Judges 16:9
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
She had hidden some men in one of the inner rooms of her house, and she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson snapped the bowstrings as a piece of string snaps when it is burned by a fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.

English Standard Version
Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

Berean Standard Bible
While the men were hidden in her room, she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he snapped the bowstrings like a strand of yarn seared by a flame. So the source of his strength remained unknown.

King James Bible
Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

New King James Version
Now men were lying in wait, staying with her in the room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he broke the bowstrings as a strand of yarn breaks when it touches fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

New American Standard Bible
Now she had men prepared for an ambush in an inner room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he tore the tendons to pieces just like a thread of flax is torn apart when it comes too close to fire. So his strength was not discovered.

NASB 1995
Now she had men lying in wait in an inner room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the cords as a string of tow snaps when it touches fire. So his strength was not discovered.

NASB 1977
Now she had men lying in wait in an inner room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the cords as a string of tow snaps when it touches fire. So his strength was not discovered.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now she had men lying in wait, sitting in an inner room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the cords as a string of tinder snaps when it touches fire. So his strength was still not known.

Amplified Bible
Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he broke the cords as a string of tow breaks when it touches fire. So [the secret of] his strength was not discovered.

Christian Standard Bible
While the men in ambush were waiting in her room, she called out to him, “Samson, the Philistines are here! ” But he snapped the bowstrings as a strand of yarn snaps when it touches fire. The secret of his strength remained unknown.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
While the men in ambush were waiting in her room, she called out to him, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he snapped the bowstrings as a strand of yarn snaps when it touches fire. The secret of his strength remained unknown.

American Standard Version
Now she had liers-in-wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withes, as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the ambush waited for him in an inner room, and she said to him: “The Philistines have come upon you, Samson!” And he broke off the strings like a cord of linen is broken whenever it smells of fire, and his power was not shaken

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the liers in wait remained with her in the chamber; and she said to him, the Philistines are upon thee, Sampson: and he broke the cords as if any one should break a thread of tow when it has touched the fire, and his strength was not known.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Men lying privately in wait with her, and in the chamber expecting the event of the thing, and she cried out to him: The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he broke the bands, as a man would break a thread of tow twined with spittle, when it smelleth the fire: so it was not known wherein his strength Jay.

English Revised Version
Now she had liers in wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withes, as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Some men were hiding in the bedroom waiting for her [to tie him up]. Then she said to him, "Samson, the Philistines are attacking!" Samson snapped the bowstrings as a thread snaps when it touches fire. So no one found out why he was so strong.

Good News Translation
She had some men waiting in another room, so she shouted, "Samson! The Philistines are coming!" But he snapped the bowstrings just as thread breaks when fire touches it. So they still did not know the secret of his strength.

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, some kidnappers were hiding inside an inner room, waiting for her signal. So she told him, "The Philistines are attacking you!" But he snapped the cords as one might break a burned candle wick. So his secret remained undiscovered.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Now she had liers-in-wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him: 'The Philistines are upon thee, Samson.' And he broke the bowstrings as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

Literal Standard Version
And the ambush is abiding with her in an inner chamber, and she says to him, “Philistines [are] on you, Samson!” And he breaks the cords as a thread of tow is broken in its touching fire, and his power has not been known.

Majority Standard Bible
While the men were hidden in her room, she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he snapped the bowstrings like a strand of yarn seared by a flame. So the source of his strength remained unknown.

New American Bible
She had men lying in wait in the room, and she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings as a thread of tow is snapped by a whiff of flame; and his strength remained unexplained.

NET Bible
They hid in the bedroom and then she said to him, "The Philistines are here, Samson!" He snapped the bowstrings as easily as a thread of yarn snaps when it is put close to fire. The secret of his strength was not discovered.

New Revised Standard Version
While men were lying in wait in an inner chamber, she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings, as a strand of fiber snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

New Heart English Bible
Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room. She said to him, "The Philistines are on you, Samson." He broke the cords, as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.

Webster's Bible Translation
(Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber.) And she said to him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he broke the withs as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

World English Bible
Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room. She said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He broke the cords as a flax thread is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.

