Berean Standard Bible
Judges 16:7
7Samson told her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become as weak as any other man.”
Judges 16:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
- New International Version (NIV)Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I shall become weak and be like any other man."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings, not yet dried, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”
Context of Judges 16:7
5The lords of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice him and find out the source of his great strength and how we can overpower him to tie him up and subdue him. Then each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” 6So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me the source of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” Samson told her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become as weak as any other man.” 8So the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him up with them. 9While the men were hidden in her room, she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he snapped the bowstrings like a strand of yarn seared by a flame. So the source of his strength remained unknown.
Read all of Judges 16Judges 16:7 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן אִם־יַאַסְרֻ֗נִי בְּשִׁבְעָ֛ה יְתָרִ֥ים לַחִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־חֹרָ֑בוּ וְחָלִ֥יתִי וְהָיִ֖יתִי כְּאַחַ֥ד הָאָדָֽם׃Read the interlinear
- Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
- told herאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- told herאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Ifאִם'im · ifH518
- they tie me upאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
- with sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- freshלַחlach · freshH3892
- bowstringsיֶ֫תֶרyether · cordH3499
- thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- have notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- been driedחָרֵבchârab chârêb · to dryH2717
- I will become as weakחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: weakH2470
- I will become as weakהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- as anyאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- other manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
Cross-references for Judges 16:7
- Judges 16:10Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and lied to me! Now please tell me how you can be tied up.”
- 1 Samuel 19:17And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped!” Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’”
- 1 Samuel 21:2“The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission on which I am sending you. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.
- 1 Samuel 27:10who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”
- Proverbs 12:19Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
- Proverbs 17:7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
- Romans 3:8Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!
- Galatians 6:7Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
- Colossians 3:9Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,
Commentaries on Judges 16:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Seven green withs - That is, any kind of pliant, tough wood, twisted in the form of a cord or rope. Such are used in many countries formed out of osiers, hazel, etc. And in Ireland, very long and strong ropes are made of the fibres of bog-wood, or the larger roots of the fir, which is often dug up in the bogs or mosses of that country. But the Septuagint, by translating the Hebrew לחים יתרים yetharim lachim by ̔, and the Vulgate by nerviceis funibus…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-17Verses 4-17 Samson had been more than once brought into mischief and danger by the love of women, yet he would not take warning, but is again taken in the same snare, and this third time is fatal. Licentiousness is one of the things that take away the heart. This is a deep pit into which many have fallen; but from which few have escaped, and those by a miracle of mercy, with the loss of reputation and usefulness, of almost all, except their souls. The…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7People often made bowstrings from dried animal tendons or gut. The number seven was symbolic, possibly linked to the Philistines' belief in magic. Samson appears more comfortable in Philistine culture than in following his Israelite vows as a Nazirite.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Samson said ..., If they bind me with seven green withs--Vine tendrils, pliant twigs, or twists made of crude vegetable stalks are used in many Eastern countries for ropes at the present day.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 16:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries