This verse begins the climax of the story. Though Samson was a Nazirite who was consecrated to the LORD before his birth, he is not known for his spirituality or his prayers. Even here the style of his prayer is somewhat uneven, which may reflect his desperation to carry out one final act of revenge.

Then Samson called to the LORD and said: Samson cries out to the LORD for help to get revenge on the Philistines. Then renders well the Hebrew waw conjunction, which introduces the next event here. The Hebrew verb for called (qaraʾ) is a keyword in this subunit, having already appeared twice in verse 16.25. Called to the LORD means he prayed to Yahweh (see verse 15.18). New Jerusalem Bible tries to express Samson’s desperation here, saying “Samson called on Yahweh and cried out.” New International Version‘s “Then Samson prayed to the LORD” seems devoid of emotional impact. Translators should try to render some of the emotion here.

O Lord GOD is literally “My Lord Yahweh” (Hebrew ʾadonai YHWH). For a good discussion on this combined name of God, see verse 6.22. Good News Translation says “Sovereign LORD,” and Contemporary English Version has “LORD God,” but these renderings do not communicate the more intimate “my Lord Yahweh.” Translators should try to render this combined name consistently.

Remember me: In some of the lament psalms, the worshipers complain that God has “forgotten” them or is far from them. They often ask God to remember them. This means they want a fresh sign from God and be restored in their relationship to him. In most languages a literal rendering of remember me will be understood. If not, it may be possible to say “consider my cause” or even “help me.” Samson feels abandoned by God, so we may also say “don’t forget me” or “don’t abandon me.” Samson is conscious that he will soon die, so he wants to carry out one final act with God’s help. His emotion here seems more important than his actual words, which Revised English Bible seems to express quite well by saying “Remember me, Lord GOD, remember me.”

I pray thee renders the Hebrew politeness marker naʾ. Samson uses it twice as he cries out to Yahweh. Instead of the old-fashioned expression I pray thee, most translators should use a natural expression in their language, for example, “please” (Good News Translation, New International Version) or “I beg you” (New Jerusalem Bible).

And strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God: Samson seems to recognize that only God can restore his strength, so he pleads for him to give him back his former power. Translators should try to imitate the repetitive style of insistence here. Strengthen renders the same Hebrew verb translated “held” in verse 16.26. It comes from a different Hebrew root than the word for “strength” which appears throughout the previous episode with Delilah (verse 16.5-6, 9, 15, 17, 19). Only this once again uses the Hebrew term paʿam that can mean “footstep” (see verse 16.18). Samson requests one last opportunity to use the power coming from the LORD. We could say “one last time” (Contemporary English Version) or “just one more time” (New Living Translation). Revised Standard Version adds the word O to show that God is a vocative noun. The generic Hebrew word for God (ʾelohim) is used here. A good model is “God, I beg you, give me [back] my strength just once more.” In some languages it may be helpful to move O God later in the verse, to avoid it being too close to the combined name for God (see first model below).

That I may be avenged upon the Philistines for one of my two eyes: That renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, which introduces a purpose clause here, so it may be translated “so that” or even “I want to.” I may be avenged renders an emphatic expression in Hebrew, literally “I may avenge myself one vengeance.” To take vengeance is to pay someone back for an evil deed they have done. Revised Standard Version uses the passive verb be avenged, but the Hebrew verb here is reflexive (see verse 15.7), so New American Bible says “avenge myself.” We might also say “take revenge” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “get revenge” (New International Version). Good News Translation‘s “get even” seems too childish or colloquial in this context. Since the Hebrew reads “one vengeance,” New Revised Standard Version says “with this one act of revenge,” and Good News Translation has “with this one blow.” There is a play on words here, since the number “one” is quickly followed by the number two, and these two numbers are repeated in the next verse as well. Upon the Philistines (literally “from the Philistines”) occurs at the end of this verse in Hebrew, but translators can place it wherever it is appropriate. For one of my two eyes is literally “from my two eyes.” Revised Standard Version‘s rendering is misleading here, since Samson wants to take revenge for both his eyes, not just one. With one act of vengeance he wants to avenge his two eyes. Gouging out one eye was a common punishment in biblical times, but making the person totally blind was particularly cruel. New Revised Standard Version provides a very clear model, saying “so that with this one act of revenge I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.”

Translation models for this verse are:

• Then Samson cried out to the LORD, “O Lord GOD, I beg you, remember me and strengthen me just one last time. Oh God, help me so that by this one act I can pay back the Philistines for the two eyes they pierced.”

• Then Samson pleaded with the LORD, saying, “Oh Yahweh, my Lord, I beg you not to forget me. Oh God, please give me strength just one more time, so that I can take vengeance on the Philistines, and with one blow pay them back for the loss of my two eyes.”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .