The story reaches its climax here with Samson’s death. The Hebrew root for “die” occurs five times in this verse. Samson’s death was foreshadowed in verse 13.7, when the angel of the LORD told Samson’s mother that her child would be a Nazirite “from birth to the day of his death.” Thus the word “death” forms an inclusio around this entire story.

And Samson said: Though this verse begins with the Hebrew waw conjunction rendered And, many versions omit it (New International Version, New Living Translation). Translators should read their translation and decide if a transition word is needed here. In this context the general verb said might be rendered “shouted” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible) or “cried” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

Let me die with the Philistines is literally “Let it my nefesh die with the Philistines.” The Hebrew word nefesh, originally meaning “throat,” is often used to refer to one’s life or even spirit, thus one’s “person.” Revised Standard Version renders it well here with a simple me. This is a bold and courageous prayer, which Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version end with an exclamation mark. Some might imagine Samson saying “I’m going to die and I’m taking these Philistines with me!” but here Samson is asking God to allow him to die, even as he causes the death of thousands.

Then he bowed with all his might is literally “And he stretched/reached out with strength.” The Hebrew word for might (koach) is the same one rendered “strength” in the Delilah incidents (verse 16.5-6, 9, 15, 17, 19). Revised Standard Version‘s translation of this clause may give the false impression that Samson was bending over. New Revised Standard Version has changed it to read “He strained with all his might,” and New Jerusalem Bible is similar: “He then heaved with all his might.” Contemporary English Version is very dynamic, saying “He pushed against the columns as hard as he could.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh sees Samson with his arms around the pillars, so it has “and he pulled with all his might.”

And the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people that were in it: After Samson pushed over the two central pillars of the temple, its roof collapsed on all the people who were inside. The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered and introduces a consequence and translators should use a transition appropriate to this high point in the story. For the house, see verse 16.27. Fell renders a key Hebrew verb (nafal) in this book, which often appears when the enemy lies fallen, slain on the ground (see verse 3.25; verse 4.22; verse 5.27). Though it here refers to the collapse of a building, it also underlines the defeat of Israel’s enemies. We can say “the building fell down” (Good News Translation) or “the temple collapsed” (Contemporary English Version). The lords and all the people refer to the victims of this catastrophe. For the lords, see verse 16.23. Once again Good News Translation overstates the case, speaking of “the five kings,” and thus in this regard should not be followed. All the people refers to the Philistine men and women who had gathered to worship Dagon. Some of these people were inside the building (that were in it), while others were on the roof. The Hebrew word for people (ʿam) usually refers to the people of Israel (see verse 2.4), so here there is yet another touch of irony as the narrator uses it to refer to Israel’s enemies, the Philistines.

So the dead whom he slew at his death were more than those whom he had slain during his life is literally “And the dead he caused to die in his death were more than those he caused to die in his life.” This summary statement uses the Hebrew root for “die” four times. The narrator refers to Samson’s death indirectly with the phrase at his death. So renders well the Hebrew waw conjunction here, though other connectors can be used, such as “Thus” (New International Version). The dead whom he slew may be translated “the people he killed.” At his death may be rendered “in dying,” “by dying,” “by his death” (New Jerusalem Bible), or even “when he died” (Contemporary English Version). During his life may be expressed as “during his [entire] lifetime,” “when he was [still] living,” or “when he was alive.” We might say “So the number of people [or, enemies] he killed when he died surpassed the number of people he killed when he was alive” or “When he died, he killed more people than when he lived.”

Translation models for this verse are:

• Samson shouted, “Let me die with these Philistines!” Then he pushed the pillars as hard as he could, and the roof collapsed on all who were in the building, including the Philistine leaders. Thus those Samson killed in his death outnumbered those he had killed during his life.

• Samson said, “May I die along with these Philistines!” Then he pushed hard against the pillars, and the building collapsed on the Philistine leaders and all the other people there. In this way Samson killed more people at his own death than he had ever killed while he was alive.

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 .