Judges 16 · Verse 7

Judges 16:7

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.
Judges 16:7, King James Version

Judges 16:7 in other translations

BSBSamson 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.”
WEBSamson 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.”
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd 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.'
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Judges 16:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. Samson said ..., If they bind me with seven green withs--Vine tendrils, pliant twigs, or twists made of crude vegetable stalks are used in many Eastern countries for ropes at the present day.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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, etc. 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 16:4-17

Samson had been more than once brought into mischief and danger by the love of women, yet he would not take warning, but is again taken in the same snare, and this third time is fatal. Licentiousness is one of the things that take away the heart. This is a deep pit into which many have fallen; but from which few have escaped, and those by a miracle of mercy, with the loss of reputation and usefulness, of almost all…

Read the full comment on Judges 16:4-17 →

Judges 16:7 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙'e.Lei.hato herH413
שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹןshim.ShonSamsonH8123
אִם\־'im-ifH518
יַאַסְרֻ֗נִיya.'as.Ru.nipeople will bind meH631
בְּשִׁבְעָ֛הbe.shiv.'Ahwith sevenH7651
יְתָרִ֥יםye.ta.RimcordsH3499
לַחִ֖יםla.ChimfreshH3892
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
חֹרָ֑בוּcho.Ra.vuthey have been driedH2717
וְחָלִ֥יתִיve.cha.Li.tiand I will be weakH2470
וְהָיִ֖יתִיve.ha.Yi.tiand I will beH1961
כְּאַחַ֥דke.'a.Chadlike one ofH259
הָאָדָֽם\׃ha.'a.Dam<the> humankindH120

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 16:7

  • Proverbs 12:19

    The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

  • Colossians 3:9

    Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

  • Galatians 6:7

    Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

  • Romans 3:8

    And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

  • 1 Samuel 21:2-3

    And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

  • Judges 16:10

    And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

  • Proverbs 17:7

    Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

  • 1 Samuel 19:17

    And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

  • 1 Samuel 27:10

    And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
If they bind.
10; 1Sa 19:17; 21:2,3; 27:10; Pr 12:19; 17:7; Ro 3:8; Ga 6:7; Col 3:9
green withs. or, new cords. Heb. moist. another. Heb.one.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 16:6

    And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

  • Judges 16:7

    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.

  • Judges 16:8

    Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

Read all of Judges 16

Judges 16:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y respondióle Samsón: Si me ataren con siete mimbres verdes que aun no estén enjutos, entonces me debilitaré, y seré como cualquiera de los hombres.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Samson lui dit: Si on me liait avec sept cordelettes fraîches, qui ne soient pas desséchées, alors je deviendrais faible, et je serais comme un autre homme.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Simson sprach zu ihr: Wenn man mich bände mit sieben frischen Stricken, die nicht ausgetrocknet sind, so würde ich schwach werden und würde sein wie ein anderer Mensch.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cui respondit Samson: Si septem nerviceis funibus necdum siccis, et adhuc humentibus, ligatus fuero, infirmus ero ut ceteri homines.