Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 15th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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

New Life Version

Judges 16:11

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."

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.
Contemporary English Version
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."
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 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 After this Samson loved a woman in the valley of Sorek. Her name was Delilah. 5 The leaders of the Philistines came to her, saying, "Tempt Samson to tell you the secret of his powerful strength. Find out how we can get power over him so we can tie him and hold him. Then we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver." 6 So Delilah said to Samson, "I beg you. Tell me the secret of your powerful strength. Tell me how one can get power over you and tie you up and hold you." 7 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." 8 So the leaders of the Philistines brought her seven new ropes that had not been dried. And Delilah tied Samson with them. 9 She had men hiding and waiting in another room. She said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he broke the ropes like a string breaks when it touches fire. So they did not find the secret of his strength. 10 Delilah said to Samson, "See, you have fooled me and told me lies. Now tell me, I beg you, how can you be tied?" 11 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." 12 So Delilah took new ropes, tied Samson with them, and said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" Men were hiding and waiting in another room. But Samson broke the ropes from his arms like a string. 13 Then Delilah said to Samson, "You have fooled me and told me lies until now. Tell me how you can be tied." Samson said to her, "You must work the seven strings of my hair into the cloth you are making and hold it there with a nail. Then I will become weak and be like any other man."

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 said, "No, but your wife Sarah will give birth to your son. And you will give him the name Isaac. I will make My agreement with him and for his children after him, an agreement that will last forever.
Exodus 3:7
The Lord said, "I have seen the suffering of My people in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of the men who make them work. I know how they suffer.
Exodus 3:9
Now the cry of the people of Israel has come to Me. I have seen what power the Egyptians use to make it hard for them.
1 Samuel 1:20
The Lord made it possible for her to have a child, and when the time came she gave birth to a son. She gave him the name Samuel, saying, "I have asked the Lord for him."
Job 38:41
Who gets the food ready for the raven, when its young cry to God and go about without food?
Psalms 22:24
For He has not turned away from the suffering of the one in pain or trouble. He has not hidden His face from him. But He has heard his cry for help.
Isaiah 7:14
So the Lord Himself will give you a special thing to see: A young woman, who has never had a man, will give birth to a son. She will give Him the name Immanuel.
Luke 1:13
The angel said to him, "Zacharias, do not be afraid. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son. You are to name him John.
Luke 1:31
See! You are to become a mother and have a Son. You are to give Him the name Jesus.
Luke 1:63
He asked for something to write on. He wrote, "His name is John." They were all surprised and wondered about it.

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