God’s Word Translation
Judges 16:17
17Finally, he told her the truth. He told her, “Because I’m a Nazirite, no one has ever cut the hair on my head. I was dedicated to God before I was born. If my hair is ever shaved off, my strength will leave me. Then I’ll be like any other man.”
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
15Delilah said to Samson, “How can you say that you love me when your heart isn’t mine? You’ve made fun of me three times now, but you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong.” 16Every day she made his life miserable with her questions. She pestered him until he wished he were dead. Finally, he told her the truth. He told her, “Because I’m a Nazirite, no one has ever cut the hair on my head. I was dedicated to God before I was born. If my hair is ever shaved off, my strength will leave me. Then I’ll be like any other man.” 18When Delilah realized that he had told her everything, she sent a message to the Philistine rulers, “Come here once more.” (She did this because Samson had told her everything.) So the Philistine rulers arrived with the money in their hands. 19Delilah put Samson to sleep on her lap. She called for a man to shave off his seven braids. Then she began to torture him because his strength had left him.
Read all of Judges 16Judges 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 12:23A sensible person ⌞discreetly⌟ hides knowledge, but foolish minds preach stupidity.
- Proverbs 29:12If a ruler pays attention to lies, all his servants become wicked.
- Micah 7:5Don’t trust your neighbors. Don’t have confidence in ⌞your⌟ friends. Keep your mouth shut even when a woman is lying in your arms.
- Judges 13:5You’re going to become pregnant and have a son. You must never cut his hair because the boy will be a Nazirite dedicated to God from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the power of the Philistines.”
- Numbers 6:5“As long as they are under the Nazirite vow, no razor may touch their heads. During the entire time that they are dedicated to the Lord as Nazirites, they will be holy. They must let their hair grow long.
- Acts 18:18After staying in Corinth quite a while longer, Paul left ⌞for Ephesus⌟. Priscilla and Aquila went with him. In the city of Cenchrea, Aquila had his hair cut, since he had taken a vow. From Cenchrea they took a boat headed for Syria
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
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
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