah shifts from binding-tests to an emotional offensive, equating disclosure with love (πῶς λέγεις ἠγάπηκά σε …;). The reproach τοῦτο τρίτον ('this third time') tallies the failed deceptions and sets up the relentless daily pressure of v. 16. The perfect ἠγάπηκά ('I have loved') quotes Samson's own professed love back against him.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the emotional reproach.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣαμψωνSamsonobject of πρός (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
πῶςhowinterrogative adverbπῶς: 'how?'; introduces an indignant rhetorical question challenging the sincerity of Samson's love.
λέγειςyou sayPres Act Indic 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb of the question→ progressive presentλέγω: 'say'; 'how can you keep saying…?' — the present tense implies a repeated profession.
ἠγάπηκάI love / I have lovedPerf Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀγαπάωmain verb of quoted speech→ intensive/stative perfect (settled state of love)ἀγαπάω: 'love'; the perfect ἠγάπηκα ('I have come to love / I love') quotes Samson's claim; Delilah throws his professed, ongoing love back at him as proof he owes her the secret.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἠγάπηκασε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶwhen / and yetadversative/circumstantial conjunctionκαί: here adversative-circumstantial ('and yet / when'), contrasting his words with his withheld heart.
οὐκnotnegative particleοὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (predicating location of the heart)→ stative presentεἰμί: 'be'; 'your heart is not with me' — the idiom of withheld trust/affection (לִבְּךָ אֵין אִתִּי).
theNominativearticleἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίαheartNominativesubject of ἔστινκαρδία: 'heart'; renders לֵב; the seat of will and inmost confidence; 'your heart is not with me' charges Samson with reserve — ironically, he will soon give her his 'whole heart' (πᾶσαν τὴν καρδίαν, vv. 17–18).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possessionσου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)μετ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of μετάἐγώ: emphatic genitive ἐμοῦ ('with me').
τοῦτοthisAccusativeadverbial accusative ('this [time]')οὗτος: 'this'; with τρίτον forms the adverbial 'this third time'.
τρίτονthird (time)Accusativeadverbial accusative (ordinal: 'a third time')τρίτος: 'third'; τοῦτο τρίτον ('this third time') tallies the three failed deceptions (vv. 7, 11, 13).
ἐπλάνησάςyou have deceivedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · πλανάωmain verb→ constative aoristπλανάω: 'deceive' (see vv. 10, 13).
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οὐκnotnegative particleοὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀπήγγειλάςyou have toldAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb→ constative aoristἀπαγγέλλω: 'declare / tell' (see vv. 6, 13); 'you have not told me' — the grievance that drives the final assault.
μοιto meDativedative indirect objectμοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (means)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίνιwhatDativeinterrogative pronoun (dative of means)τίς: 'what'; the strength-question once more.
theNominativearticleἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἰσχύςstrengthNominativesubject of verbless clauseἰσχύς: 'strength' (see v. 5).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possessionσου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
theNominativearticle (attributive)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μεγάληgreatNominativeattributive adjectiveμέγας: 'great'; 'your great strength' (see vv. 5, 6).
16

καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐξέθλιψεν αὐτὸν ἐν λόγοις αὐτῆς πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας καὶ ἐστενοχώρησεν αὐτόν καὶ ὠλιγοψύχησεν ἕως τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν

And it came to pass, when she pressed him hard with her words all the days and harassed him, that his soul grew faint to the point of death.

Climactic wearing-down (cause of disclosure)καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐξέθλιψεν αὐτὸν
Three verbs of relentless pressure (ἐξέθλιψεν … ἐστενοχώρησεν … ὠλιγοψύχησεν) describe the daily war of attrition that finally breaks Samson's resolve. The phrase ὠλιγοψύχησεν ἕως τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν ('his soul grew faint to the point of death') echoes the same idiom used of his earlier thirst (15:18) and prepares for the disclosure of v. 17.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (temporal-formula opener)→ constative aoristγίνομαι: the formula καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ('and it came to pass when').
ὅτεwhentemporal conjunctionὅτε: 'when'; introduces the temporal clause describing the prolonged pressure.
ἐξέθλιψενshe pressed hardAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐκθλίβωverb of temporal clause→ constative aorist (summarizing repeated action)ἐκθλίβω: 'press out / squeeze / press hard'; renders צוּק / אָלַץ ('press / urge'); the compound ἐκ- intensifies the relentless verbal pressure.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrument)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
λόγοιςwordsDativedative of instrumentλόγος: 'word'; renders דָּבָר; her incessant words are the instrument of the pressure.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτῆς: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
πάσαςallAccusativeattributive adjective (accusative of extent of time)πᾶς: 'all'; with τὰς ἡμέρας, an accusative of duration ('all the days / day after day').
τὰςtheAccusativearticleτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέραςdaysAccusativeaccusative of extent of timeἡμέρα: 'day'; the accusative of duration marks the daily, unremitting nature of the harassment.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐστενοχώρησενshe harassed / hemmed inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · στενοχωρέωverb of temporal clause→ constative aoristστενοχωρέω: 'confine / hem in / distress'; lit. 'press into a narrow space'; intensifies ἐξέθλιψεν — Delilah leaves Samson no room of relief.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτόν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶand (so)consecutive conjunction (introducing result)καί: here consecutive, introducing the result (his soul fainting).
ὠλιγοψύχησενhis soul grew faintAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὀλιγοψυχέωmain verb (result)→ ingressive aorist (came to faintness)ὀλιγοψυχέω: 'be faint-hearted / despondent / weary to death'; lit. 'be small of soul'; renders קָצַר נֶפֶשׁ ('be impatient / shortened of soul'); Samson is worn down to utter exhaustion of spirit.
ἕωςto the point ofpreposition + articular infinitive (degree/result)ἕως: 'until / to the point of'; with τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν, 'unto death'.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle governing the articular infinitiveτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀποθανεῖνto dieAor Act Inf · ἀποθνῄσκωarticular infinitive (degree: 'unto death')→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; ἕως τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν ('to the point of death') is a hyperbole for total emotional exhaustion (cf. 15:18; Jonah 4:9); it foreshadows the death his disclosure will ultimately bring.
17

καὶ ἀνήγγειλεν αὐτῇ τὴν πᾶσαν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ σίδηρος οὐκ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν μου ὅτι ἅγιος θεοῦ ἐγώ εἰμι ἀπὸ κοιλίας μητρός μου ἐὰν οὖν ξυρήσωμαι ἀποστήσεται ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἡ ἰσχύς μου καὶ ἀσθενήσω καὶ ἔσομαι ὡς πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι

And he told her all his heart and said to her, 'No razor has come upon my head, because I am holy to God from my mother's womb; if then I be shaved, my strength will leave me, and I shall grow weak and be like all other men.'

