Judges 16:17

Judges 16:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
• New International Version (NIV)So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he told her all his heart, and said to her, "A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man."
• New King James Version (NKJV)that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”

Context of Judges 16:17

15Then Delilah said to him, ‘I realize that you do not really love me, because you will not tell me your secret. You have deceived me three times, as if I was a fool. You have refused to tell me what makes you so strong.’ 16She continued to say the same thing to Samson many times. Her words made Samson very upset. He felt that he wanted to die. Finally, Samson told her his secret. He said to her, ‘No one has ever cut my hair. Even before I was born, I belonged to God as a Nazirite. If someone cuts off my hair, I would have no more strength. I would become as weak as any other man.’ 18Delilah realized that Samson had told her the truth. So she sent a message to the rulers of the Philistines. She told them, ‘Samson has now told me his secret. So come back once more.’ So the Philistine rulers went to visit Delilah again. They took their pieces of silver with them. 19Delilah made Samson sleep with his head on her knees. She called a man to come and he cut off the seven tails of Samson's hair. This made Samson helpless, so that he had no more strength.

Judges 16:17 word by word

וַיַּגֶּד־לָ֣הּ אֶת־כָּל־לִבּ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מוֹרָה֙ לֹֽא־עָלָ֣ה עַל־רֹאשִׁ֔י כִּֽי־נְזִ֧יר אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֲנִ֖י מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמִּ֑י אִם־גֻּלַּ֙חְתִּי֙ וְסָ֣ר מִמֶּ֣נִּי כֹחִ֔י וְחָלִ֥יתִי וְהָיִ֖יתִי כְּכָל־הָאָדָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That he toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• her all his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto her, There hath not comeעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• a razorמוֹרָהmôrâh · razorH4177
• upon mine headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• a Nazariteנָזִירnâzîyr nâzir · NaziriteH5139
• unto Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• from my mother’sאֵם'êm · motherH517
• wombבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: wombH990
• if I be shavenגָּלַחgâlach · to shaveH1548
• then my strengthכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• will goסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: departH5493
• from me, and I shall become weakחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: weakH2470
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120

Cross-references for Judges 16:17

• Proverbs 12:23Careful people keep quiet about how much they know. But foolish people show everyone how silly they are.
• Proverbs 29:12When a ruler listens to lies, all his officers will be wicked.
• Micah 7:5Do not believe anyone, even somebody that you know well. You cannot be sure that your friend will always be honest with you. Be careful what you say to your wife. Be careful even when you are hugging her.
• Judges 13:5Yes, you will give birth to a son. You must never cut the boy's hair. He is to be a Nazirite. He will belong to God from the time that he is born. He will begin to rescue the Israelites from the power of the Philistines.’
• Numbers 6:5A person must not cut his hair during the time that he is a Nazirite. He must be different all the time that he is separate for the Lord. He must let the hair on his head grow long.
• Acts 18:18Paul remained in Corinth with the believers for many days. Then he left them. Priscilla and Aquila also went with him. They went to the port called Cenchrea. They got on a ship there to sail to Syria. Before they left, someone cut off all the hair on Paul's head. This showed that he had made a promise to God.

Commentaries on Judges 16:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me - The miraculous strength of Samson must not be supposed to reside either in his hair or in his muscles, but in that relation in which he stood to God as a Nazarite, such a person being bound by a solemn vow to walk in a strict conformity to the laws of his Maker. It was a part of the Nazarite's vow to permit no razor to pass on his head; and his long hair was the mark of his Nazirate, and of his vow to…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. 17-19Samson's hair symbolized his promise to the Lord. Cutting his hair would break this promise. The seven braided locks were just a symbol; the Lord's presence was the true source of his strength.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me--His herculean powers did not arise from his hair, but from his peculiar relation to God as a Nazarite. His unshorn locks were a sign of his Nazaritism, and a pledge on the part of God that his supernatural strength would be continued.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 16:17

• Abstinence, Total
• Beard
• Conspiracy
• Deception
• Delilah
• Friends
• Nazarite
• Samson
• Women

In the dictionaries

• God
• Delilah
• Feel
• Mock
• Quiet
• Samson
• Sport
• Told
• Dagon
• Hair

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