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Easy-to-Read Version

Judges 16:11

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."

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.
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 Later, Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who was from Sorek Valley. 5 The rulers of the Philistines went to Delilah and said, "We want to know what makes Samson so strong. Try to trick him into telling you his secret. Then we will know how to capture him and tie him up. Then we will be able to control him. If you do this, each one of us will give you 28 pounds of silver." 6 So Delilah said to Samson, "Tell me why you are so strong. How could someone tie you up and make you helpless?" 7 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." 8 Then the rulers of the Philistines brought seven fresh, new bowstrings to Delilah, and she tied Samson with the bowstrings. 9 Some men were hiding in the next room. Delilah said to Samson, "Samson, the Philistine men are going to capture you!" But Samson easily broke the bowstrings. They snapped like a string when it comes too close to a flame. So the Philistines did not find out the secret of Samson's strength. 10 Then Delilah said to Samson, "You lied to me. You made me look foolish. Please tell me the truth. How could someone tie you up?" 11 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." 12 So Delilah took some new ropes and tied up Samson. Some men were hiding in the next room. Then Delilah called out to him, "Samson, the Philistine men are going to capture you!" But he broke the ropes easily as if they were threads. 13 Then Delilah said to Samson, "You lied to me again. You made me look foolish. Now, tell me how someone could tie you up." Samson said, "If you use the loom to weave the seven braids of hair on my head and tighten it with a pin, I will become as weak as 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
God said, "No, I said that your wife Sarah will have a son. You will name him Isaac. I will make my agreement with him that will continue forever with all his descendants.
Exodus 3:7
Then the Lord said, "I have seen the troubles my people have suffered in Egypt, and I have heard their cries when the Egyptians hurt them. I know about their pain.
Exodus 3:9
I have heard the cries of the Israelites, and I have seen the way the Egyptians have made life hard for them.
1 Samuel 1:20
By that time the following year, Hannah had become pregnant and had a son. She named him Samuel. She said, "His name is Samuel because I asked the Lord for him."
Job 38:41
Who feeds the ravens when their babies cry out to God and wander around without food?
Psalms 22:24
He does not ignore those who need help. He does not hate them. He does not turn away from them. He listens when they cry for help.
Isaiah 7:14
But the Lord will still show you this sign: The young woman is pregnant and will give birth to a son. She will name him Immanuel.
Luke 1:13
But the angel said to him, "Zechariah, don't be afraid. Your prayer has been heard by God. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a baby boy, and you will name him John.
Luke 1:31
Listen! You will become pregnant and have a baby boy. You will name him Jesus.
Luke 1:63
Zechariah asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, "His name is John." Everyone was surprised.

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.


 
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