Lectionary Calendar
Friday, May 2nd, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Judges 16:11

Samson answered, "Use some new ropes. If I'm tied up with ropes that have never been used, I'll be just as weak as anyone else."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Art;   Conspiracy;   Deception;   Delilah;   Friends;   Samson;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Arts of the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Delilah;   Gaza or Azzah;   Harosheth of the Gentiles;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Delilah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gaza;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Judges, Book of;   Samson;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Levi;   Philistines;   Samson;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Delilah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Delilah;   Gaza;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Del'ilah,;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Grief;   Occupy;   Samson;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Delilah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He told her, “If they tie me up with new ropes that have never been used, I will become weak and be like any other man.”
Hebrew Names Version
He said to her, If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.
King James Version
And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
Lexham English Bible
He said to her, "If they tie me tightly with new ropes that have not been used, I will become weak and be like everyone else."
English Standard Version
And he said to her, "If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak and be like any other man."
New Century Version
Samson said, "They would have to tie me with new ropes that have not been used before. Then I would become as weak as any other man."
New English Translation
He said to her, "If they tie me tightly with brand new ropes that have never been used, I will become weak and be just like any other man."
Amplified Bible
He said to her, "If they bind me tightly with new ropes that have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any [other] man."
New American Standard Bible
Then he said to her, "If they bind me tightly with new ropes which have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he answered her, If they binde mee with newe ropes that neuer were occupied, then shal I be weake, and be as an other man.
Legacy Standard Bible
En hy antwoord haar: As hulle my stewig vasbind met nuwe toue waarmee geen werk gedoen is nie, dan sal ek swak word en wees soos 'n ander mens.
Complete Jewish Bible
"All it takes," he answered, "is to tie me up with new ropes that haven't been used. Then I'll become weak and be like anyone else."
Darby Translation
And he said to her, If they should bind me fast with new ropes, with which no work has been done, then should I be weak, and be as another man.
Easy-to-Read Version
Samson said, "Someone would have to tie me up with new ropes. They would have to tie me with ropes that have not been used before. If someone did that, I would become as weak as any other man."
George Lamsa Translation
And he said to her, If they bind me fast with new chains that never were used, then shall I be weak and be like any other man.
Good News Translation
He told her, "If they tie me with new ropes that have never been used, I'll be as weak as anybody else."
Literal Translation
And he said to her, If binding they bind me with new ropes, by which no work has been done, then I shall be weak and shall be as any man.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He answered her: Yf they bounde me with new coardes, wherwith no labor hath bene done, I shulde be feble, & as another man.
American Standard Version
And he said unto her, If they only bind me with new ropes wherewith no work hath been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.
Bible in Basic English
And he said to her, If they only put round me new thick cords which have never been used, then I will become feeble and will be like any other man.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He aunswered her: Yf they bynde me with newe ropes that neuer were occupied, I shall be weake, and be as an other man.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said unto her: 'If they only bind me with new ropes wherewith no work hath been done, then shall I become weak, and be as any other man.'
King James Version (1611)
And he said vnto her, If they bind me fast with newe ropes that neuer were occupied, then shall I bee weake, and be as another man.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to her, If they should bind me fast with new ropes with which work has not been done, then shall I be weak, and shall be as another man.
English Revised Version
And he said unto her, If they only bind me with new ropes wherewith no work hath been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.
Berean Standard Bible
He replied, "If they tie me up with new ropes that have never been used, I will become as weak as any other man."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom he answeride, If Y be boundun with newe coordis, that weren not yit in werk, I schal be feble, and lijk othere men.
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith unto her, `If they certainly bind me with thick bands, new ones, by which work hath not been done, then I have been weak, and have been as one of the human race.'
Update Bible Version
And he said to her, If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then I shall become weak, and be as one of man.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were used, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
World English Bible
He said to her, If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.
New King James Version
So he said to her, "If they bind me securely with new ropes that have never been used, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man."
New Living Translation
Samson replied, "If I were tied up with brand-new ropes that had never been used, I would become as weak as anyone else."
New Life Bible
Samson said to her, "They must tie me with new ropes which have never been used. Then I will become weak and be like any other man."
New Revised Standard
He said to her, "If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak, and be like anyone else."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said unto her, If they, bind me fast, with new ropes, wherewith work was never done, then shall I become weak, and be as any other man.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he answered her: If I shall be bound with new ropes, that were never in work, I shall be weak and like other men.
Revised Standard Version
And he said to her, "If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man."
THE MESSAGE
He told her, "If you were to tie me up tight with new ropes, ropes never used for work, then I would be helpless, just like anybody else."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He said to her, "If they bind me tightly with new ropes which have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man."

