Judges 16:9

Judges 16:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
• New International Version (NIV)With men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now men were lying in wait, staying with her in the room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he broke the bowstrings as a strand of yarn breaks when it touches fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

Context of Judges 16:9

7Samson replied, ‘Someone would have to use seven new strings for bows. The strings must not have become dry. If they use those strings to tie me up, I will become weak, like other men.’ 8So the Philistine rulers gave Delilah seven new strings for bows. She used them to tie Samson up while he was asleep. Some Philistine men hid in a room of her house. Then she shouted, ‘Samson, the Philistines are here!’ But he broke the seven strings very easily. They were like thin cotton that a fire burns. So they did not discover the secret about his strength. 10Delilah said to Samson, ‘You have deceived me as if I was a fool! Tell me the truth! How can someone really make you weak?’ 11Samson said to her, ‘They would have to use new ropes that no one has used. If they tie me up with those, I will become weak, like other men.’

Judges 16:9 word by word

וְהָאֹרֵ֗ב יֹשֵׁ֥ב לָהּ֙ בַּחֶ֔דֶר וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו פְּלִשְׁתִּ֥ים עָלֶ֖יךָ שִׁמְשׁ֑וֹן וַיְנַתֵּק֙ אֶת־הַיְתָרִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִנָּתֵ֤ק פְּתִֽיל־הַנְּעֹ֙רֶת֙ בַּהֲרִיח֣וֹ אֵ֔שׁ וְלֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖ע כֹּחֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• men lying in waitאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
• abidingיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• with her in the chamberחֶ֫דֶרcheder · chamberH2315
• And she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him, The Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• upon thee, Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
• And he brakeנָתַקnâthaq · to tearH5423
• the withsיֶ֫תֶרyether · cordH3499
• as a threadפָּתִילpâthîyl · cordH6616
• of towנְעֹ֫רֶתne‛ôreth · towH5296
• when it touchethרִיחַrûach · to smellH7306
• the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• So his strengthכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• was not knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045

Cross-references for Judges 16:9

• Psalms 58:9Remove them quickly, more quickly than pots become hot over a fire of thorn bushes.

Commentaries on Judges 16:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Men lying in wait - They probably did not appear, as Samson immediately broke his bonds when this bad woman said, The Philistines be upon thee.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. 4-22Samson's downfall and defeat by Delilah, the temptress, is a universally appealing tragedy.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. there were men lying in wait, abiding ... in the chamber--The Hebrew, literally rendered, is, "in the inner," or "most secret part of the house."Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 16:9

• Conspiracy
• Deception
• Delilah
• Friends
• Samson
• Tow
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Philistines
• Samson
• Delilah
• Feel
• Mock
• Quiet
• Sport
• Told
• Tow
• Dagon

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