Pillar Bases of a Philistine Temple Discovered Near Tel Aviv

Read while you listen

The Philistines blinded and humiliated Samson and brought him to the Temple of their god Dagon to sport with him in front of the leaders and a great crowd of Philistines.

Judges 16:25-30

As their spirits rose, they said, ‘Call Samson here and let him dance for us.’ Samson was fetched from the prison, and he danced for them.

Then they put him between the pillars:

…Samson called to the LORD, "O Lord GOD! Please remember me, and give me strength just this once…"

He embraced the two middle pillars that the temple rested upon, one with his right arm and one with his left, and leaned against them; Samson cried, "Let me die with the Philistines!" and he pulled with all his might. The temple came crashing down … those who were slain by him as he died outnumbered those whom he slew when he lived.

In this picture are pillar bases of a Philistine Temple discovered near Tel Aviv.

Bases of Philistine Temple
Tel Qasile Excavations
Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

No items found.

Overview

In the Bible

Judges 16:25-30

As their spirits rose, they said, ‘Call Samson here and let him dance for us.’ Samson was fetched from the prison, and he danced for them.

Then they put him between the pillars:

…Samson called to the L-RD, "O L-rd G-d! Please remember me, and give me strength just this once…"

שׁוֹפְטִים ט"ז:כ"ה-ל'

וַֽיְהִי֙ (כי) (טוב) כְּט֣וֹב לִבָּ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ 'קִרְא֥וּ לְשִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן וִישַֽׂחֶק-לָ֑נוּ' וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ לְשִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן מִבֵּ֣ית (האסירים) הָאֲסוּרִ֗ים וַיְצַחֵק֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעֲמִ֥ידוּ אוֹת֖וֹ בֵּ֥ין הָעַמּוּדִֽים... וַיִּקְרָ֥א שִׁמְשׁ֛וֹן אֶל-ה' וַיֹּאמַ֑ר "אֲדֹנָ֣י ה' זָכְרֵ֣נִי נָא֩ וְחַזְּקֵ֨נִי נָ֜א אַ֣ךְ הַפַּ֤עַם הַזֶּה֙ ..." וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת שִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן אֶת-שְׁנֵ֣י | עַמּוּדֵ֣י הַתָּ֗וֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הַבַּ֙יִת֙ נָכ֣וֹן עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּסָּמֵ֖ךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם אֶחָ֥ד בִּימִינ֖וֹ וְאֶחָ֥ד בִּשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שִׁמְשׁ֗וֹן "תָּמ֣וֹת נַפְשִׁי֮ עִם-פְּלִשְׁתִּים֒" וַיֵּ֣ט בְּכֹ֔חַ וַיִּפֹּ֤ל הַבַּ֙יִת֙ ...