Then 3,000menof Judahwentdownto the cleftof the rockof Etamand saidto Samson,"Do you not knowthat the Philistinesare rulersover us? Whatthen is thisthat you have doneto us?" And he saidto them, "As they didto me, soI have doneto them."
These[were] the sonsof Etam:Jezreel,Ishmaand Idbash;and the nameof their sister[was] Hazzelelponi.
I will also bringupon you a swordwhich will executevengeancefor the covenant;and when you gathertogether into your cities,I will sendpestilenceamongyou, so that you shall be deliveredinto enemyhands.
"The LORDwill makeyou the headand not the tail,and you onlywill be above,and you will not be underneath,ifyou listento the commandmentsof the LORDyour God,whichI chargeyou today,to observe[them] carefully,
"The alienwhois amongyou shall riseaboveyou higherand higher,but you will godownlowerand lower.
Now the sonsof Israelagaindidevilin the sightof the LORD,so that the LORDgavethem into the handsof the Philistinesfortyyears.
However, his fatherand motherdid not knowthat it was of the LORD,for He was seekingan occasionagainstthe Philistines.Now at that timethe Philistineswere rulingover Israel.
The menof Judahsaid,"Whyhave you comeup againstus?" And they said,"We have comeup to bindSamsonin order to doto him as he didto us."
They saidto him, "We have comedownto bindyou so that we may giveyou into the handsof the Philistines."And Samsonsaidto them, "Swearto me that you will not killme."