The true disclosure (turning point)καὶ ἀνήγγειλεν αὐτῇ τὴν πᾶσαν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ
The hinge of the chapter: Samson reveals 'all his heart' (τὴν πᾶσαν καρδίαν), the phrase Delilah had demanded (v. 15) and the narrator will twice repeat (v. 18). The secret is not a binding-trick but the Nazirite consecration itself — ἅγιος θεοῦ … ἀπὸ κοιλίας μητρός ('holy to God from the womb', cf. 13:5; Num 6). The refrain shifts from ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων to ὡς πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι ('like all men'), totalizing the loss.
Word-by-word analysis· 43 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνήγγειλενhe toldAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναγγέλλωmain verb→ constative aoristἀναγγέλλω: 'declare / report / tell'; Samson finally 'declares' what Delilah has long demanded — the climactic disclosure.
αὐτῇto herDativedative indirect objectαὐτῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πᾶσανwhole / allAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying καρδίαν)πᾶς: 'all / whole'; τὴν πᾶσαν καρδίαν ('his whole heart') — the totality of his secret, ironically the very intimacy Delilah accused him of withholding (v. 15).
καρδίανheartAccusativedirect objectκαρδία: 'heart'; here metonymic for the inmost secret of his consecration and strength.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the spoken secret.
αὐτῇto herDativedative indirect objectαὐτῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
σίδηροςiron / razorNominativesubjectσίδηρος: 'iron'; here metonymy for an iron blade/razor; renders the sense of מוֹרָה ('razor') in the Nazirite stipulation (Num 6:5; Judg 13:5) — no iron has ever touched his hair.
οὐκnotnegative particleοὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνέβηhas come upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναβαίνωmain verb→ constative aorist (negated)ἀναβαίνω: 'go up / come up'; the idiom σίδηρος οὐκ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν ('iron has not come up on the head') is a Hebraism (לֹא עָלָה מוֹרָה) for 'no razor has touched it'.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (position)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεφαλήνheadAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίκεφαλή: 'head'; the consecrated head whose unshorn hair embodies the vow.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possessionμου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunctionὅτι: 'because / for'; introduces the reason for the untouched hair — Samson's consecration.
ἅγιοςholy / consecratedNominativepredicate adjectiveἅγιος: 'holy / set apart / consecrated'; ἅγιος θεοῦ ('holy to God / God's holy one') renders the Nazirite status נְזִיר אֱלֹהִים (cf. 13:5, 7); the hair is the outward token of this inward consecration.
θεοῦof GodGenitivegenitive (holy to/of God)θεός: 'God'; the objective/possessive genitive ('holy to God') — Samson belongs to God as a consecrated Nazirite from birth.
ἐγώINominativeemphatic subject pronounἐγώ: emphatic 'I (myself)'; foregrounds Samson's personal, lifelong consecration.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula→ stative presentεἰμί: 'be'; the copula of the predication 'I am holy to God'.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (temporal origin)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
κοιλίαςwomb / bellyGenitivegenitive object of ἀπόκοιλία: 'belly / womb'; ἀπὸ κοιλίας μητρός ('from the womb of my mother') renders מִבֶּטֶן אִמּוֹ; the consecration dates from conception/birth (cf. 13:5).
μητρόςmotherGenitivegenitive (of the mother)μήτηρ: 'mother'; the genitive specifies the womb as his mother's — Samson's Nazirite status was imposed before birth by divine decree (13:3–5).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possessionμου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (with subjunctive)ἐάν: 'if'; the real, fatal condition (unlike the false ones of vv. 7, 11, 13).
οὖνthen / thereforeinferential particleοὖν: 'then / therefore'; draws the consequence from his consecrated status.
ξυρήσωμαιI be shavedAor Mid Subj 1 Sg · ξυράωverb of protasis (subjunctive, middle/permissive)→ aorist subjunctive (condition)ξυράω: 'shave'; the middle ξυρήσωμαι ('I get myself shaved / am shaved') — Samson names for the first time the one act that would void the vow and the strength bound up with it.
ἀποστήσεταιwill depart / leaveFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἀφίστημιmain verb of apodosis→ predictive futureἀφίστημι: 'withdraw / depart / leave'; the future middle ἀποστήσεται ('will depart') foretells the strength's departure — the same verb used of the LORD's departure (ἀπέστη, v. 20) and the strength's actual leaving (v. 19).
ἀπ᾿frompreposition + genitive (separation)ἀπ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive of separationἐγώ: emphatic genitive ἐμοῦ ('from me').
theNominativearticleἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἰσχύςstrengthNominativesubject of ἀποστήσεταιἰσχύς: 'strength'; the strength bound to the vow, soon to depart (v. 19).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possessionμου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀσθενήσωI shall grow weakFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀσθενέωmain verb→ predictive futureἀσθενέω: 'be weak' (see v. 7); now spoken truly.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔσομαιI shall beFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίmain verb→ predictive futureεἰμί: 'be'; the refrain, now intensified to ὡς πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι ('like all men') from the earlier 'like one of the men' (vv. 7, 11).
ὡςas / likecomparative particleὡς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πάντεςallNominativeattributive adjective (modifying ἄνθρωποι)πᾶς: 'all'; ὡς πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι ('like all men') totalizes the loss — Samson would become utterly ordinary.
οἱtheNominativearticleοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνθρωποιmenNominativepredicate (object of comparison)ἄνθρωπος: 'man / human being'; ordinary mortals, as opposed to the divinely-empowered Nazirite.
18

καὶ εἶδεν Δαλιδα ὅτι ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῇ πᾶσαν τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν ἀλλοφύλων λέγουσα ἀνάβητε ἔτι τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο ὅτι ἀπήγγειλέν μοι τὴν πᾶσαν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβησαν πρὸς αὐτὴν οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν τὸ ἀργύριον ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν

And Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, and she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, 'Come up this once more, for he has told me all his heart.' And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought up the silver in their hands.

Delilah acts on the disclosure; the lords return with the moneyκαὶ εἶδεν Δαλιδα ὅτι ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῇ
Delilah's recognition (εἶδεν … ὅτι ἀπήγγειλεν … πᾶσαν τὴν καρδίαν) repeats v. 17's key phrase, confirming she knows the secret is genuine this time. She summons the lords with ἀνάβητε ἔτι τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο ('come up this once more'); their arrival 'with the silver in their hands' shows the bargain of v. 5 now being executed.
Word-by-word analysis· 46 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶδενsawAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὁράωmain verb→ constative aoristὁράω: 'see / perceive'; here 'saw / realized' that Samson had at last told the truth.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing object clauseὅτι: 'that'; introduces the content of her perception.
ἀπήγγειλενhe had toldAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωverb of object clause→ constative aorist (anterior to εἶδεν)ἀπαγγέλλω: 'declare / tell' (see v. 17); the aorist is anterior to εἶδεν ('that he had told').
αὐτῇto herDativedative indirect objectαὐτῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
πᾶσανallAccusativeattributive adjectiveπᾶς: 'all'; πᾶσαν τὴν καρδίαν echoes v. 17.
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίανheartAccusativedirect object of ἀπήγγειλενκαρδία: 'heart' (see v. 17).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπέστειλενshe sentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: 'send (a message/messenger)'; Delilah dispatches word to summon the lords.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκάλεσενcalled / summonedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καλέωmain verb→ constative aoristκαλέω: 'call / summon'; she summons the lords for the final, decisive attempt.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticleτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχονταςlordsAccusativedirect objectἄρχων: the Philistine lords (see v. 5).
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀλλοφύλωνPhilistinesGenitivegenitiveἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines' (see v. 5).
λέγουσαsayingPres Act Part Nom Sg Fem · λέγωparticiple introducing direct speech (agreeing with Delilah)→ progressiveλέγω: feminine singular participle agreeing with Delilah; renders the Hebrew לֵאמֹר.
ἀνάβητεcome upAor Act Impv 2 Pl · ἀναβαίνωimperative (summons)→ ingressive aorist imperativeἀναβαίνω: 'go up / come up'; Delilah's command summoning the lords up to her one final time.
ἔτιyet / once moreadverb (temporal)ἔτι: 'still / yet / once more'; with τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο, 'this one more time'.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (substantizing the adverb ἅπαξ)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἅπαξonceadverb (substantized: 'this once')ἅπαξ: 'once'; indeclinable adverb; the articular phrase τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο ('this once') recurs in Samson's prayer (v. 28), tying Delilah's last summons to his last petition.
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative (with the substantized ἅπαξ)οὗτος: 'this'; τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο = 'this once'.
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunctionὅτι: 'for / because'; gives the reason for the summons — the secret is out.
ἀπήγγειλένhe has toldAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb of causal clause→ constative aoristἀπαγγέλλω: 'declare / tell'; the accent ἀπήγγειλέν reflects the following enclitic μοι.
μοιto meDativedative indirect object (enclitic)μοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πᾶσανwhole / allAccusativeattributive adjectiveπᾶς: 'whole'; τὴν πᾶσαν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ — the phrase recurs a third time, hammering the completeness of the betrayal.
καρδίανheartAccusativedirect objectκαρδία: 'heart' (see v. 17).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνέβησανcame upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναβαίνωmain verb→ constative aoristἀναβαίνω: 'come up'; the lords obey the summons (cf. v. 5).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτὴνherAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςαὐτὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
οἱtheNominativearticleοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχοντεςlordsNominativesubjectἄρχων: the Philistine lords (see v. 5).
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀλλοφύλωνPhilistinesGenitivegenitiveἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines' (see v. 5).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνήνεγκανbrought upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναφέρωmain verb→ constative aoristἀναφέρω: 'bring up / carry up' (cf. v. 8); now they bring the promised silver.
τὸtheAccusativearticleτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀργύριονsilver / moneyAccusativedirect objectἀργύριον: 'silver / money'; the bribe of v. 5, now produced in payment for the betrayal.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
χερσὶνhandsDativedative of placeχείρ: 'hand'; ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν ('in their hands') — the silver carried ready to hand, the price of Samson.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
19

καὶ ἐκοίμισεν Δαλιδα τὸν Σαμψων ἐπὶ τὰ γόνατα αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ἄνδρα καὶ ἐξύρησεν τὰς ἑπτὰ σειρὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤρξατο ταπεινῶσαι αὐτόν καὶ ἀπέστη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ

And Delilah lulled Samson to sleep upon her knees, and she called a man and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to humble him, and his strength departed from him.

The shaving and the loss of strengthκαὶ ἐκοίμισεν Δαλιδα τὸν Σαμψων
The fatal act: Delilah lulls Samson asleep on her knees (the intimacy turned trap) and has the seven locks shaved. The clause καὶ ἀπέστη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ('his strength departed from him') fulfills his own prediction (v. 17, ἀποστήσεται) and is verbally echoed by the LORD's departure in v. 20 (ἀπέστη ὁ κύριος).
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκοίμισενlulled to sleepAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κοιμίζωmain verb (causative)→ constative aoristκοιμίζω: 'put to sleep / lull'; causative of κοιμάομαι; Delilah deliberately puts Samson to sleep to render him helpless — the intimate lap becomes the place of betrayal.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
τὸνthe / (acc. marker)Accusativearticle (marking Σαμψων as accusative)the article τόν supplies the accusative case for the otherwise indeclinable Σαμψων.
ΣαμψωνSamsondirect object (indeclinable, case marked by τόν)Σαμψων: indeclinable; the accusative is shown by the article.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (position)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὰtheAccusativearticleτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γόναταkneesAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίγόνυ (pl. γόνατα): 'knee'; renders בִּרְכַּיִם; the lap/knees on which Samson sleeps — the picture of trust exploited.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτῆς: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκάλεσενcalledAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καλέωmain verb→ constative aoristκαλέω: 'call / summon'; Delilah summons a man to perform the shaving (B-text; the A-text has her shave him).
ἄνδραa manAccusativedirect objectἀνήρ: 'man'; an unnamed barber/accomplice called to cut the consecrated locks.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξύρησενshaved offAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ξυράωmain verb→ constative aoristξυράω: 'shave'; the act that severs the Nazirite vow (Num 6:5); the seven consecrated locks fall, and with them the strength.
τὰςtheAccusativearticleτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἑπτὰsevenindeclinable numeralἑπτά: 'seven'; the seven locks (see vv. 13–14).
σειρὰςlocksAccusativedirect object of ἐξύρησενσειρά: 'lock / braid' (see v. 13).
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεφαλῆςheadGenitivegenitive (of the head)κεφαλή: 'head' (see v. 17).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἤρξατοshe beganAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἄρχωmain verb (ingressive, with infinitive)→ ingressive aoristἄρχομαι: 'begin'; the middle ἤρξατο with the infinitive ταπεινῶσαι ('began to humble') — the lords' stated aim (v. 5) is now realized.
ταπεινῶσαιto humbleAor Act Inf · ταπεινόωcomplementary infinitive (with ἤρξατο)ταπεινόω: 'humble / subdue' (see v. 5); the humbling the lords commissioned is now begun on the shorn, strengthless Samson.
αὐτόνhimAccusativeobject of the infinitiveαὐτόν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπέστηdepartedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀφίστημιmain verb→ constative aoristἀφίστημι: 'depart / withdraw'; the intransitive second aorist ἀπέστη ('departed'); fulfills v. 17 (ἀποστήσεται) and anticipates v. 20 (ἀπέστη ὁ κύριος) — strength and the LORD depart together.
theNominativearticleἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἰσχὺςstrengthNominativesubject of ἀπέστηἰσχύς: 'strength'; its departure is the dread fulfillment of the chapter's recurring question.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἀπ᾿frompreposition + genitive (separation)ἀπ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive of separationαὐτός: 'from him'; the strength leaves the man it had defined.
20

καὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ Σαμψων καὶ ἐξυπνίσθη ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἐξελεύσομαι ὡς ἅπαξ καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ ἐκτιναχθήσομαι καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἔγνω ὅτι ἀπέστη ὁ κύριος ἀπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ

And Delilah said, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' And he awoke from his sleep and said, 'I will go out as time after time and shake myself free' — but he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.

Tragic peripeteia: the unwitting lossκαὶ εἶπεν Δαλιδα ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ Σαμψων
The same alarm-cry as before (vv. 9, 12, 14) now meets a Samson who does not know what has changed. His confident ἐξελεύσομαι … καὶ ἐκτιναχθήσομαι ('I will go out and shake free') is undercut by the narrator's devastating aside: αὐτὸς οὐκ ἔγνω ὅτι ἀπέστη ὁ κύριος ἀπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ ('he did not know that the LORD had departed from him') — the theological heart of the chapter, locating the strength not in the hair as such but in the LORD whose presence the hair signified.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (alarm-cry)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the now-fatal alarm-cry.
ΔαλιδαDelilahsubject (indeclinable)Δαλιδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἀλλόφυλοιPhilistinesNominativesubject of verbless alarm-cryἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines'; the cry 'the Philistines are upon you!' — this time the threat is real and Samson is powerless.
ἐπὶupon / againstpreposition + accusativeἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
σέyouAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίσέ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ΣαμψωνSamsonvocative (direct address, indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξυπνίσθηhe awokeAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐξυπνίζωmain verb→ constative aoristἐξυπνίζω: 'awaken' (see v. 14); but this waking, unlike before, finds him bereft of strength.
ἐκfrom / out ofpreposition + genitive (source)ἐκ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὕπνουsleepGenitivegenitive of sourceὕπνος: 'sleep' (see v. 14).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (Samson's confident words)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Samson's tragically misplaced confidence.
ἐξελεύσομαιI will go outFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (Samson's resolve)→ predictive futureἐξέρχομαι: 'go out / come forth'; Samson means to free himself and stride out as before — ignorant that his strength is gone.
ὡςascomparative particleὡς: 'as'; ὡς ἅπαξ καὶ ἅπαξ ('as time after time / as at other times') — he expects a repeat of his earlier escapes.
ἅπαξonce / at one timeadverb (numeral, indeclinable)ἅπαξ: 'once'; the doubled ἅπαξ καὶ ἅπαξ is an idiom 'time after time / as before and before', rendering the Hebrew כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (in the idiom)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἅπαξonce / at one timeadverb (numeral, indeclinable)ἅπαξ: the repeated adverb completes the idiom 'time after time'.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκτιναχθήσομαιI will shake myself freeFut Pass Indic 1 Sg · ἐκτινάσσωmain verb→ predictive future (futile)ἐκτινάσσω: 'shake off / shake out'; the future passive ('I will shake myself free') expresses Samson's intent to throw off his bonds as before — a hollow boast now that the LORD has left him.
καὶbutadversative conjunction (introducing narrator's aside)καί: here adversative ('but'), introducing the devastating narratorial comment.
αὐτὸςhe (himself)Nominativeintensive/emphatic subject pronounαὐτός: emphatic 'he himself'; foregrounds Samson's tragic ignorance of his own condition.
οὐκnotnegative particleοὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔγνωknewAor Act Indic 3 Sg · γινώσκωmain verb (narrator's aside)→ constative aoristγινώσκω: 'know / realize'; the second aorist ἔγνω; 'he did not know' — the tragic irony at the heart of the chapter.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing object clauseὅτι: 'that'; introduces the content of his ignorance.
ἀπέστηhad departedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀφίστημιverb of object clause→ constative aorist (anterior)ἀφίστημι: 'depart / withdraw'; the same verb as the strength's departure (v. 19) — now of the LORD himself; the theological climax: the source of the strength was the LORD's presence, not the hair as such.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἀπέστηκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; here unmistakably the divine name (not the human 'lords', who are οἱ ἄρχοντες) — it is YHWH whose departure leaves Samson powerless, the true secret behind the hair.
ἀπάνωθενfrom upon / away fromimproper preposition + genitive (separation)ἀπάνωθεν: 'from above / from off / away from'; a compound adverb-preposition governing the genitive (αὐτοῦ); renders מֵעָלָיו ('from upon him'); the LORD's protective presence is lifted off from Samson.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of ἀπάνωθεναὐτός: 'from him'; the LORD departs from off Samson, the man he had empowered.
21

καὶ ἐκράτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι καὶ ἐξέκοψαν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ κατήνεγκαν αὐτὸν εἰς Γάζαν καὶ ἐπέδησαν αὐτὸν ἐν πέδαις χαλκείαις καὶ ἦν ἀλήθων ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου

And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze fetters, and he was grinding in the prison-house.

