23 Amakhosi amaFilisti abuthana ukuba ahlabele uDagoni unkulunkulu wawo umhlatshelo omkhulu, athokoze, ngokuba athi: “Unkulunkulu wethu unikele uSamsoni isitha sethu esandleni sethu.”
24 Abantu bambona, bamtusa unkulunkulu wabo, ngokuba bathi: “Unkulunkulu wethu unikele esandleni sethu isitha sethu nomchithi wezwe lakithi obulele abaningi phakathi kwethu.”
25 Kwathi lapho izinhliziyo zabo sezesasile, bathi: “Mbizeni uSamsoni ukuba asidlalele.” Bambiza uSamsoni esetilongweni, wadlala phambi kwabo, bambeka phakathi kwezinsika.
26 USamsoni wathi kumfana owayembambe ngesandla: “Ngivumele ukuphatha izinsika indlu emi ngazo ukuba ngencike kuzo.”
27 Indlu yayigcwele abesilisa nabesifazane; namakhosi onke amaFilisti ayelapho; ophahleni kwakukhona abantu kungathi abayizinkulungwane ezintathu, abesilisa nabesifazane, ababebukela ukudlala kukaSamsoni.
28 USamsoni wakhala kuJehova, wathi: “Nkosi Nkulunkulu, ake ungikhumbule, ungiqinise kube kanye kuphela, Nkulunkulu, ukuba ngiphindise kumaFilisti ngempindiselo ibenye ngenxa yamehlo ami omabili.”
29 USamsoni wayesebamba izinsika ezimbili eziphakathi eyayimi ngazo indlu, wencika kuzo, kwenye ngesandla sokunene, kwenye ngesokhohlo.