Judges 16:7

Contemporary English Version

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."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
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.”

Hebrew Names Version
Shimshon 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.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
Samson said to her, "If you tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that are not dried up, I will become weak like everyone else."

English Standard Version
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 Century Version
Samson answered, "Someone would have to tie me up with seven new bowstrings that have not been dried. Then I would be as weak as any other man."

New English Translation
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."

Amplified Bible
Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh cords (tendons) that have not been dried, then I will be weak and be like any [other] man."

New American Standard Bible
And Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh animal tendons that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Samson then answered vnto her, If they binde mee with seuen greene cordes, that were neuer dryed, then shall I bee weake, and be as an other man.

Legacy Standard Bible
En Simson sê vir haar: As hulle my bind met sewe vars lyne wat nie uitgedroog is nie, dan sal ek swak word en wees soos 'n ander mens.

Complete Jewish Bible
Shimshon replied, "If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have never been dried, I will become as weak as any other man."

Darby Translation
And Samson said to her, If they should bind me with seven fresh cords which have not been dried, then should I be weak, and be as another man.

Easy-to-Read Version
Samson answered, "Someone would have to tie me up with seven fresh, new bowstrings. If someone did that, I would be as weak as any other man."

George Lamsa Translation
And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that were never dried, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.

Good News Translation
Samson answered, "If they tie me up with seven new bowstrings that are not dried out, I'll be as weak as anybody else."

Literal Translation
And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green bowstrings which have not been dried, then I shall be weak and shall be as any man.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Samson sayde vnto her: Yf I were bounde with seue roapes of fresh senowes, which are not yet dryed vp, I shulde be weake, and 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.

Bible in Basic English
And Samson said to her, If seven new bow-cords which have never been made dry are knotted round me, I will become feeble and will be like any other man.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Samson aunswered vnto her: Yf they binde me with seuen greene wythes that were neuer dryed, I shalbe weake, and be as an other man.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Samson said unto her: 'If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as any other man.'

King James Version (1611)
And Samson said vnto her, If they binde mee with seuen greene withs, that were neuer dried, then shall I be weake, and be as another man.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Sampson said to her, If they bind me with seven moist cords that have not been spoiled, then shall I be weak and be as one of ordinary men.

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.

Berean Standard Bible
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."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom Sampson answeride, If Y be boundun with seuene coordis of senewis not yit drye `and yit moiste, Y schal be feble as othere men.

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.'

Update Bible Version
And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then I shall become weak, and be as one of 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.

New King James Version
And Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings, not yet dried, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man."

New Living Translation
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."

New Life Bible
Samson said to her, "They must tie me with seven new ropes that have not been dried. Then I will become weak and be like any other man."

New Revised Standard
Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that are not dried out, then I shall become weak, and be like anyone else."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green cords, that have not been dried, then shall I become weak, and be as any other 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.

Revised Standard Version
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."

THE MESSAGE
Samson told her, "If they were to tie me up with seven bowstrings—the kind made from fresh animal tendons, not dried out—then I would become weak, just like anyone else."

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."

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: Judges 16:10, 1 Samuel 19:17, 1 Samuel 21:2, 1 Samuel 21:3, 1 Samuel 27:10, Proverbs 12:19, Proverbs 17:7, Romans 3:8, Galatians 6:7, Colossians 3:9

green withs: or, new cords, Heb. moist

another: Heb. one.

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Abraham moved to the Southern Desert, where he settled between Kadesh and Shur. Later he went to Gerar, and while there

Genesis 21:17
When God heard the boy crying, the angel of God called out to Hagar from heaven and said, "Hagar, why are you worried? Don't be afraid. I have heard your son crying.

Genesis 22:11
But the Lord 's angel shouted from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am!" he answered.

Genesis 22:15
The Lord 's angel called out from heaven a second time:

Genesis 31:11
Then God's angel called me by name. I answered,

Exodus 15:22
After the Israelites left the Red Sea, Moses led them through the Shur Desert for three days, before finding water.

1 Samuel 15:7
and Saul attacked the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur, which is just east of Egypt.

Proverbs 15:3
The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.

Gill's Notes on the 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 16:7. Seven green withs — That is, any kind of pliant, tough wood, twisted in the form of a cord or rope. Such are used in many countries formed out of osiers, hazel, c. And in Ireland, very long and strong ropes are made of the fibres of bog-wood, or the larger roots of the fir, which is often dug up in the bogs or mosses of that country. But the Septuagint, by translating the Hebrew יתרים לחים yetharim lachim by νευραις ὑγραις, and the Vulgate by nerviceis funibus, understand these bonds to be cords made of the nerves of cattle, or perhaps rather out of raw hides, these also making an exceedingly strong cord. In some countries they take the skin of the horse, cut it lengthwise from the hide into thongs about two inches broad, and after having laid them in salt for some time, take them out for use. This practice is frequent in the country parts of Ireland and both customs, the wooden cord, and that made of the raw or green hide, are among the most ancient perhaps in the world. Among the Irish peasantry this latter species of cord is called the tug and is chiefly used for agricultural purposes, particularly for drawing the plough and the harrow, instead of the iron chains used in other countries.