Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version 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.” New Living Translation But the men of Judah told him, “We have come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines.” “All right,” Samson said. “But promise that you won’t kill me yourselves.” English Standard Version 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.” Berean Standard Bible But they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you and hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson replied, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.” Berean Literal Bible And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you⁺ will not kill me yourselves.” King James Bible 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 King James Version 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.” New American Standard Bible Then they said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may hand you over to the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me.” NASB 1995 They said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me.” NASB 1977 And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me.” Legacy Standard Bible And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hand of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you yourselves will not kill me.” Amplified Bible They said to him, “We have come down to bind you, so that we may hand you over to the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me.” Berean Annotated Bible But they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you and hand you over to the Philistines (immigrants). Samson (like the sun) replied, “Swear to me that you⁺ will not kill me yourselves. Christian Standard Bible They said to him, “We’ve come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines.” Then Samson told them, “Swear to me that you yourselves won’t kill me.” Holman Christian Standard Bible They said to him, “We’ve come to arrest you and hand you over to the Philistines.” Then Samson told them, “Swear to me that you yourselves won’t kill me."” American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version "We came here to tie you up and turn you over to them," said the men of Judah. "I won't put up a fight," Samson answered, "but you have to promise not to hurt me yourselves." English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation So the men from Judah told him, "We've come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines." Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you won't harm me yourselves." Good News Translation They told him, "We have come here to tie you up, so we can hand you over to them." Samson said, "Give me your word that you won't kill me yourselves." International Standard Version They responded, "We've come here to arrest you and transfer you to the custody of the Philistines." Samson told them, "Promise me that you won't kill me." NET Bible 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." New Heart English Bible They said to him, "We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines." Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not fall on me yourselves." Webster's Bible Translation And they said to him, We have come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said to them, Swear to me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you and hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson replied, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.” World English Bible They said to him, “We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they say to him, “We have come down to bind you—to give you into the hand of the Philistines.” And Samson says to them, “Swear to me, lest you fall on me yourselves.” Berean Literal Bible And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you⁺ will not kill me yourselves.” Young's Literal Translation And they say to him, 'To bind thee we have come down -- to give thee into the hand of the Philistines.' And Samson saith to them, 'Swear to me, lest ye fall upon me yourselves.' Smith's Literal Translation And they will say to him, To bind thee we came down, to give thee into the hand of Philisteim. And Samson will say to them, Swear to me lest ye shall fall upon me yourselves. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they said to him, We are come to bind thee and to deliver thee into the hands of the Philistines. And Samson said to them: Swear to me, and promise me, that you will not kill me. Catholic Public Domain Version And they said to him, “We have come to bind you, and to deliver you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear and promise to me that you will not kill me.” New American Bible They said to him, “We have come down to bind you and deliver you to the Philistines.” Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.” New Revised Standard Version They said to him, “We have come down to bind you, so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” Samson answered them, “Swear to me that you yourselves will not attack me.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd they said to him, We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said to them, Swear to me that you will not harm me yourselves. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated They said to him: “We have come down to bind you and to deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” He said to them, “Swear to me that you will not harm me yourselves!” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And 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.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And they said to him, We are come down to bind thee to deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines: and Sampson said to them, Swear to me that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Samson's Revenge…11In response, three thousand men of Judah went to the cave at the rock of Etam, and they asked Samson, “Do you not realize that the Philistines rule over us? What have you done to us?” “I have done to them what they did to me,” he replied. 12But they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you and hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson replied, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.” 13“No,” they answered, “we will not kill you, but we will tie you up securely and hand you over to them.” So they bound him with two new ropes and led him up from the rock.