Judges 16:7
in Judges 16Samson 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Judges 16
Commentary
9 notes on this verseSeven 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.
This site's exposition
the source of your great strength
on Judges 16:6-9
Four attempts run to one shape: she asks, he answers, men hide in her room, and she calls out that the Philistines are here. Seven runs through the chapter, from the “seven fresh bowstrings” here to the seven braids of verses 13 and 19. His answers move inward by stages, from bowstrings to new ropes to the braids woven into a loom and at last to the hair itself.
This site's exposition
seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown compare the fresh bowstrings to the vine stems and twisted twigs used as rope in Eastern lands. Wesley charges Samson with lying to Delilah and with folly in letting her questions go on. Her repeated asking should have warned him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
But he, still self-possessed and unshaken, opposed craft to the allurements of the harlot, and told her that if he were bound with withs yet green and not dried, his strength would be like that of other men.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
It is said that Samson, according to the instruction of the Angel, did not permit a razor to come upon his head; but his hair grew, and he became the strongest of men. It was a wondrous thing that with his hair he was strong, …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
But first, it is probable, that Samson had in some measure repented of his sin, and begged of God pardon and assistance. 2.This singular strength and courage was not in itself a grace, but a gift, and it was such a gift as did not so much depend on the disposition of his mind, but on the right ordering of his body, by the rule given to him, and others of that order.
Samson said - Samson is guilty both of the sin of lying, and of great folly in encouraging her enquiries, which he should at first have checked: but as he had forsaken God, so God had now forsaken him, otherwise the frequent repetition and vehement urging of this question might easily have raised suspicion in him.
And Samson said unto her,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ | ʾeleiha | to her | H413 → | 5510 times |
| שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן | shimshon | Samson | H8123 → | 38 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יַאַסְרֻ֗נִי | yaasruni | people will bind me | H631 → | 72 times |
| בְּשִׁבְעָ֛ה | beshivah | with seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יְתָרִ֥ים | yetarim | cords | H3499 → | 102 times |
| לַחִ֖ים | lachim | fresh | H3892 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| חֹרָ֑בוּ | choravu | they have been dried | H2717 → | 40 times |
| וְחָלִ֥יתִי | vechaliti | and I will be weak | H2470 → | 76 times |
| וְהָיִ֖יתִי | vehayiti | and I will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כְּאַחַ֥ד | keachad | like one of | H259 → | 971 times |
| הָאָדָֽם׃ | haadam | <the> humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙to her
ʾeleihaH413 →5510 times
שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹןSamson
shimshonH8123 →38 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
יַאַסְרֻ֗נִיpeople will bind me
yaasruniH631 →72 times
בְּשִׁבְעָ֛הwith seven
beshivahH7651 →394 times
יְתָרִ֥יםcords
yetarimH3499 →102 times
לַחִ֖יםfresh
lachimH3892 →
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
חֹרָ֑בוּthey have been dried
choravuH2717 →40 times
וְחָלִ֥יתִיand I will be weak
vechalitiH2470 →76 times
וְהָיִ֖יתִיand I will be
vehayitiH1961 →3559 times
כְּאַחַ֥דlike one of
keachadH259 →971 times
הָאָדָֽם׃<the> humankind
haadamH120 →551 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 6:7Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
- Job 4:8
As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
- Romans 2:6–10
God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:6
Through
Colossians 3:9Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:22
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Ephesians 4:25
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.
- Ephesians 4:22
Through
Proverbs 12:19Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:9
A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who pours out lies will perish.
- Proverbs 19:9
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, Letter 19; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.