Judges 16:7

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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)Samson replied, “If I were tied up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, I would become as weak as anyone else.”

Context of Judges 16:7

5The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” 6So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” 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.” 8Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them. 9With 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.

Judges 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 16:10Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have made a fool of me; you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.”
• 1 Samuel 19:17Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’ ”
• 1 Samuel 21:2David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place.
• 1 Samuel 27:10When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.”
• Proverbs 12:19Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
• Proverbs 17:7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
• Romans 3:8Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
• Galatians 6:7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
• Colossians 3:9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

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

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

In the dictionaries

• Samson
• Delilah
• Feel
• Mock
• Quiet
• Sport
• Told
• Color; Colors
• Cord
• 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