Contextual Overview

4 Some time later, Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in Sorek Valley. 5 The Philistine rulers went to Delilah and said, "Trick Samson into telling you what makes him so strong and what can make him weak. Then we can tie him up so he can't get away. If you find out his secret, we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver." 6 The next time Samson was at Delilah's house, she asked, "Samson, what makes you so strong? How can I tie you up so you can't get away? Come on, you can tell me." 7 Samson answered, "If someone ties me up with seven new bowstrings that have never been dried, it will make me just as weak as anyone else." 8The Philistine rulers gave seven new bowstrings to Delilah. They also told some of their soldiers to go to Delilah's house and hide in the room where Samson and Delilah were. If the bowstrings made Samson weak, they would be able to capture him. Delilah tied up Samson with the bowstrings and shouted, "Samson, the Philistines are attacking!" Samson snapped the bowstrings, as though they were pieces of scorched string. The Philistines had not found out why Samson was so strong. 10 "You lied and made me look like a fool," Delilah said. "Now tell me. How can I really tie you up?" 11 Samson answered, "Use some new ropes. If I'm tied up with ropes that have never been used, I'll be just as weak as anyone else." 12 Delilah got new ropes and again had some Philistines hide in the room. Then she tied up Samson's arms and shouted, "Samson, the Philistines are attacking!" Samson snapped the ropes as if they were threads. 13 "You're still lying and making a fool of me," Delilah said. "Tell me how I can tie you up!" "My hair is in seven braids," Samson replied. "If you weave my braids into the threads on a loom and nail the loom to a wall, then I will be as weak as anyone else." 14 While Samson was asleep, Delilah wove his braids into the threads on a loom and nailed the loom to a wall. Then she shouted, "Samson, the Philistines are attacking!" Samson woke up and pulled the loom free from its posts in the ground and from the nails in the wall. Then he pulled his hair free from the woven cloth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

If they bind me: Proverbs 13:3, Proverbs 13:5, Proverbs 29:25, Ephesians 4:25

that never: etc. Heb. wherewith work hath not been done

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
But God answered: No! You and Sarah will have a son. His name will be Isaac, and I will make an everlasting promise to him and his descendants.
Exodus 3:7
The Lord said: I have seen how my people are suffering as slaves in Egypt, and I have heard them beg for my help because of the way they are being mistreated. I feel sorry for them,
Exodus 3:9
My people have begged for my help, and I have seen how cruel the Egyptians are to them.
1 Samuel 1:20
with a son. She named him Samuel because she had asked the Lord for him.
Job 38:41
And when starving young ravens cry out to me for food, do you satisfy their hunger?
Psalms 22:24
The Lord doesn't hate or despise the helpless in all of their troubles. When I cried out, he listened and did not turn away.
Isaiah 7:14
But the Lord will still give you proof. A virgin is pregnant; she will have a son and will name him Immanuel.
Luke 1:13
But the angel told him: Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John.
Luke 1:31
and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus.
Luke 1:63
Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, "His name is John." Everyone was amazed.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto her,.... Abarbinel presents Samson replying to her, that he had told her the truth at first, only forgot one circumstance, that the "cords", for so he takes the word for "withs" to signify, should be "new", such as were never used, as follows:

if they bind me fast with new ropes, that never were occupied; the word signifies thick ropes, which, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, were trebled, or made of three cords twisted together, and those such as were just made, and had never been put to any use, and so strong and firm:

then shall I be weak, and be as another man; see Judges 16:7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Occupied - The margin, “wherewith work hath not been done,” is better.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 16:11. If they bind me fast with new ropes — Samson wishes to keep up the opinion which the Philistines held; viz., that his mighty strength was the effect of some charm; and therefore he says, Seven green withs which had not been dried; new ropes that were never occupied; weave the seven locks of my hair with the web, c. the green withs, the new ropes, and the number seven, are such matters as would naturally be expected in a charm or spell.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile