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Thursday, September 11th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Douay-Rheims Bible

Judges 16:26

And he said to the lad that guided his steps: Suffer me to touch the pillars which support the whole house, and let me lean upon them, and rest a little.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Gaza;   Samson;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dagon;   Delilah;   Gaza or Azzah;   Harosheth of the Gentiles;   Pillar;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gaza;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Dagon;   Gaza;   Pillar;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Dagon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Judges, Book of;   Philistines, the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gaza;   Judges (1);   Levi;   Philistines;   Samson;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Dwelling;   Gaza;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'gon;   House;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Feel;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Feeling;   Lad;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Dagon;   Pillar;   Tent;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Samson said to the young man who was leading him by the hand, “Lead me where I can feel the pillars supporting the temple, so I can lean against them.”
Hebrew Names Version
and Shimshon said to the boy who held him by the hand, Allow me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house rests, that I may lean on them.
King James Version
And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
Lexham English Bible
Then Samson said to the servant who was holding him by his hand, "Position me so that I can touch the pillars on which the house rests, so I can lean on them."
English Standard Version
And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them."
New Century Version
Samson said to the servant holding his hand, "Let me feel the pillars that hold up the temple so I can lean against them."
New English Translation
Samson said to the young man who held his hand, "Position me so I can touch the pillars that support the temple. Then I can lean on them."
Amplified Bible
Then Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the [roof of the] house rests, so that I may lean against them."
New American Standard Bible
Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, so that I may lean against them."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Samson saide vnto the seruant that led him by the hande, Lead me, that I may touch the pillars that the house standeth vpon, and that I may leane to them.
Legacy Standard Bible
Daarop sê Simson aan die dienaar wat hom aan die hand hou: Laat my staan, en laat my die pilare betas waar die huis op rus, dat ek daarteen kan leun.
Contemporary English Version
A young man was leading Samson by the hand, and Samson said to him, "I need to lean against something. Take me over to the columns that hold up the roof."
Complete Jewish Bible
Shimshon said to the boy holding him by the hand, "Let me feel the columns supporting the building, so that I can lean on them."
Darby Translation
And Samson said to the lad that held him by the hand, Let loose of me, and suffer me to feel the pillars upon which the house stands, that I may lean upon them.
Easy-to-Read Version
A servant was holding his hand. Samson said to him, "Put me where I can feel the columns that hold this temple up. I want to lean against them."
George Lamsa Translation
And Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, Let me feel the pillars on which the house stands, that I may lean against them.
Good News Translation
Samson said to the boy who was leading him by the hand, "Let me touch the columns that hold up the building. I want to lean on them."
Literal Translation
And Samson said to the young man grasping his hand, Let me alone, and let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean on them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Samson sayde vnto the lad yt led him by the hande: Let me touche the pilers wher vpon the house stondeth, yt I maye leane ther vnto.
American Standard Version
and Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.
Bible in Basic English
And Samson said to the boy who took him by the hand, Let me put my hand on the pillars supporting the house, so that I may put my back against them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Samson sayde vnto the lad that led hym by the hande: Set me that I may touche the pyllers that the house standeth vpon, and that I may leane to them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand: 'Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.'
King James Version (1611)
And Samson said vnto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer mee, that I may feele the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may leane vpon them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Sampson said to the young man that held his hand, Suffer me to feel the pillars on which the house rests, and I will stay myself upon them.
English Revised Version
and Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.
Berean Standard Bible
Samson said to the servant who held his hand, "Lead me where I can feel the pillars supporting the temple, so I can lean against them."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to the `child gouernynge hise steppis, Suffre thou me, that Y touche the pilers on whiche al the hows stondith, that Y be bowid on tho, and reste a litil.
Young's Literal Translation
And Samson saith unto the young man who is keeping hold on his hand, `Let me alone, and let me feel the pillars on which the house is established, and I lean upon them.'
Update Bible Version
and Samson said to the lad that held him by the hand, Allow me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house rests, that I may lean on them.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Samson said to the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars upon which the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
World English Bible
and Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, Allow me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house rests, that I may lean on them.
New King James Version
Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them."
New Living Translation
Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, "Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them."
New Life Bible
Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, "Let me feel the tall pillars that hold up the building. I want to rest against them."
New Revised Standard
and Samson said to the attendant who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, so that I may lean against them."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Samson said unto the youth that held him by his hand, Place me where I may feel the pillars whereon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.
Revised Standard Version
and Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them."

Contextual Overview

22 And now his hair began to grow again, 23 And the princes of the Philistines assembled together, to offer great sacrifices to Dagon their god, and to make merry, saying: Our god hath delivered our enemy Samson into our hands. 24 And the people also seeing this, praised their god, and said the same: Our god hath delivered our adversary into our hands, him that destroyed our country, and killed very many. 25 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. 26 And he said to the lad that guided his steps: Suffer me to touch the pillars which support the whole house, and let me lean upon them, and rest a little. 27 Now the house was full of men and women, and all the princes of the Philistines were there. Moreover about three thousand persons of both sexes, from the roof and the higher part of the house, were beholding Samson’s play. 28 But he called upon the Lord, saying: O Lord God remember me, and restore to me now my former strength, O my God, that I may revenge myself on my enemies, and for the loss of my two eyes I may take one revenge. 29 And laying hold on both the pillars on which the house rested, and holding the one with his right hand, and the other with his left, 30 He said: Let me die with the Philistines. And when he had strongly shook the pillars, the house fell upon all the princes, and the rest of the multitude, that was there: and he killed many more at his death, than he had killed before in his life. 31 And his brethren and all his kindred, going down took his body, and buried it between Saraa and Esthaol, in the buryingplace of his father Manue: and he judged Israel twenty years.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Samson said to the lad that held him by the hand,.... And led him about; as nothing is more common now than for a blind man to be led by a boy:

suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth; he might by information know in what manner the house was built, that it was supported by pillars, if he had never been in it before when he had his sight; and he might understand, by some means or another, that he was near these pillars, and placed between them, though being blind, did not know which way to direct his hands towards them to feel them, as he proposed to do, and therefore desired the lad that led him to guide his hands towards them:

that I may lean upon them; being, as he might at least pretend to be, weary, as Josephus says x; either by grinding at the mill, or through being led to and fro in this house, that all might see him, and cast their flouts and jeers at him,

x Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 12.)

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

More literally, “let me rest, and let me feel the pillars, that I may lean upon them.” He feigned weariness with his dancing and singing, and asked to recover himself by leaning against the pillars. The flat roof, from the top of which, as well as under it, spectators could see what was being done on the stage in front, was mainly supported by two pillars. The lords and principal persons sat UNDER the roof, while the people, to the number of 3,000, stood ON the flat roof. When the pillars were removed, the weight of 3,000 people brought the roof down with a fearful crash, and those above fell together with the stones and timbers upon those below, and a great slaughter was the result, Samson himself perishing under the ruins.


 
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