Capture, mutilation, and enslavementκαὶ ἐκράτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι
A chain of aorists narrates Samson's downfall: seized, blinded, brought down, fettered. The periphrastic ἦν ἀλήθων ('he was grinding') depicts the ongoing degradation of the once-mighty judge reduced to slave-labor at the mill — bitter irony that he is brought down to Gaza, the very city whose gates he had carried off (v. 3).
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκράτησανseizedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κρατέωmain verb→ constative aoristκρατέω: 'seize / take hold of / overpower'; renders אָחַז / תָּפַשׂ; the Philistines now lay hold of the man they could never bind before.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
οἱtheNominativearticleοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀλλόφυλοιPhilistinesNominativesubjectἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines' (see v. 5).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξέκοψανgouged outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐκκόπτωmain verb→ constative aoristἐκκόπτω: 'cut out / cut off / gouge out'; renders נָקַר ('bore out'); the blinding is a standard ancient humiliation of captives and a grim reversal — Samson who 'saw' women (vv. 1) now cannot see at all.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticleτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὀφθαλμοὺςeyesAccusativedirect objectὀφθαλμός: 'eye'; renders עֵינַיִם; his two eyes (cf. v. 28, 'my two eyes'), for which he will exact a single vengeance.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
κατήνεγκανbrought downAor Act Indic 3 Pl · καταφέρωmain verb→ constative aoristκαταφέρω: 'bring down / carry down'; renders יָרַד (Hiphil); they take him down to Gaza on the coastal plain — the κατα- ('down') matches the descent in fortune and geography.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςto / intopreposition + accusative (destination)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΓάζανGazaAccusativeaccusative object of εἰςΓάζα: 'Gaza' (see v. 1); ironically the city whose gates he had once carried off now becomes his prison.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπέδησανboundAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐπιδέωmain verb→ constative aoristἐπιδέω: 'bind on / fetter'; the very binding (δέω-root) that the false answers had concerned now finally holds — because the LORD has departed.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrument)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
πέδαιςfetters / shacklesDativedative of instrumentπέδη: 'fetter / shackle (for the feet)'; renders נְחֻשְׁתַּיִם; the metal bonds that finally hold the strengthless Samson.
χαλκείαιςof bronzeDativeattributive adjectiveχάλκειος: 'of bronze / copper'; the bronze fetters; the same word-field as the bronze of war and prison.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦνhe wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (periphrastic with ἀλήθων)→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing state)εἰμί: 'be'; the imperfect ἦν with the participle ἀλήθων forms a periphrastic imperfect ('he was grinding'), depicting Samson's continual, degrading labor.
ἀλήθωνgrindingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · ἀλήθωparticiple (periphrastic with ἦν)→ progressive (ongoing action)ἀλήθω: 'grind (grain at a mill)'; renders טָחַן; mill-grinding was the labor of the lowest slaves and prisoners (cf. Exod 11:5; Isa 47:2); the mighty judge is reduced to a beast at the millstone.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οἴκῳhouseDativedative of placeοἶκος: 'house'; οἶκος τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου ('house of the prison') renders בֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים ('prison-house').
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δεσμωτηρίουprisonGenitivegenitive (the house of the prison)δεσμωτήριον: 'prison'; cognate with δεσμός ('bond'); the place of his captivity (recurring at v. 25).
22

καὶ ἤρξατο θρὶξ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ βλαστάνειν καθὼς ἐξυρήσατο

But the hair of his head began to grow again, after it had been shaved.

Quiet reversal: the hair regrows (hinge to the climax)καὶ ἤρξατο θρὶξ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ βλαστάνειν
A single, understated verse turns the narrative toward hope. The regrowth of the hair (the sign of the vow) implicitly signals the possibility of the strength's return — preparing for the final prayer (v. 28) and the climactic act (vv. 29–30). The verb βλαστάνω ('sprout, like a plant') quietly evokes renewal.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
καὶand / butnarrative conjunction (mildly adversative here)καί: here turning the narrative — 'but/and meanwhile' the hair began to grow.
ἤρξατοbeganAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἄρχωmain verb (ingressive, with infinitive)→ ingressive aoristἄρχομαι: 'begin'; with the infinitive βλαστάνειν ('began to grow') — the quiet onset of restoration.
θρὶξhairNominativesubjectθρίξ: 'hair'; renders שֵׂעָר; the collective singular for the hair of the head — the visible token of the Nazirite vow now returning.
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεφαλῆςheadGenitivegenitive (hair of the head)κεφαλή: 'head' (see v. 17).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
βλαστάνεινto grow / sproutPres Act Inf · βλαστάνωcomplementary infinitive (with ἤρξατο)βλαστάνω: 'sprout / bud / grow (of plants)'; renders צָמַח; the botanical verb pictures the hair regrowing like new shoots — a sign of returning consecration and strength.
καθὼςafter / just ascomparative/temporal conjunctionκαθώς: 'just as / after'; here introducing the point of reference — the regrowth comes after the shaving.
ἐξυρήσατοit had been shavedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ξυράωverb of comparative clause→ constative aorist (anterior)ξυράω: 'shave'; the middle/passive ἐξυρήσατο ('was shaved / he was shorn'); refers back to the shaving of v. 19 as the starting-point from which the hair now regrows.
23

καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων συνήχθησαν θῦσαι θυσίασμα μέγα τῷ Δαγων θεῷ αὐτῶν καὶ εὐφρανθῆναι καὶ εἶπαν ἔδωκεν ὁ θεὸς ἐν χειρὶ ἡμῶν τὸν Σαμψων τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἡμῶν

And the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to make merry, and they said, 'Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.'

The Philistine triumph-feast to Dagonκαὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων συνήχθησαν
The lords convene a thanksgiving feast crediting their god Dagon with the victory (ἔδωκεν ὁ θεός … τὸν Σαμψων). The theological irony is sharp: the Philistines praise Dagon for what was in fact the LORD's withdrawal from Samson (v. 20); their boast sets up the reversal of vv. 28–30, where the LORD reasserts his power in the very temple of Dagon.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οἱtheNominativearticleοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχοντεςlordsNominativesubjectἄρχων: the Philistine lords (see v. 5).
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀλλοφύλωνPhilistinesGenitivegenitiveἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines' (see v. 5).
συνήχθησανgatheredAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · συνάγωmain verb→ constative aoristσυνάγω: 'gather / assemble'; the passive συνήχθησαν ('were gathered / assembled'); renders אָסַף / קָבַץ; they convene for the triumph-festival.
θῦσαιto sacrificeAor Act Inf · θύωinfinitive of purpose→ telic aorist infinitiveθύω: 'sacrifice / offer'; renders זָבַח; the infinitive of purpose — they gather in order to offer sacrifice to Dagon.
θυσίασμαsacrifice / offeringAccusativecognate accusative (with θῦσαι)θυσίασμα: 'sacrifice / offering'; cognate with θύω; renders זֶבַח; the 'great sacrifice' (θυσίασμα μέγα) befitting a national thanksgiving.
μέγαgreatAccusativeattributive adjectiveμέγας: 'great'; marks the scale of the festival.
τῷto the / toDativearticle (with Δαγων)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΔαγωνDagonindirect object (indeclinable divine name, case marked by τῷ)Δαγων: transliteration of Hebrew דָּגוֹן (Dagon), the chief Philistine deity (cf. 1 Sam 5); indeclinable in the LXX, its dative shown by the article τῷ; the false god to whom the victory is wrongly credited.
θεῷgodDativedative in apposition to Δαγωνθεός: 'god'; here in apposition to Dagon and qualified by αὐτῶν ('their god') — explicitly a pagan deity, not the LORD.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτός: 'their'; marks Dagon as the Philistines' own god, contrasted with the LORD of Israel.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εὐφρανθῆναιto make merry / rejoiceAor Pass Inf · εὐφραίνωinfinitive of purpose (coordinate with θῦσαι)→ aorist passive infinitive (telic: 'in order to rejoice')εὐφραίνω: 'gladden'; passive/middle εὐφρανθῆναι ('to be merry / rejoice'); renders שָׂמַח; festive rejoicing accompanying the sacrifice.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the triumph-acclamation.
ἔδωκενhas givenAor Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιmain verb of acclamation→ constative aoristδίδωμι: 'give'; the idiom ἔδωκεν … ἐν χειρὶ ἡμῶν ('gave into our hand') renders נָתַן בְּיָדֵנוּ, the standard formula of divinely-granted victory — here blasphemously ascribed to Dagon.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςgodNominativesubjectθεός: 'god'; here = Dagon ('our god'); the Philistines credit their idol with the victory the LORD alone enabled.
ἐνinto / inpreposition + dative (Hebraism: 'into our hand')ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
χειρὶhandDativedative of place (idiom 'into our hand')χείρ: 'hand'; ἐν χειρὶ ἡμῶν ('into our hand') = into our power (בְּיָדֵנוּ).
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possessionἡμῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
τὸνthe / (acc. marker)Accusativearticle (marking Σαμψων as accusative)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΣαμψωνSamsondirect object (indeclinable, case marked by τόν)Σαμψων: indeclinable; accusative shown by the article.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ἐχθρόν)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐχθρὸνenemyAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Σαμψωνἐχθρός: 'enemy / foe'; renders אוֹיֵב; Samson is named 'our enemy' — the scourge of the Philistines now apparently subdued.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possessionἡμῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
24

καὶ εἶδαν αὐτὸν ὁ λαὸς καὶ ὕμνησαν τὸν θεὸν αὐτῶν ὅτι παρέδωκεν ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἡμῶν ἐν χειρὶ ἡμῶν τὸν ἐρημοῦντα τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν καὶ ὃς ἐπλήθυνεν τοὺς τραυματίας ἡμῶν

And the people saw him and praised their god, for they said, 'Our god has delivered into our hand our enemy, the one who laid waste our land and who multiplied our slain.'

The people's hymn (amplifying the lords' boast)καὶ εἶδαν αὐτὸν ὁ λαὸς
The crowd echoes and expands the lords' acclamation (v. 23), adding two relative descriptions of Samson — τὸν ἐρημοῦντα τὴν γῆν ('the destroyer of our land') and ὃς ἐπλήθυνεν τοὺς τραυματίας ('who multiplied our slain'). The constructio ad sensum (singular λαός with plural verbs εἶδαν/ὕμνησαν) reflects the crowd as a collective. Their hymn to Dagon is the high point of pagan presumption, immediately before the reversal.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶδανsawAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ὁράωmain verb (plural by sense, with collective λαός)→ constative aoristὁράω: 'see'; the Koine alpha-aorist εἶδαν; the plural verb with the collective singular λαός is a constructio ad sensum.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτός: 'him' — the blind, shackled Samson on display.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject (collective singular)λαός: 'people'; here the Philistine crowd; the collective takes plural verbs by sense.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ὕμνησανpraised / sangAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ὑμνέωmain verb→ constative aoristὑμνέω: 'sing praise / hymn'; renders הָלַל / זָמַר; the crowd sings Dagon's praises — a pagan parody of the proper praise due to the LORD.
τὸνtheAccusativearticleτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸνgodAccusativedirect objectθεός: 'god'; Dagon ('their god'), the object of misdirected worship.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (introducing the hymn's content)ὅτι: 'for / because'; introduces the grounds of their praise (effectively the words of the hymn).
παρέδωκενhas delivered / handed overAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παραδίδωμιmain verb of causal clause→ constative aoristπαραδίδωμι: 'hand over / deliver up'; intensifies ἔδωκεν of v. 23; the compound stresses the surrender of the enemy into their power.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςgodNominativesubjectθεός: 'god' (= Dagon); again wrongly credited.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possessionἡμῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticleτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐχθρὸνenemyAccusativedirect object of παρέδωκενἐχθρός: 'enemy' (see v. 23).
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possessionἡμῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἐνinto / inpreposition + dative (idiom 'into our hand')ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
χειρὶhandDativedative of place (idiom)χείρ: 'hand'; ἐν χειρὶ ἡμῶν ('into our power'), as in v. 23.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possessionἡμῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
τὸνthe (one)Accusativearticle (substantizing the participle)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐρημοῦνταlaying wastePres Act Part Acc Sg Masc · ἐρημόωsubstantized participle (in apposition to ἐχθρόν)→ characterizing present (habitual action)ἐρημόω: 'lay waste / desolate / devastate'; the substantized participle τὸν ἐρημοῦντα ('the one who lays waste') characterizes Samson by his devastation of Philistine territory (cf. chs. 14–15).
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of the participleγῆ: 'land / country'; their Philistine land that Samson had ravaged.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possessionἡμῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (joining a relative clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ὃςwhoNominativerelative pronoun (subject of ἐπλήθυνεν)ὅς: relative pronoun; introduces the second characterization of Samson.
ἐπλήθυνενmultipliedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πληθύνωverb of relative clause→ constative aoristπληθύνω: 'increase / multiply / make many'; renders רָבָה (Hiphil); Samson 'multiplied our slain' — recalling his great slaughters (15:8, 15).
τοὺςtheAccusativearticleτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τραυματίαςslain / woundedAccusativedirect objectτραυματίας: 'wounded / slain man'; renders חָלָל ('pierced / slain'); the Philistine casualties Samson had inflicted.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possessionἡμῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
25

καὶ ὅτε ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπαν καλέσατε τὸν Σαμψων ἐξ οἴκου φυλακῆς καὶ παιξάτω ἐνώπιον ἡμῶν καὶ ἐκάλεσαν τὸν Σαμψων ἀπὸ οἴκου δεσμωτηρίου καὶ ἔπαιζεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν καὶ ἐρράπιζον αὐτὸν καὶ ἔστησαν αὐτὸν ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν κιόνων

And when their heart was merry, they said, 'Call Samson out of the prison-house, that he may make sport before us.' And they called Samson from the prison-house, and he made sport before them; and they struck him and set him between the pillars.

Samson brought out for sport (setting the stage)καὶ ὅτε ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν
The merriment (ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία, 'the heart was made glad', a Hebraism: וַיִּיטַב לִבָּם) reaches its height and the crowd calls for entertainment. Samson is 'made to sport' (παιξάτω … ἔπαιζεν), struck (ἐρράπιζον), and — crucially — positioned ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν κιόνων ('between the pillars'), the very stance that will enable the collapse. The placement is the unwitting setup for the reversal.
Word-by-word analysis· 39 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ὅτεwhentemporal conjunctionὅτε: 'when'; introduces the temporal setting of the height of revelry.
ἠγαθύνθηwas made merry / was gladAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀγαθύνωverb of temporal clause→ ingressive aorist passiveἀγαθύνω: 'make good / gladden'; the passive ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία ('the heart was made merry') is a Hebraism rendering יָטַב לֵב ('the heart was good/merry'), often with drink (cf. 19:6, 9).
theNominativearticleἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίαheartNominativesubjectκαρδία: 'heart'; here the seat of mood/cheer — the crowd's festive high spirits.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτῶν: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶand (then)apodotic conjunction (after temporal clause)καί: apodotic 'then' after the ὅτε-clause (Hebraism).
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the demand for entertainment.
καλέσατεcallAor Act Impv 2 Pl · καλέωimperative→ ingressive aorist imperativeκαλέω: 'call / summon'; the order to fetch Samson for sport.
τὸνthe / (acc. marker)Accusativearticle (marking Σαμψων as accusative)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΣαμψωνSamsondirect object (indeclinable, case marked by τόν)Σαμψων: indeclinable; accusative shown by the article.
ἐξout ofpreposition + genitive (source)ἐξ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive of sourceοἶκος: 'house'; οἶκος φυλακῆς ('house of guard / prison').
φυλακῆςprison / custodyGenitivegenitive (house of custody)φυλακή: 'guard / custody / prison'; renders the place of confinement; here equivalent to the δεσμωτήριον of v. 21.
καὶand / thatconjunction introducing purpose (hortatory)καί: introducing the purpose 'that he may make sport' with the third-person imperative.
παιξάτωlet him make sportAor Act Impv 3 Sg · παίζωthird-person imperative (purpose)→ ingressive aorist imperativeπαίζω: 'play / make sport / amuse'; renders שָׂחַק / צָחַק; the blind Samson is to be made a figure of mockery and entertainment.
ἐνώπιονbeforeimproper preposition + genitiveἐνώπιον: 'before / in the presence of'; renders לִפְנֵי; the sport is staged before the assembled crowd.
ἡμῶνusGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιονἡμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκάλεσανthey calledAor Act Indic 3 Pl · καλέωmain verb→ constative aoristκαλέω: 'call / summon'; the command is carried out.
τὸνthe / (acc. marker)Accusativearticle (marking Σαμψων as accusative)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΣαμψωνSamsondirect object (indeclinable, case marked by τόν)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive of sourceοἶκος: 'house' (see v. 21).
δεσμωτηρίουprisonGenitivegenitive (house of the prison)δεσμωτήριον: 'prison' (see v. 21).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔπαιζενhe made sportImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · παίζωmain verb (descriptive imperfect)→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing performance)παίζω: 'make sport'; the imperfect ἔπαιζεν depicts the continuing spectacle of Samson's humiliation before the crowd.
ἐνώπιονbeforeimproper preposition + genitiveἐνώπιον: 'before' (see above).
αὐτῶνthemGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιοναὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐρράπιζονthey were striking / slappingImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · ῥαπίζωmain verb (iterative imperfect)→ iterative imperfect (repeated blows)ῥαπίζω: 'strike / slap (with the hand or rod)'; the iterative imperfect pictures repeated blows; the crowd abuses the helpless captive.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔστησανthey set / stationedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἵστημιmain verb→ constative aoristἵστημι: 'set / place / station'; the transitive aorist ἔστησαν ('they set'); they position Samson between the pillars — the fateful placement.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἀνὰbetween (in the midst)preposition (with μέσον: 'in the midst of')ἀνά: in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσον ('in the midst of / between'), rendering בְּתוֹךְ / בֵּין.
μέσονmidstAccusativeaccusative in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσονμέσος: 'middle / midst'; ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν κιόνων ('between the pillars').
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κιόνωνpillars / columnsGenitivegenitive (between the pillars)κίων: 'pillar / column'; renders עַמּוּד; the load-bearing columns of the temple of Dagon, which Samson will pull down (vv. 29–30).
26

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμψων πρὸς τὸν νεανίαν τὸν κρατοῦντα τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἄφες με καὶ ψηλαφήσω τοὺς κίονας ἐφ᾿ οἷς ὁ οἶκος στήκει ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς καὶ ἐπιστηριχθήσομαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς

And Samson said to the young man who held his hand, 'Let me alone, that I may feel the pillars on which the house stands, and let me lean upon them.'

