Judges 16:11

11 Samson told her, "If someone ties me up tightly with new ropes that have never been used, I will be like any other man."

Judges 16:11 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 16:11

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 ) .

Judges 16:11 In-Context

9 Some men were hiding in the bedroom waiting for her [to tie him up]. Then she said to him, "Samson, the Philistines are attacking!" Samson snapped the bowstrings as a thread snaps when it touches fire. So no one found out why he was so strong.

10 Delilah told Samson, "Look, you're making fun of me by telling me lies. Now, tell me how you can be tied up."

11 Samson told her, "If someone ties me up tightly with new ropes that have never been used, I will be like any other man."

12 So Delilah took some new ropes and tied him up with them. Then she said to him, "Samson, the Philistines are attacking!" Some men were in her bedroom waiting to ambush him. But Samson tore the ropes off his arms as though they were strings.

13 Delilah told Samson, "You're still making fun of me by telling me lies. Tell me how you can be tied up." Samson replied, "Just weave the seven braids of my hair with the other threads in the loom."