Judges 16:17

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

15“How can you say, ‘I love you,’” she said to him, “when your heart is not with me? This is three times you’ve deceived me and not told me where your great strength comes from.” 16Now it came about when she nagged him daily with her speeches and kept bothering him, his soul was annoyed to death. So he divulged to her all his heart and said to her, “No razor has ever been upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me, and I will be weak and be like any other man.” 18Now when Delilah realized that he had confided to her all his heart, she sent and called for the Philistine lords saying, “Come up this time, for he has told me all his heart.” So the Philistine lords came up to her and brought the silver in their hand. 19Then she made him sleep upon her knees, and she called for a man and had the seven locks of his head shaved off. She even began to humiliate him while his strength departed from him.

Judges 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 clever person conceals his knowledge, but the heart of a fool blurts out folly.
• Proverbs 29:12If a ruler listens to lies, all his servants will be wicked.
• Micah 7:5Do not trust in a friend. Do not trust in a close companion. Guard the openings of your mouth from her who lies on your breast.
• Judges 13:5For behold, you will conceive and bear a son. Let no razor come upon his head, for the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb. He will begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
• Numbers 6:5All the duration of his Nazirite vow, no razor is to come on his head until the time of his consecration to Adonai is over. He is to be holy, and the hair of his head is to grow long.
• Acts 18:18Paul, having stayed many more days, said farewell to the brothers and set sail to Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchrea Paul had his hair cut off, for he was keeping a vow.

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

• Abstinence, Total
• Beard
• Conspiracy
• Deception
• Delilah
• Friends
• Nazarite
• Samson
• Women

In the dictionaries

• God
• Delilah
• Feel
• Mock
• Quiet
• Samson
• Sport
• Told
• Dagon
• Hair

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