… Cross References But they said to him, 1 Samuel 23:12 So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD. Psalm 41:9 Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Genesis 37:26-27 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? / Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed. “We have come down to arrest you Matthew 26:47-50 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people. / Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.” / Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. … Mark 14:43-46 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders. / Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.” / Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him. … John 18:12-13 Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him. / They brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. and hand you over to the Philistines.” Judges 16:18-21 When Delilah realized that he had revealed to her all that was in his heart, she sent this message to the lords of the Philistines: “Come up once more, for he has revealed to me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came to her, bringing the money in their hands. / And having lulled him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his head. In this way she began to subdue him, and his strength left him. / Then she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” When Samson awoke from his sleep, he thought, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. … 1 Samuel 23:19-20 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? / Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.” John 18:30 “If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.” Samson replied, 1 Samuel 17:45-47 But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. / This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. / And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.” Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. / If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. / But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.” Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God. / For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.” Joshua 2:12-14 Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign / that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will deliver us from death.” / “Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.” 1 Samuel 20:14-17 And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not die, / and do not ever cut off your loving devotion from my household—not even when the LORD cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” / So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable.” … 1 Samuel 24:21-22 So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.” / So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. Judges 16:21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison. Treasury of Scripture And they said to him, We are come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said to them, Swear to me, that you will not fall on me yourselves. to bind thee Matthew 27:2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Acts 7:25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. fall Judges 8:21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks. 1 Kings 2:25,34 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died… Jump to Previous Attack Bind Deliver Hand Hands Kill Oath Philistines Samson Swear Tie We've Won't YourselvesJump to Next Attack Bind Deliver Hand Hands Kill Oath Philistines Samson Swear Tie We've Won't YourselvesJudges 15 1. Samson is denied his wife3. He burns the Philistines' corn with foxes and firebrands 6. His wife and her father are burnt by the Philistines 8. Samson smites them hip and thigh 9. He is bound by the men of Judah, and delivered to the Philistines 14. He kills them with a jawbone 18. God makes the fountain En-hakkore for him in Lehi But they said to him This phrase refers to the men of Judah speaking to Samson. The context is that Samson has taken refuge in the territory of Judah after his conflict with the Philistines. The men of Judah are acting out of fear of the Philistines, who are oppressing them. This reflects the broader theme in Judges of Israel's repeated cycles of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. “We have come down to arrest you and hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson replied, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.” Persons / Places / Events 1. SamsonA judge of Israel known for his supernatural strength, which was a gift from God. His life was marked by conflict with the Philistines, who were oppressors of Israel during his time. 2. The Men of Judah Fellow Israelites who, out of fear of the Philistines, sought to bind Samson and deliver him to their enemies. This reflects the internal strife and lack of unity among the Israelites. 3. The Philistines A dominant and oppressive group during the time of the Judges, often in conflict with the Israelites. They sought to capture Samson due to his acts against them. 4. Lehi The place where this event occurs, which later becomes significant as the site of Samson's victory over the Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. 5. Binding and Deliverance The act of binding Samson symbolizes the Israelites' submission to their oppressors, while Samson's deliverance foreshadows God's power to free His people. Teaching Points Fear and CompromiseThe men of Judah's willingness to hand over Samson reflects how fear can lead to compromise. Believers are called to trust in God's deliverance rather than succumb to fear. God's Sovereignty Despite human actions and intentions, God's purposes prevail. Samson's account reminds us that God can use even flawed individuals to accomplish His will. Unity Among Believers The internal conflict among the Israelites serves as a warning against division within the body of Christ. Unity is essential for standing against common adversaries. Courage in Adversity Samson's request not to be killed by his own people shows a level of courage and trust in God's plan. Believers are encouraged to stand firm in faith, even when facing betrayal or adversity. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Judges 15:12?2. How does Judges 15:12 demonstrate God's sovereignty in Samson's life circumstances? 3. What can we learn about trust from Samson's response to his fellow Israelites? 4. How does Samson's situation in Judges 15:12 connect to Romans 8:28? 