King James Version

Judges 16:25

And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

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Hebrew

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וַֽיְהִי֙vayhiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.כיkhyassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…טובtvvgoodטוֹבverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “good”, a completed actionH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…כְּט֣וֹבketovas goodטוֹבpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “as good”, the to-form of the verbH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…לִבָּ֔םlibamcomfortablyלֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “comfortably”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּvayomrvand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…קִרְא֥וּqirvcallקָרָאverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “call”, a commandH7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.לְשִׁמְשׁ֖וֹןleshimshonto Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Samson”H8123Shimshon, an IsraeliteSamson.וִישַֽׂחֶקvisacheqand laughשָׂחַקconjunction, verb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and laugh”, an unfinished actionH7832to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to playderide, have in derision, laugh, make merry, mock(-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in (make) sport.לָ֑נוּlanvtoלָ֑נוּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “to”toוַיִּקְרְא֨וּvayiqrevand callקָרָאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and call”, the next action in the storyH7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.לְשִׁמְשׁ֜וֹןleshimshonto Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Samson”H8123Shimshon, an IsraeliteSamson.מִבֵּ֣יתmibeytfrom familyבַּיִתpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “from family”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…האסיריםhsyrymthe boundאָסִירdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the bound”, the ordinary formH615bound, i.e. a captive(those which are) bound, prisoner.הָאֲסוּרִ֗יםhaasurimthe bindאָסַרdefinite article, verb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “the bind”, a verb used as a describing wordH631to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in any sense, to join battlebind, fast, gird, harness, hold, keep, make ready, order, prepare, prison(-er), put in bonds, set in array, tie.וַיְצַחֵק֙vaytsacheqand laughצָחַקconjunction, verb, piel, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and laugh”, the next action in the storyH6711to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sportlaugh, mock, play, make sport.לִפְנֵיהֶ֔םlifneyhemto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…וַיַּעֲמִ֥ידוּvayaamidvand standעָמַדconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and stand”, the next action in the storyH5975to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, [phrase] serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, m…אוֹת֖וֹotvoobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).בֵּ֥יןbeynbetweenבֵּיןpreposition — “between”H996between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...oramong, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.הָעַמּוּדִֽיםhaamudimthe pillarעַמּוּדdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the pillar”, the ordinary formH5982a column (as standing); also a stand, i.e. platform[idiom] apiece, pillar.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said: 'Call for Samson, that he may make us sport.' And they called for Samson out of the prison-house; and he made sport before them; and they set him between the pillars.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison-house; and he made sport before them. And they set him between the pillars:

Young’s Literal Translation

And it cometh to pass, when their heart [is] glad, that they say, 'Call for Samson, and he doth play before us;' and they call for Samson out of the prison-house, and he playeth before them, and they cause him to stand between the pillars.

World English Bible

When their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.” They called for Samson out of the prison; and he performed before them. They set him between the pillars;

Darby Translation

And it came to pass when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison-house, and he played before them; and they set him between the pillars.

Douay-Rheims

And rejoicing in their feasts, when they had now taken their good cheer, they commanded that Samson should be called, and should play before them. And being brought out of prison he played before them, and they made him stand between two pillars.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And when their heart was merry, then they said, Call Sampson out of the prison-house, and let him play before us: and they called Sampson out of the prison-house, and he played before them; and they smote him with the palms of their hands, and set him between the pillars.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ὅτε ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶπαν, καλέσατε τὸν Σαμψὼν ἐξ οἴκου φυλακῆς, καὶ παιξάτω ἐνώπιον ἡμῶν· καὶ ἐκάλεσαν τὸν Σαμψὼν ἐξ οἴκου δεσμωτηρίου, καὶ ἔπαιζεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐῤῥάπιζον αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔστησαν αὐτὸν ἀναμέσον τῶν κιόνων.