God’s Word Translation
Judges 16:7
7Samson told her, “If someone ties me up with seven new bowstrings that are not dried out, I will be like 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 Philistine rulers came to her and said, “Trick him, and find out what makes him so strong. Find out how we can overpower him. We want to tie him up in order to torture him. Each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” 6So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me what makes you so strong. How can you be tied up so that someone could torture you?” Samson told her, “If someone ties me up with seven new bowstrings that are not dried out, I will be like any other man.” 8The Philistine rulers brought her seven new bowstrings that were not dried out. She tied Samson up with them. 9Some men were hiding in the bedroom waiting for her ⌞to tie him up⌟. Then she said to him, “Samson, the Philistines are attacking!” Samson snapped the bowstrings as a thread snaps when it touches fire. So no one found out why he was so strong.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto her, If they bindאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
- me with sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- greenלַחlach · freshH3892
- withsיֶ֫תֶרyether · cordH3499
- that were never driedחָרֵבchârab chârêb · to dryH2717
- then shall I be weakחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: weakH2470
- and be as anotherאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
Cross-references for Judges 16:7
- Judges 16:10Delilah told Samson, “Look, you’re making fun of me by telling me lies. Now, tell me how you can be tied up.”
- 1 Samuel 19:17Saul asked Michal, “Why did you betray me by sending my enemy away so that he could escape?” Michal answered, “He told me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’ ”
- 1 Samuel 21:2“The king ordered me to do something,” David answered the priest Ahimelech, “and he told me, ‘No one must know anything about this mission I’m sending you on and about the orders I’ve given you. I’ve stationed my young men at a certain place.’ ”
- 1 Samuel 27:10Achish would ask, “Whom did you raid today?” And David would answer, “the Negev in Judah,” or “the portion of the Negev where the descendants of Jerahmeel live,” or “the portion of the Negev where the Kenites live.”
- Proverbs 12:19The word of truth lasts forever, but lies last only a moment.
- Proverbs 17:7Refined speech is not fitting for a godless fool. How much less does lying fit a noble person!
- Romans 3:8Or can we say, “Let’s do evil so that good will come from it”? Some slander us and claim that this is what we say. They are condemned, and that’s what they deserve.
- Galatians 6:7Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest.
- Colossians 3:9Don’t lie to each other. You’ve gotten rid of the person you used to be and the life you used to live,
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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