Samson's request: positioning himself at the pillarsκαὶ εἶπεν Σαμψων πρὸς τὸν νεανίαν
The blind Samson, led by a boy, asks to be allowed to feel the load-bearing pillars 'on which the house stands' — ostensibly to rest against them. The redundant resumptive ἐφ᾿ οἷς … ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς ('on which … on them') is a Hebraism. His quiet request masks his deadly intent and prepares the final act.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Samson's request to the boy.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusativeπρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticleτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νεανίανyoung man / ladAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςνεανίας: 'young man / lad'; renders נַעַר; the boy who leads the blind Samson by the hand.
τὸνthe (one)Accusativearticle (substantizing the participle)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κρατοῦνταholdingPres Act Part Acc Sg Masc · κρατέωattributive participle (modifying νεανίαν)→ progressive present (ongoing)κρατέω: 'hold / grasp'; the participle τὸν κρατοῦντα τὴν χεῖρα ('the one holding his hand') describes the boy as Samson's guide.
τὴνtheAccusativearticleτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χεῖραhandAccusativedirect object of the participleχείρ: 'hand'; the hand by which Samson is led.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἄφεςlet alone / leaveAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀφίημιimperative (request)→ ingressive aorist imperativeἀφίημι: 'let go / leave / permit'; ἄφες με ('leave me / let me be') asks the boy to release his hand so he can touch the pillars.
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶand / thatconjunction introducing purpose (hortatory subjunctive)καί: introducing purpose with the subjunctive ('that I may feel').
ψηλαφήσωlet me feel / touchAor Act Subj 1 Sg · ψηλαφάωhortatory/purpose subjunctive→ aorist subjunctive (purpose)ψηλαφάω: 'feel / grope / touch'; renders מָשַׁשׁ / מוּשׁ; the verb of blind groping — the sightless Samson reaches for the columns.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticleτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κίοναςpillarsAccusativedirect objectκίων: 'pillar' (see v. 25); the supports he means to grasp and topple.
ἐφ᾿on / uponpreposition + dative (relative: 'on which')ἐφ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οἷςwhichDativerelative pronoun (antecedent κίονας)ὅς: relative pronoun; with the resumptive ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς ('on which … on them') forms a Hebraizing relative clause.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκοςhouseNominativesubject of στήκειοἶκος: 'house'; here the temple of Dagon, resting on the central pillars.
στήκειstandsPres Act Indic 3 Sg · στήκωverb of relative clause→ stative presentστήκω: 'stand (firm)'; a later present formed from the perfect ἕστηκα; 'the house stands upon them' — the pillars bear the whole structure.
ἐπ᾿on / uponpreposition + accusative (resumptive)ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς: resumptive 'on them', resolving the relative οἷς (Semitic redundancy).
αὐτούςthemAccusativeresumptive pronoun (the pillars)αὐτός: 'them' (the pillars).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (continuing the request)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπιστηριχθήσομαιI will lean / support myselfFut Pass Indic 1 Sg · ἐπιστηρίζωmain verb (Samson's stated intent)→ predictive future (ostensible purpose)ἐπιστηρίζω: 'prop up / support / lean upon'; the future ('I will lean on them') gives the innocent pretext — to rest — masking his true purpose of pulling them down (cf. v. 29, ἐπεστηρίχθη).
ἐπ᾿on / uponpreposition + accusativeἐπ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτούςthemAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the pillars)αὐτός: 'them' (the pillars).
27

καὶ ὁ οἶκος πλήρης τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ ἐκεῖ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα ὡς ἑπτακόσιοι ἄνδρες καὶ γυναῖκες οἱ θεωροῦντες ἐν παιγνίαις Σαμψων

Now the house was full of men and women, and there were all the lords of the Philistines, and on the roof about seven hundred men and women watching Samson's sport.

Scene-setting parenthesis (the crowded temple)καὶ ὁ οἶκος πλήρης τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν
A verbless, descriptive parenthesis tallies the throng: the house packed with men and women, all the lords present, and some seven hundred on the roof. The enumeration maximizes the body-count of the coming collapse and underscores the scale of the disaster Samson is about to bring on the assembled Philistine leadership and populace.
Word-by-word analysis· 30 words
καὶand / nownarrative conjunction (introducing descriptive parenthesis)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκοςhouseNominativesubject of verbless clauseοἶκος: 'house'; the temple of Dagon, packed with worshippers.
πλήρηςfullNominativepredicate adjective (governing genitive)πλήρης: 'full / filled'; with the genitive of content (τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν), 'full of men and women'.
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνδρῶνmenGenitivegenitive of content (with πλήρης)ἀνήρ: 'man'; the male crowd filling the temple.
καὶandcoordinating conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυναικῶνwomenGenitivegenitive of content (with πλήρης)γυνή: 'woman'; the women equally present at the festival.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of placeἐκεῖ: 'there'; locates the lords within the temple ('there were all the lords').
πάντεςallNominativeattributive adjective (modifying ἄρχοντες)πᾶς: 'all'; the entire Philistine leadership is present — sealing their fate.
οἱtheNominativearticleοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχοντεςlordsNominativesubject (of implied 'were there')ἄρχων: the Philistine lords (see v. 5); all five are gathered in one place.
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀλλοφύλωνPhilistinesGenitivegenitiveἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines' (see v. 5).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπὶon / uponpreposition + accusative (position)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸtheAccusativearticleτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δῶμαroof / housetopAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίδῶμα: 'roof / housetop'; renders גָּג; the flat roof of the temple, crowded with spectators looking down on the courtyard.
ὡςabout / approximatelyadverb of approximation (with numeral)ὡς: 'about / approximately'; with numerals, 'some, about'.
ἑπτακόσιοιseven hundredNominativenumeral (modifying ἄνδρες)ἑπτακόσιοι: 'seven hundred'; the roof-crowd alone numbers some seven hundred — magnifying the toll of the collapse (some textual traditions read 'three thousand').
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject (of implied 'were')ἀνήρ: 'man'; the men on the roof.
καὶandcoordinating conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
γυναῖκεςwomenNominativesubject (coordinate with ἄνδρες)γυνή: 'woman'; women also among the rooftop spectators.
οἱthe (ones)Nominativearticle (substantizing the participle)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεωροῦντεςwatching / looking onPres Act Part Nom Pl Masc · θεωρέωsubstantized participle (those watching)→ progressive present (ongoing watching)θεωρέω: 'look at / behold / watch (as spectators)'; οἱ θεωροῦντες ('the spectators') describes the crowd watching Samson's sport from the roof.
ἐνat / inpreposition + dative (object of watching)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
παιγνίαιςsport / gamesDativedative (the sport they watch)παιγνία: 'play / sport / mockery'; cognate with παίζω (v. 25); the entertainment made of the captive Samson.
ΣαμψωνSamsongenitive of relation (indeclinable: 'Samson's sport')Σαμψων: indeclinable; 'the sport of Samson' — he is the spectacle.
28

καὶ ἔκλαυσεν Σαμψων πρὸς κύριον καὶ εἶπεν Αδωναιε κύριε μνήσθητι δή μου νῦν καὶ ἐνίσχυσόν με ἔτι τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο θεέ καὶ ἀνταποδώσω ἀνταπόδοσιν μίαν περὶ τῶν δύο ὀφθαλμῶν μου τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις

And Samson cried out to the LORD and said, 'O Adonai, LORD, remember me now, and strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may pay back to the Philistines a single recompense for my two eyes.'