5. How can we apply Samson's faith under pressure to our own challenges? 6. What does Judges 15:12 teach about God's deliverance through unexpected means? 7. Why did the men of Judah bind Samson in Judges 15:12? 8. How does Judges 15:12 reflect on the theme of betrayal? 9. What does Judges 15:12 reveal about the Israelites' relationship with the Philistines? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 15? 11. How do these supernatural elements in Judges 15 align or conflict with other biblical passages or historical sources describing similar events? 12. What is the role of the Tribe of Dan? 13. In Judges 15:4, how could Samson realistically capture 300 foxes and tie torches to their tails without them escaping or injuring him? 14. In Judges 15:4-5, is there any historical or archaeological evidence suggesting that the widespread burning of Philistine fields by torched foxes actually took place? What Does Judges 15:12 Mean But they said to him• Three thousand men of Judah have climbed the rocky stronghold at Etam (Judges 15:11) and now voice their mission. • Their words reveal where their loyalties have settled. Instead of standing with the God–appointed judge, they side with the Philistine occupiers. • Similar moments appear when God’s own people cave to outside pressure: “The men of Keilah will surrender me into his hand” (1 Samuel 23:12), and “Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin… ‘If we let Him go on like this…’” (John 11:47–48). We have come down to arrest you • “Come down” hints at a deliberate, organized descent—no spur-of-the-moment impulse. • The men adopt the language of law enforcement rather than brotherhood. • Fear of reprisal drives them: “The fear of man lays a snare” (Proverbs 29:25). • Contrast with John 18:3, where temple guards “came with lanterns, torches, and weapons” to seize Jesus—another scene where supposed allies cooperate with oppressors. and hand you over to the Philistines • Judah plans to trade Samson for peace, echoing earlier cycles: “He sold them into the hands of their enemies on every side” (Judges 2:14). • Betrayal for the sake of safety foreshadows later betrayals: “So he then handed Him over to be crucified” (John 19:16). • God will still use their capitulation as the stage for deliverance, proving His sovereignty over even cowardly compromises. Samson replied • Samson keeps his composure, neither begging nor threatening. • Prior encounters have shown his readiness to act (Judges 14:19; 15:8), yet here he pauses for a key assurance. • Scripture often highlights calm, reasoned replies amid tension: “A gentle answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1). Swear to me • An oath places the Judahites under accountability before God. • Like Joseph’s brothers swearing to carry his bones (Genesis 50:25), or David and Jonathan binding themselves by covenant (1 Samuel 20:17), Samson seeks a formal guarantee. • Oaths in Scripture underscore truth-telling and covenant faithfulness, reminding the men that God witnesses every word (Ecclesiastes 5:4–5). that you will not kill me yourselves • Samson distinguishes between being delivered and being executed; he will not fight fellow Israelites if they keep their hands clean. • Saul once pleaded, “Swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants” (1 Samuel 24:21); both scenes show a vulnerable request for restraint. • The request also highlights Samson’s confidence: he trusts God’s purpose enough to walk, bound, into enemy lines. summary The men of Judah reveal a tragic willingness to side with their oppressors, yet God’s plan marches on. Samson, confident in the LORD’s calling, seeks only an oath to prevent fratricide. Human fear drives betrayal, but divine purpose transforms it into another opportunity for deliverance. (12) Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.--It seems as if Samson were parleying with them from some point of vantage which he could easily have defended for a time.Verses 12, 13. - We are come down to bind thee. There is something very base in this deliberate agreement with their Philistine masters to deliver up Samson bound into their hands. But it is not very unlike the spirit in which the Hebrews looked upon Moses when he first began to work to rescue them from their Egyptian bondage (Exodus 2:14; Acts 7:25-28). Samson's forbearance towards his own countrymen is commendable. Brought him up - from the deep ravine or cleft in which he was hid. His place of concealment was probably unknown to the Philistines, or may be they had quite a superstitious fear of Samson from their experience of his prowess.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew But they saidוַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ (way·yō·mə·rū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say to him, לוֹ֙ (lōw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's Hebrew “We have come down יָרַ֔דְנוּ (yā·raḏ·nū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend to arrest you לֶאֱסָרְךָ֣ (le·’ĕ·sā·rə·ḵā) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 631: To yoke, hitch, to fasten, to join battle and hand you over to לְתִתְּךָ֖ (lə·ṯit·tə·ḵā) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 5414: To give, put, set the Philistines.” פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים (pə·liš·tîm) Noun - proper - masculine plural Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia Samson שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן (šim·šō·wn) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 8123: Samson -- a deliverer of Israel replied, וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Swear הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ (hiš·šā·ḇə·‘ū) Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear to me לִ֔י (lî) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's Hebrew that פֶּֽן־ (pen-) Conjunction Strong's 6435: Removal, lest you will not kill תִּפְגְּע֥וּן (tip̄·gə·‘ūn) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun Strong's 6293: To impinge, by accident, violence, by importunity me {yourselves}.” בִּ֖י (bî) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's Hebrew Links Judges 15:12 NIVJudges 15:12 NLT Judges 15:12 ESV Judges 15:12 NASB Judges 15:12 KJV Judges 15:12 BibleApps.com Judges 15:12 Biblia Paralela Judges 15:12 Chinese Bible Judges 15:12 French Bible Judges 15:12 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 15:12 They said to him We have come (Jd Judg. 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