The Meaning of Judges 16:28 Explained

Judges 16:28

KJV: And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

YLT: And Samson calleth unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me, I pray Thee, only this time, O God; and I am avenged -- vengeance at once -- because of my two eyes, on the Philistines.'

Darby: Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be avenged upon the Philistines for one of my two eyes."

ASV: And Samson called unto Jehovah, and said, O Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Samson  called  unto the LORD,  and said,  O Lord  GOD,  remember  me, I pray thee, and strengthen  me, I pray thee, only this once,  O God,  that I may be at once  avenged  of the Philistines  for my two  eyes. 

What does Judges 16:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 16:15-31 - Dying With The Philistines
It may be that the razor has already severed your union with Christ. If we abide not in living union with Him, we are cast out as branches from the vine, and wither. This is bad enough, but it is still worse when we are not aware of it. See Hosea 7:9. Some of our greatest spiritual experiences may be like sunrise or sunset. "There is no speech nor language; their voice is not heard," but the effect, for good or ill, soon shows itself.
We may be blind and captive, yet for us also the hair that was cut may begin to grow again. The old faith and love, the old consecration and surrender, the old power with God and man may come again. Do not turn away from Him, penitent soul, for God is willing to take you back again into the secret of His power. "He hateth putting away," Malachi 2:16; Isaiah 50:1. Out of your sorrowful heart, send up Samson's prayer! But do not ask to be strengthened only this once. God will do it not for once, but for many times, if only you will trust Him absolutely, 2 Kings 13:19. And do not ask to die; believe that life shall again become bright, strong and victorious [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 16

1  Samson at Gaza escapes, and carries away the gates of the city
4  Delilah corrupted by the Philistines, entices Samson
6  Thrice she is deceived
15  At last she overcomes him
21  The Philistines take him, and put out his eyes
22  His strength renewing, he pulls down the house upon the Philistines and dies

What do the individual words in Judges 16:28 mean?

And called Samson to Yahweh and saying Lord GOD remember me I pray and Strengthen me I pray just once this God that I may take vengeance [with] vengeful blow one for two my eyes on the Philistines
וַיִּקְרָ֥א שִׁמְשׁ֛וֹן אֶל־ יְהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֡ה זָכְרֵ֣נִי נָא֩ וְחַזְּקֵ֨נִי נָ֜א אַ֣ךְ הַפַּ֤עַם הַזֶּה֙ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְאִנָּקְמָ֧ה נְקַם־ אַחַ֛ת מִשְּׁתֵ֥י עֵינַ֖י מִפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים

וַיִּקְרָ֥א  And  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שִׁמְשׁ֛וֹן  Samson 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְשֹׁון  
Sense: a Danite, son of Manoah, a Nazarite for life, and a judge of Israel for 20 years.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר  and  saying 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲדֹנָ֣י  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
יֱהֹוִ֡ה  GOD 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
זָכְרֵ֣נִי  remember  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
נָא֩  I  pray 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
וְחַזְּקֵ֨נִי  and  Strengthen  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
נָ֜א  I  pray 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
אַ֣ךְ  just 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
הַפַּ֤עַם  once 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְאִנָּקְמָ֧ה  that  I  may  take  vengeance 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: נָקַם  
Sense: to avenge, take vengeance, revenge, avenge oneself, be avenged, be punished.
נְקַם־  [with]  vengeful  blow 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נָקָם  
Sense: vengeance.
אַחַ֛ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מִשְּׁתֵ֥י  for  two 
Parse: Preposition-m, Number, fdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
עֵינַ֖י  my  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
מִפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים  on  the  Philistines 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.