New English Translation
Judges 15:12
12They said to him, “We have come down to take you prisoner so we can hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson said to them, “Promise me you will not kill me.”
Judges 15:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
- New International Version (NIV)They said to him, “We’ve come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson said, “Swear to me that you won’t kill me yourselves.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they said to him, "We have come down to bind you, that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines." And Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.”
Context of Judges 15:12
10The men of Judah said, “Why are you attacking us?” The Philistines said, “We have come up to take Samson prisoner so we can do to him what he has done to us.” 11Three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in the cliff of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? Why have you done this to us?” He said to them, “I have only done to them what they have done to me.” They said to him, “We have come down to take you prisoner so we can hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson said to them, “Promise me you will not kill me.” 13They said to him, “We promise! We will only take you prisoner and hand you over to them. We promise not to kill you.” They tied him up with two brand new ropes and led him up from the cliff. 14When he arrived in Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they approached him. But the Lord’s spirit empowered him. The ropes around his arms were like flax dissolving in fire, and they melted away from his hands.
Read all of Judges 15Judges 15:12 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ לֶאֱסָרְךָ֣ יָרַ֔דְנוּ לְתִתְּךָ֖ בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ לִ֔י פֶּֽן־תִּפְגְּע֥וּן בִּ֖י אַתֶּֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto him, We are come downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- to bindאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
- thee, that we may deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- thee into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- And Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
- unto them, Swearשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- unto me, that ye will not fall uponפָּגַעpâga‛ · to fall onH6293
Cross-references for Judges 15:12
- Matthew 27:2They tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
- Acts 7:25He thought his own people would understand that God was delivering them through him, but they did not understand.
- Judges 8:21Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on, you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.
- 1 Kings 2:25King Solomon then sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah.
Commentaries on Judges 15:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12That ye will not fall upon me yourselves - He could not bear the thought of contending with and slaying his own countrymen; for there is no doubt that he could have as easily rescued himself from their hands as from those of the Philistines.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 Sin dispirits men, it hides from their eyes the things that belong to their peace. The Israelites blamed Samson for what he had done against the Philistines, as if he had done them a great injury. Thus our Lord Jesus did many good works, and for those the Jews were ready to stone him. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, his cords were loosed: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and those are free indeed who are thus…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves: Samson's superhuman abilities might have only worked against Israel's enemies. He broke these ropes only after the spirit of the Lord came upon him (Judges 15:14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-139-17. Then the Philistines went up--to the high land of Judah. and spread themselves in Lehi--now El-Lekieh, abounding with limestone cliffs; the sides of which are perforated with caves. The object of the Philistines in this expedition was to apprehend Samson, in revenge for the great slaughter he had committed on their people. With a view of freeing his own countrymen from all danger from the infuriated Philistines, he allowed himself to be bound and…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 15:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 15
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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