^26 (A)Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, ^(B)who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. ^(C)Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin.

^19 (A)Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then ^[a]she began to torment him, and his strength left him. ²⁰ And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord ^(B)had departed from him.

²¹ Then the Philistines took him and ^[b]put out his ^(C)eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.

²³ Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

²⁴ And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has ^(A)played the harlot; furthermore she is ^[a]with child by harlotry.”

So Judah said, “Bring her out ^(B)and let her be burned!”

²⁵ When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, ^(C)“Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.”

²⁶ So Judah ^(D)acknowledged them and said, ^(E)“She has been more righteous than I, because ^(F)I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he ^(G)never knew her again.