Judges 16:13

New King James Version

Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me what you may be bound with." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my head into the web of the loom"--

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me all along and told me lies! Tell me how you can be tied up.”

Hebrew Names Version
Delilah said to Shimshon, Hitherto you have mocked me, and told me lies: tell me with which you might be bound. He said to her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web.

King James Version
And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

Lexham English Bible
And Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me and told lies to me. Tell me how you can be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave seven locks of my head with warp-threads."

English Standard Version
Then Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me how you might be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak and be like any other man."

New Century Version
Then Delilah said to Samson, "Again you have made a fool of me. You lied to me. Tell me how someone can tie you up." He said, "Using the loom, weave the seven braids of my hair into the cloth, and tighten it with a pin. Then I will be as weak as any other man." While Samson slept, Delilah wove the seven braids of his hair into the cloth.

New English Translation
Delilah said to Samson, "Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies. Tell me how you can be subdued." He said to her, "If you weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on the loom and secure it with the pin, I will become weak and be like any other man."

Amplified Bible
Then Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me and told me lies; tell me [truthfully] with what you may be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven braids of my hair with the web and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man."

New American Standard Bible
Then Delilah said to Samson, "Up to now you have toyed with me and told me lies; tell me how you may be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my hair with the web [and fasten it with the pin, then I will be weak like any other man."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Afterward Delilah said to Samson, Hitherto thou hast beguiled mee, and tolde me lies: tell me how thou mightest be bounde. And he sayde vnto her, If thou plattedst seuen lockes of mine head with the threedes of the woufe.

Legacy Standard Bible
En Delíla sê vir Simson: Tot nou toe het jy my bedrieg en vir my leuens vertel; vertel my waarmee jy gebind kan word. En hy antwoord haar: As jy die sewe haarvlegsels van my hoof met die weefsel saam invleg.

Contemporary English Version
"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."

Complete Jewish Bible
D'lilah said to Shimshon, "Till now you've been making fun of me and telling me lies. Tell me what it takes to tie you up." He said, "If you weave the seven locks of my hair across thread on a loom."

Darby Translation
And Delilah said to Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me and told me lies. Tell me with what thou mightest be bound. And he said to her, If thou shouldest weave the seven locks of my head with the web.

Easy-to-Read Version
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."

George Lamsa Translation
And Delilah said to Samson, Behold you have deceived me and told me lies; tell me with what you might be bound. And he said to her, If you weave the seven locks of my head into a web.

Good News Translation
Delilah said to Samson, "You're still making a fool of me and not telling me the truth. Tell me how someone could tie you up." He told her, "If you weave my seven locks of hair into a loom, and make it tight with a peg, I'll be as weak as anybody else."

Literal Translation
And Delilah said to Samson, Until now you have trifled with me, and have told me lies. Tell me with what you may be bound. And he said to her, If you weave the seven braids of my head with a web.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Dalila sayde vnto him: Yet hast thou begyled me & dessembled wt me: O tell me yet, wherwithall mightest thou be bounde? He answered her: Yf thou playtest seue hayrie lockes of my heade together in a fyllet,

American Standard Version
And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

Bible in Basic English
Then Delilah said to Samson, Up to now you have made sport of me with false words; now say truly, how may you be put in bands? And he said to her, If you get the seven twists of my hair worked into the cloth you are making and fixed with the pin, I will become feeble and will be like any other man.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dalila sayde vnto Samson, Hytherto thou hast beguyled me, and tolde me lyes: Yet tell me howe thou myghtest be bounde. He sayde vnto her: Yf thou plattest the seuen lockes of my head with the threades of the wooffe.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Delilah said unto Samson: 'Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies; tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound.' And he said unto her: 'If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.'

King James Version (1611)
And Delilah said vnto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said vnto her, If thou weauest the seuen lockes of my head with the web.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Dalida said to Sampson, Behold, thou hast deceived me, and told me lies; tell me, I intreat thee, wherewith thou mayest be bound: and he said to her, If thou shouldest weave the seven locks of my head with the web, and shouldest fasten them with the pin into the wall, then shall I be weak as another man.

English Revised Version
And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Delilah said to Samson, "You have mocked me and lied to me all along! Tell me how you can be tied up." He told her, "If you weave the seven braids of my head into the web of a loom and fasten it with a pin, I will become as weak as any other man."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Dalida seide eft to hym, Hou long schalt thou disseyue me, and schalt speke fals? Schew thou to me, with what thing thou schalt be boundun. To whom Sampson answeryde, he seide, If thou plattist seuene heeris of myn heed with a strong boond, and fastnest to the erthe a naile boundun a boute with these, Y schal be feble.

Young's Literal Translation
And Delilah saith unto Samson, `Hitherto thou hast played upon me, and dost speak unto me lies; declare to me wherewith thou art bound.' And he saith unto her, `If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.'

Update Bible Version
And Delilah said to Samson, Until now you have mocked me, and told me lies: tell me with which you might be bound. And he said to her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web, and fasten them with the pin on the loom, I shall become weak as any man.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Delilah said to Samson, hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me with what thou mayest be bound. And he said to her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

World English Bible
Delilah said to Samson, Hitherto you have mocked me, and told me lies: tell me with which you might be bound. He said to her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web.

New Living Translation
Then Delilah said, "You've been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now tell me how you can be tied up securely." Samson replied, "If you were to weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on your loom and tighten it with the loom shuttle, I would become as weak as anyone else." So while he slept, Delilah wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric.

New Life Bible
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."

New Revised Standard
Then Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me and told me lies; tell me how you could be bound." He said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and make it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak, and be like anyone else."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Delilah said unto Samson - Hitherto, hast thou been laughing at me, and speaking unto me falsehoods, do tell me, wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weave the seven braids of my head with the warp.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Dalila said to him again: How long dost thou deceive me, and tell me lies? Shew me wherewith thou mayest be bound. And Samson answered her: If thou plattest the seven locks of my head with a lace, and tying them round about a nail, fastenest it in the ground, I shall be weak.

Revised Standard Version
And Deli'lah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me, and told me lies; tell me how you might be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and make it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man."

THE MESSAGE
Delilah said to Samson, "You're still playing games with me, teasing me with lies. Tell me how you can be tied up." He said to her, "If you wove the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on the loom and drew it tight, then I would be as helpless as any other mortal." When she had him fast asleep, Delilah took the seven braids of his hair and wove them into the fabric on the loom and drew it tight. Then she said, "The Philistines are on you, Samson!" He woke from his sleep and ripped loose from both the loom and fabric!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Delilah said to Samson, "Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies; tell me how you may be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my hair with the web [and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man."

Contextual Overview

⁴ Afterward it happened that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. ⁵ And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, "Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver." ⁶ So Delilah said to Samson, "Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you." ⁷ 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." ⁸ So the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings, not yet dried, and she bound him with them. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ Then Delilah said to Samson, "Look, you have mocked me and told me lies. Now, please tell me what you may be bound with." ¹¹ 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." ¹² Therefore Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And men were lying in wait, staying in the room. But he broke them off his arms like a thread. ¹³ Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me what you may be bound with." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my head into the web of the loom"--

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

with the web: It is evident that this verse ends abruptly, and does not contain a full sense. Houbigant has particularly noticed this, and corrected the text from the Septuagint, which adds after these words:

ךבי ודךסןץףחע פש נבףףבכש ויע פןם פןיקןם, ךבי וףןלבי שע ויע פשם בםטסשנשם בףטוםחע ךבי ודוםופן ום פש ךןילבףטבי בץפןם ךבי וכבגו בכיהב פבע ונפב ףויסבע פחע ךוצבכחע בץפןץ, ךבי ץצבםום ום פש היבףלבפי, ך.פ.כ.

"and shall fasten them with the pin in the wall, I shall become weak like other men, and so it was, that when he slept, Dalida took the seven locks of his head, and wove them with the web," etc. This is absolutely necessary to complete the sense; else Delilah would appear to do something she was not ordered to do, and to omit what she was commanded. Dr. Kennicott very judiciously observes, that the omission, for such it appears to be, begins and ends with the same word; and that the same word occurring in different places, is a very common cause of omission in Hebrew manuscripts. Judges 16:13

Reciprocal: Judges 14:17 - she lay Judges 16:10 - now tell me

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.

Genesis 16:5
Then Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me."

Genesis 16:7
Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.

Genesis 16:9
The Angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand."

Genesis 16:10
Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude."

Genesis 16:12
He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."

Genesis 22:14
And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; [fn] as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of The Lord it shall be provided."

Genesis 28:17
And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"

Genesis 31:42
Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night."

Judges 6:24
So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace. [fn] To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Delilah said unto Samson,.... At another time, when she thought it most proper to upbraid him with his deception of her:

hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies; both the times that she had solicited him to impart the secret of his strength to her:

tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound; tell me the real truth, and deceive me no more:

and he said unto her, if thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web; it seems that Samson's hair was parted into seven locks, which no doubt hung down very long; and now he tells her, that if these were interwoven with the warp which was upon the beam in a loom near by; perhaps in the same room, where Delilah used to weave, as was the custom of those times, and in various nations a; his strength would be weakened; for Braunius b is mistaken in supposing this to be the beam about which the web was rolled, as he is also in the pin next mentioned, which he takes to be the "spatha", or lathe, with which the threads are knocked together.

a "Arguto conjux", &c. Virgil. Georgie. l. 1. v. 294. So Penelope in Homer, Minerva & Arachne in Ovid. Metamorph. l. 6. fab. 1. v. 55, &c. Vid. Pignorium de servis, p. 418. Braunium de Vest. Sacerd. Hebr. l. 1. c. 17. sect. 33. b "De Vest". Sacerd. Hebr. l. 1. c. 16. sect. 8.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 16:13. The seven locks of my head — Probably Samson had his long hair plaited into seven divisions, and as his vow of a Nazarite obliged him to wear his hair, so, seven being a number of perfection among the Hebrews, his hair being divided into seven locks might more particularly point out the perfection designed by his Nazarite state.

Every person must see that this verse ends abruptly, and does not contain a full sense. Houbigant has particularly noticed this, and corrected the text from the Septuagint, the reading of which I shall here subjoin:

Εαν ὑφανῃς τας ἑπτα σειρας της κεφαλης μον αυν τῳ διασματι, και εγκρουσῃς τῳ πασσαλῳ εις τον τοιχον, και εσομαι ὡς εἱς των ανθρωπων ασθενης· Και εγενετο εν τῳ κοιμασθαι αυτον, και ελαβε Δαλιδα τας ἑπτα σειρας της κεφαλης αυτου, και ὑφανεν εν τῳ διασματι, και επηξε τῳ πασσαλῳ εις τον τοιχον;

"If thou shalt weave the seven locks of my head with the web, and shalt fasten them with the pin in the wall, I shall become weak like other men: And so it was that, when he slept, Dalida took the seven locks of his head, and wove them with the web, and fastened it with the pin to the wall and said unto him," c.

All the words printed here in italic, are wanting in the present Hebrew copies but are preserved in the Septuagint, and are most obviously necessary to complete the sense; else Delilah appears to do something that she is not ordered to do, and to omit what she was commanded.