English Standard Version
Judges 16:9
9Now 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)She had hidden some men in one of the inner rooms of her house, and she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson snapped the bowstrings as a piece of string snaps when it is burned by a fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.
Context of Judges 16:9
7Samson 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." 8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 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. 10Then Delilah said to Samson, "Behold, you have mocked me and told me lies. Please tell me how you might be bound." 11And he said to her, "If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak and be like any other man."
Read all of Judges 16Judges 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
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
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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