Samson's final prayer (turning to the LORD)καὶ ἔκλαυσεν Σαμψων πρὸς κύριον
Samson's only recorded prayer in the chapter turns from Dagon's feast to the LORD (πρὸς κύριον — the Tetragrammaton, distinct from the human ἄρχοντες). The triple address Αδωναιε κύριε … θεέ heaps up divine names; the petitions μνήσθητι … ἐνίσχυσόν με ('remember … strengthen me') and ἔτι τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο ('only this once', echoing Delilah's summons in v. 18) seek a final restoration of power for one act of vengeance.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔκλαυσενcried out / weptAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κλαίωmain verb→ constative aoristκλαίω: 'weep / cry aloud'; renders the impassioned cry to God (cf. קָרָא); Samson's anguished appeal to the LORD.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of prayer)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
κύριονLORDAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; Samson prays to the LORD (not to the human 'lords', οἱ ἄρχοντες), turning the moment from Dagon's triumph to YHWH's.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the prayer.
ΑδωναιεAdonai / O Lordvocative address (indeclinable transliteration)Αδωναιε: a transliteration of Hebrew אֲדֹנָי ('Adonai, my Lord'), retained untranslated as a solemn divine address; indeclinable; heads the triple invocation Αδωναιε κύριε … θεέ.
κύριεO LORDVocativevocative of addressκύριος (voc. κύριε): rendering of the Tetragrammaton; the vocative 'O LORD' in direct address to YHWH.
μνήσθητιrememberAor Pass Impv 2 Sg · μιμνῄσκωimperative (petition)→ ingressive aorist imperative (urgent petition)μιμνῄσκομαι: 'remember / call to mind / act on behalf of'; the aorist passive imperative μνήσθητι ('remember me') is the classic language of covenant petition (cf. Ps 105:4; Luke 23:42) — a plea for God to act on his behalf.
δήnow / I prayentreating particleδή: 'pray / now'; intensifies the petition (נָא).
μουmeGenitivegenitive object of μνήσθητιἐγώ: genitive object of the verb of remembering ('remember me').
νῦνnowtemporal adverbνῦν: 'now'; the urgency of the present crisis.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνίσχυσόνstrengthenAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐνισχύωimperative (petition)→ ingressive aorist imperativeἐνισχύω: 'strengthen / give strength to'; cognate with ἰσχύς, the chapter's keyword; Samson asks the LORD to restore the strength that departed with him (v. 20).
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἔτιyet / once moreadverb (temporal)ἔτι: 'still / yet / once more'; with τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο, 'only this once' (echoing v. 18).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (substantizing ἅπαξ)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἅπαξonceadverb (substantized: 'this once')ἅπαξ: 'once' (see v. 18); τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο ('this once') — Samson asks for a single, final surge of strength.
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative (with substantized ἅπαξ)οὗτος: 'this'; 'this one time'.
θεέO GodVocativevocative of addressθεός (voc. θεέ): 'O God'; the third member of the triple invocation, addressed to the LORD (not to Dagon) — emphatically the true God.
καὶand / thatconjunction introducing purpose/resultκαί: introducing the purpose of the requested strength ('that I may repay').
ἀνταποδώσωI may pay back / repayFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀνταποδίδωμιmain verb (purpose/result)→ predictive/volitive futureἀνταποδίδωμι: 'repay / requite / render back'; the double compound (ἀντι- + ἀπο-) stresses exact retribution; with the cognate accusative ἀνταπόδοσιν, an emphatic Hebraism — 'repay a recompense'.
ἀνταπόδοσινrecompense / requitalAccusativecognate accusative (with ἀνταποδώσω)ἀνταπόδοσις: 'recompense / requital'; cognate accusative intensifying the verb; the 'single recompense' for his two eyes — measured, deliberate vengeance.
μίανone / singleAccusativeattributive adjective (numeral, modifying ἀνταπόδοσιν)εἷς, μία, ἕν: 'one'; 'a single recompense' — one decisive act of vengeance to answer for both eyes.
περὶfor / concerningpreposition + genitive (cause/concern)περί + genitive: 'for / on account of'; the vengeance is 'for my two eyes'.
τῶνtheGenitivearticleτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δύοtwoGenitivenumeral (modifying ὀφθαλμῶν)δύο: 'two'; the two eyes gouged out at v. 21; a single recompense for the loss of both.
ὀφθαλμῶνeyesGenitivegenitive object of περίὀφθαλμός: 'eye' (see v. 21); the blinding is the wrong Samson seeks to avenge.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possessionμου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
τοῖςtheDativearticleτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀλλοφύλοιςPhilistinesDativedative indirect object (recipients of the recompense)ἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines'; the recipients of the repayment — those who blinded and mocked him.
29

καὶ περιέλαβεν Σαμψων τοὺς δύο κίονας τοῦ οἴκου ἐφ᾿ οὓς ὁ οἶκος εἱστήκει καὶ ἐπεστηρίχθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκράτησεν ἕνα τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕνα τῇ ἀριστερᾷ αὐτοῦ

And Samson took hold of the two pillars of the house on which the house stood, and braced himself against them, grasping the one with his right hand and the one with his left.

The decisive grip on the pillarsκαὶ περιέλαβεν Σαμψων τοὺς δύο κίονας
Samson embraces the two load-bearing pillars (περιέλαβεν, 'enfolded'), braces against them (ἐπεστηρίχθη, the fulfillment of his stated intent in v. 26), and grips one in each hand. The symmetrical 'one with his right … one with his left' visualizes the moment of maximal leverage just before the collapse.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
περιέλαβενtook hold of / embracedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · περιλαμβάνωmain verb→ constative aoristπεριλαμβάνω: 'embrace / clasp around / take hold of'; the περι- ('around') pictures Samson enfolding the two pillars in his arms to wrench them.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticleτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δύοtwoAccusativenumeral (modifying κίονας)δύο: 'two'; the two central pillars supporting the temple.
κίοναςpillarsAccusativedirect objectκίων: 'pillar' (see v. 25); the supports he now grasps.
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive (pillars of the house)οἶκος: 'house'; the temple of Dagon.
ἐφ᾿on / uponpreposition + accusative (relative: 'on which')ἐφ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οὓςwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (antecedent κίονας)ὅς: relative pronoun; 'on which the house stood'.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκοςhouseNominativesubject of εἱστήκειοἶκος: 'house'; the temple resting on the two pillars.
εἱστήκειstood / was standingPlpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ἵστημιverb of relative clause→ pluperfect with imperfect sense (settled standing)ἵστημι: 'stand'; the pluperfect εἱστήκει ('stood / was standing', with stative sense) describes the temple's resting on the pillars — the structural fact Samson exploits.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπεστηρίχθηhe braced himselfAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιστηρίζωmain verb→ constative aoristἐπιστηρίζω: 'prop / brace / lean on'; the fulfillment of Samson's stated intent (v. 26, ἐπιστηριχθήσομαι); he sets himself firmly against the pillars to apply his full force.
ἐπ᾿against / onpreposition + accusativeἐπ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the pillars)αὐτός: 'them' (the pillars).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκράτησενgraspedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κρατέωmain verb→ constative aoristκρατέω: 'grasp / take firm hold of' (cf. v. 21); Samson grips one pillar in each hand.
ἕναoneAccusativedirect object (numeral as substantive)εἷς: 'one'; 'the one (pillar)' grasped by the right hand.
τῇthe / with theDativearticle (dative of instrument)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δεξιᾷright (hand)Dativedative of instrument (substantized adjective: 'right hand')δεξιός: 'right'; the substantized ἡ δεξιά ('the right hand'); renders יָמִין.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandcoordinating conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἕναoneAccusativedirect object (numeral as substantive)εἷς: 'one'; 'the other (pillar)' grasped by the left hand.
τῇthe / with theDativearticle (dative of instrument)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀριστερᾷleft (hand)Dativedative of instrument (substantized adjective: 'left hand')ἀριστερός: 'left'; the substantized ἡ ἀριστερά ('the left hand'); renders שְׂמֹאל; the symmetry of right and left frames the climactic exertion.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
30

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμψων ἀποθανέτω ψυχή μου μετὰ ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἐβάσταξεν ἐν ἰσχύι καὶ ἔπεσεν ὁ οἶκος ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἦσαν οἱ τεθνηκότες οὓς ἐθανάτωσεν Σαμψων ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ αὐτοῦ πλείους ἢ οὓς ἐθανάτωσεν ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ

And Samson said, 'Let my soul die with the Philistines!' And he heaved with his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it; and the dead whom Samson killed in his death were more than those he killed in his life.

Climax: the temple falls; victory-in-deathκαὶ εἶπεν Σαμψων ἀποθανέτω ψυχή μου
The climactic cry ἀποθανέτω ψυχή μου μετὰ ἀλλοφύλων ('let my soul die with the Philistines') accepts his own death as the price of vengeance. The restored ἰσχύς ('strength', the chapter's keyword, now answered) brings the house down on lords and people alike. The closing comparison — more dead in his death than in his life — is the narrator's verdict on Samson's paradoxical triumph.
Word-by-word analysis· 46 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Samson's final words.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἀποθανέτωlet it dieAor Act Impv 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωthird-person imperative (resolve)→ imperatival (willed acceptance of death)ἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; the third-person imperative ἀποθανέτω ('let [my soul] die') expresses Samson's deliberate self-sacrifice — he embraces death to destroy his enemies.
ψυχήsoul / lifeNominativesubject of ἀποθανέτωψυχή: 'soul / life / self'; renders נֶפֶשׁ; here 'my soul' = 'I myself / my life'; ψυχή μου = 'let me die'.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possessionμου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)μετὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἀλλοφύλωνPhilistinesGenitivegenitive object of μετάἀλλόφυλος: 'Philistines'; 'with the Philistines' — Samson's death is bound up with theirs.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐβάσταξενhe heaved / bore downAor Act Indic 3 Sg · βαστάζωmain verb→ constative aoristβαστάζω: 'lift / bear / heave'; here of exerting force — Samson 'heaved' against the pillars with all his might (cf. ἀνεβάστασεν of the gates, v. 3).
ἐνwith / inpreposition + dative (manner/means)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἰσχύιstrengthDativedative of manner/meansἰσχύς: 'strength'; the chapter's keyword, now restored in answer to his prayer (v. 28, ἐνίσχυσόν με); 'with strength' marks the full return of his power.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔπεσενfellAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πίπτωmain verb→ constative aoristπίπτω: 'fall'; renders נָפַל; the temple collapses upon the assembled Philistines.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκοςhouseNominativesubject of ἔπεσενοἶκος: 'house'; the temple of Dagon falls.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (direction)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticleτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχονταςlordsAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίἄρχων: the Philistine lords (see v. 5); all gathered there (v. 27), now crushed together.
καὶandcoordinating conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (direction)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
πάνταallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying λαόν)πᾶς: 'all'; the totality of the crowd within.
τὸνtheAccusativearticleτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸνpeopleAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπίλαός: 'people'; here the Philistine throng filling the temple.
τὸνthe (one)Accusativearticle (with the prepositional attribute)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτῷitDativedative of place (within the house)αὐτός: 'it' (the house); 'all the people who were in it'.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦσανwereImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίmain verb (with predicate πλείους)→ descriptive imperfectεἰμί: 'be'; ἦσαν … πλείους ('were more') introduces the narrator's tally of the dead.
οἱtheNominativearticle (substantizing the participle)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τεθνηκότεςdead / those who had diedPerf Act Part Nom Pl Masc · θνῄσκωsubstantized perfect participle (subject of ἦσαν)→ resultative perfect (state of being dead)θνῄσκω: 'die'; the perfect participle οἱ τεθνηκότες ('the dead / those who had died') denotes the resultant state — those now lying dead in the ruins.
οὓςwhomAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐθανάτωσεν)ὅς: relative pronoun; 'whom Samson killed'.
ἐθανάτωσενkilled / put to deathAor Act Indic 3 Sg · θανατόωverb of relative clause→ constative aoristθανατόω: 'put to death / kill'; renders הֵמִית; the causative verb of slaying — Samson's death-dealing in his final act.
ΣαμψωνSamsonsubject of ἐθανάτωσεν (indeclinable)Σαμψων: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (temporal/circumstantial)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticleτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θανάτῳdeathDativedative of time/circumstanceθάνατος: 'death'; ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ αὐτοῦ ('in his death') — the slaughter accomplished at the moment of his own dying, set against ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ ('in his life').
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
πλείουςmoreNominativepredicate adjective (comparative, with ἦσαν)πλείων: 'more / greater in number'; comparative of πολύς; 'the dead … were more than' — the climactic comparison summing up Samson's paradoxical victory.
thancomparative particleἤ: 'than'; introduces the second member of the comparison.
οὓςwhom / thoseAccusativerelative pronoun (object of the second ἐθανάτωσεν)ὅς: relative pronoun; 'those he killed in his life'.
ἐθανάτωσενhe killedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · θανατόωverb of comparative relative clause→ constative aoristθανατόω: 'kill'; the repeated verb balances death-in-death against death-in-life.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (temporal/circumstantial)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῇtheDativearticleτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ζωῇlifeDativedative of time/circumstanceζωή: 'life'; renders חַיִּים; ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ ('in his life') — the totality of his prior exploits, surpassed by this final act.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
31

καὶ κατέβησαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλαβον αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνέβησαν καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν ἀνὰ μέσον Σαραα καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Εσθαολ ἐν τῷ τάφῳ Μανωε τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔκρινεν τὸν Ισραηλ εἴκοσι ἔτη

And his brothers and all his father's house came down and took him, and they went up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. And he had judged Israel twenty years.

Burial and closing summary (frame-closure)καὶ κατέβησαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ
The chapter — and the Samson cycle — closes with burial and the judge-formula. His family recovers the body and buries him in his father Manoah's tomb between Zorah and Eshtaol (the region of his birth and first stirring by the Spirit, 13:25). The summary αὐτὸς ἔκρινεν τὸν Ισραηλ εἴκοσι ἔτη ('he judged Israel twenty years', cf. 15:20) frames the whole account within the book's judge-cycle pattern.
Word-by-word analysis· 40 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
κατέβησανcame downAor Act Indic 3 Pl · καταβαίνωmain verb→ constative aoristκαταβαίνω: 'go down / come down'; the family descends to Gaza to recover Samson's body.
οἱtheNominativearticleοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀδελφοὶbrothersNominativesubjectἀδελφός: 'brother'; renders אָח; here Samson's kinsmen (he has no named brothers; the term covers the wider clan).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandcoordinating conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
theNominativearticleὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκοςhouse / householdNominativesubject (coordinate with ἀδελφοί)οἶκος: 'house / household / family'; ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ('his father's house') = the whole paternal clan.
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρὸςfatherGenitivegenitive (house of the father)πατήρ: 'father'; renders אָב; the household of Manoah.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔλαβονtookAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λαμβάνωmain verb→ constative aoristλαμβάνω: 'take'; they take up the body from the ruins.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνέβησανwent upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναβαίνωmain verb→ constative aoristἀναβαίνω: 'go up'; they carry the body back up to the hill country for burial.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔθαψανburiedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · θάπτωmain verb→ constative aoristθάπτω: 'bury'; renders קָבַר; the proper burial in the ancestral tomb.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect objectαὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἀνὰbetweenpreposition (with μέσον: 'between')ἀνά: in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσον ('between'), here repeated for two place-names (between Zorah and Eshtaol).
μέσονmidstAccusativeaccusative in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσονμέσος: 'middle / midst'; ἀνὰ μέσον … καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον = 'between … and'.
ΣαρααZorahplace name (indeclinable transliteration)Σαραα: transliteration of Hebrew צָרְעָה (Zorah); indeclinable; Samson's hometown (13:2), in the territory of Dan.
καὶandcoordinating conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνὰbetweenpreposition (with μέσον)ἀνὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μέσονmidstAccusativeaccusative in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσονμέσος: 'midst' (second member of 'between … and').
ΕσθαολEshtaolplace name (indeclinable transliteration)Εσθαολ: transliteration of Hebrew אֶשְׁתָּאוֹל (Eshtaol); indeclinable; the place where the Spirit first stirred Samson (13:25); his life thus ends where it began.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticleτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τάφῳtomb / graveDativedative of placeτάφος: 'tomb / grave / burial-place'; renders קֶבֶר; the ancestral tomb of Manoah.
ΜανωεManoahgenitive of relation (indeclinable name: 'tomb of Manoah')Μανωε: transliteration of Hebrew מָנוֹחַ (Manoah); indeclinable; Samson's father (ch. 13), in whose tomb he is laid.
τοῦtheGenitivearticleτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρὸςfatherGenitivegenitive in apposition to Μανωεπατήρ: 'father'; 'Manoah his father' (apposition).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the closing summary)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
αὐτὸςhe (himself)Nominativeemphatic subject pronounαὐτός: emphatic 'he himself'; foregrounds Samson in the closing judge-formula.
ἔκρινενjudgedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κρίνωmain verb (closing summary)→ constative aorist (summary of his tenure)κρίνω: 'judge / govern / rule'; renders שָׁפַט; the verb of the book's recurring judge-formula; Samson 'judged Israel' as one of the deliverer-judges (cf. 15:20).
τὸνthe / (acc. marker)Accusativearticle (marking Ισραηλ as accusative)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλIsraeldirect object (indeclinable, case marked by τόν)Ισραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (Israel); indeclinable; the people Samson judged/delivered.
εἴκοσιtwentyindeclinable numeral (with ἔτη)εἴκοσι: 'twenty'; indeclinable; the length of Samson's judgeship (cf. 15:20).
ἔτηyearsAccusativeaccusative of extent of timeἔτος: 'year'; εἴκοσι ἔτη ('twenty years') — the accusative of duration closing the Samson narrative.