Young's Literal Translation
And the ambush is abiding with her in an inner chamber, and she saith unto him, 'Philistines are upon thee, Samson;' and he breaketh the withs as a thread of tow is broken in its smelling fire, and his power hath not been known.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Samson and Delilah
8So the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him up with them. 9While the men were hidden in her room, she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he snapped the bowstrings like a strand of yarn seared by a flame. So the source of his strength remained unknown. 10Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and lied to me! Now please tell me how you can be tied up.”…

Cross References
Judges 16:7
Samson told her, "If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become as weak as any other man."

Judges 16:8
So the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him up with them.

Judges 16:10
Then Delilah said to Samson, "You have mocked me and lied to me! Now please tell me how you can be tied up."


Treasury of Scripture

Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said to him, The Philistines be on you, Samson. And he broke the thongs, as a thread of wick is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.

toucheth.

Psalm 58:9
Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

Jump to Previous
Abiding Ambush Bowstrings Brake Broke Broken Chamber Close Cords Easily Hidden Inner Lying Philistines Piece Room Samson Secret Snapped Strength String Thongs Thread Touched Touches Toucheth Tow Twist Wait Waiting Withes Withs
Jump to Next
Abiding Ambush Bowstrings Brake Broke Broken Chamber Close Cords Easily Hidden Inner Lying Philistines Piece Room Samson Secret Snapped Strength String Thongs Thread Touched Touches Toucheth Tow Twist Wait Waiting Withes Withs
Judges 16
1. Samson at Gaza escapes, and carries away the gates of the city
4. Delilah corrupted by the Philistines, entices Samson
6. Thrice she is deceived
15. At last she overcomes him
21. The Philistines take him, and put out his eyes
22. His strength renewing, he pulls down the house upon the Philistines and dies














(9) Men lying in wait.--Literally, and the spy sat in the room for her, i.e., to help her. It is doubtful whether there was more than one spy, who could be easily concealed. It is implied that she bound Samson while he slept, as in Judges 16:19.

When it toucheth the fire.--Literally, when it smelleth the fire. (See Note on Judges 15:14.) So in Job 14:9 : "through the scent of water it will bud." Of course the writer leaves us to infer that the spy or spies did not appear, seeing that the plan had failed.

Verse 9. - There were men lying in wait - literally, and the liers in wait were abiding for her in the chamber. She had hid some three or four men in the chamber unknown to Samson, that they might be ready to fall upon him should his strength really have departed from him. The word for liers in wait is in the singular number, but is to be taken collectively, as in Judges 20:33, 36-38. In Judges 20:37 it is joined to a plural verb. It is to be presumed that through some concerted signal the liers in wait did not discover themselves.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
While the men
וְהָאֹרֵ֗ב (wə·hā·’ō·rêḇ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 693: To lie in wait

were hidden
יֹשֵׁ֥ב (yō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in her
לָהּ֙ (lāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

room,
בַּחֶ֔דֶר (ba·ḥe·ḏer)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2315: A chamber, room

she called out,
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Samson,
שִׁמְשׁ֑וֹן (šim·šō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8123: Samson -- a deliverer of Israel

the Philistines [are]
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֥ים (pə·liš·tîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia

here!”
עָלֶ֖יךָ (‘ā·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

But he snapped
וַיְנַתֵּק֙ (way·nat·têq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5423: To pull, draw, or tear away, apart, or off

the bowstrings
הַיְתָרִ֔ים (hay·ṯā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3499: An overhanging, an excess, superiority, remainder, a small rope

like
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

a strand
פְּתִֽיל־ (pə·ṯîl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6616: Cord, thread

of yarn
הַנְּעֹ֙רֶת֙ (han·nə·‘ō·reṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5296: Something shaken out, tow

breaks
יִנָּתֵ֤ק (yin·nā·ṯêq)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5423: To pull, draw, or tear away, apart, or off

when it touches
בַּהֲרִיח֣וֹ (ba·hă·rî·ḥōw)
Preposition-b | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7306: Accept, smell, touch, make of quick understanding

the flame.
אֵ֔שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

So the source of his strength
כֹּחֽוֹ׃ (kō·ḥōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species)

remained unknown.
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no


Links
Judges 16:9 NIV
Judges 16:9 NLT
Judges 16:9 ESV
Judges 16:9 NASB
Judges 16:9 KJV

Judges 16:9 BibleApps.com
Judges 16:9 Biblia Paralela
Judges 16:9 Chinese Bible
Judges 16:9 French Bible
Judges 16:9 Catholic Bible

OT History: Judges 16:9 Now she had an ambush waiting (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 16:8
Top of Page
Top of Page