Judges 16:7
◄  Judges 16:7  ►
New International Version (©2011)
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."

New Living Translation (©2007)
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."

English Standard Version (©2001)
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 American Standard Bible (©1995)
Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh cords that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Samson told her, "If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become weak and be like any other man."

International Standard Version (©2012)
Samson replied, "If I'm tied up with seven green cords that have never been dried out, then I'll become weak and just like any other human being."

NET Bible (©2006)
Samson said to her, "If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become weak and be just like any other man."

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Samson told her, "If someone ties me up with seven new bowstrings that are not dried out, I will be like any other man."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

American King James Version
And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green thongs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

American Standard Version
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Samson answered her: If I shall be bound with seven cords made of sinews not yet dry, but still moist, I shall be weak like other men.

Darby Bible Translation
And Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings which have not been dried, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man."

English Revised Version
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green withs, that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

World English Bible
Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man."

Young's Literal Translation
And Samson saith unto her, 'If they bind me with seven green withs which have not been dried, then I have been weak, and have been as one of the human race.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:4-17 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 anguish of the suffering is ten thousand times greater than all the pleasures of the sin.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - As another man - literally, as one of men, i.e. of mankind, not different from other men. As regards the word rendered withs, it is not certain whether strings of cat-gut are not meant In Psalm 11:2 the same word is used of a bow-string. The word rendered green means fresh or new, and might be equally applied to catgut strings or withs.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Samson said unto her,.... In answer to her pressing solicitations:

if they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried; the word is sometimes used for nerves, and cords or ropes; but neither of these can be here meant, since these, if moistened or made wet, are the less fit to bind with, and the drier the better; but rods or branches of trees just cut off, such as faggots are bound up with, or green osiers, which are easily bent and twisted, and may bind with; Josephus (u) calls them vine branches:

then shall I be weak, and be as another man; which cannot well be excused from a lie; for Samson knew full well that being bound would not weaken his strength; but as he had fallen into one sin, it is no wonder he was drawn into another: unless this can be understood, as it is by some, as jesting with her; however, it shows that he was "compos mentis", as Josephus (w) observes, and was upon his guard with respect to the secret of his strength.

(u) Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 9.) (w) Ibid.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. 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.

Judges 16:7 Parallel Commentaries

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Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Samson and Delilah
…6And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray you, wherein your great strength lies, and with which you might be bound to afflict you. 7And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green thongs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green thongs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. …

Judges 16:6 So Delilah said to Samson, "Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued."
Judges 16:8 Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them.
Judges 16:9 With 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.