Judges 16:7

Updated 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.

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.

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."

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.'

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 And it came to pass afterward, 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 see wherein his great strength lies, and how we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will each give you eleven hundred [pieces] of silver. ⁶ And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray you, wherein your great strength lies, and with which you might be bound to afflict you. ⁷ 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. ⁸ Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. ⁹ Now she had ambushers abiding in the inner chamber. And she said to him, The Philistines are on you, Samson. And he broke the withes, as a string of flax is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength wasn't known. ¹⁰ And Delilah said to Samson, Look, you have mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray you, with which you might be bound. ¹¹ 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. ¹² So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said to him, The Philistines are on you, Samson. And the ambushers were abiding in the inner chamber. And he broke them off his arms like a thread. ¹³ 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.

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
And Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur. And he sojourned in Gerar.

Genesis 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad. And the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, What ails you, Hagar? Don't be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.

Genesis 22:11
And the angel of Yahweh called to him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here I am.

Genesis 22:15
And the angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,

Genesis 25:18
And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He abode across from all his brothers.

Genesis 31:11
And the angel of God said to me in the dream, Jacob: and I said, Here I am.

Exodus 15:22
And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

1 Samuel 15:7
And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt.

Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of Yahweh are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

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.