And Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand: ``Let me feel the pillars on which the house is built, that I may lean against them'' (וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְשׁוֹן אֶל־הַנַּעַר הַתּוֹפֵשׂ בְּיָדוֹ שַׁנְּנִי אֶצֵּל הָעַמּוּדִים אֲשֶׁר־הַבַּיִת סָמוּךְ עֲלֵיהֶם וְאִשָּׁעֵן עֲלֵיהֶם) — Samson's request is framed as a simple physical need: as a blind prisoner, he wishes to orient himself by touching the pillars. His language is humble and unthreatening, suggesting only that he needs support to stand. Yet the narrative is positioning him to access the architectural vulnerability of the building. The pillars (עַמּוּדִים) are identified as structural supports upon which the house depends. Samson's request is granted—demonstrating either the Philistines' confidence in his weakness or their contempt for him as a blinded, imprisoned captive. The narrative presents the setup in terms of accessibility and opportunity, not divine command.

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