Judges 16:11

11 And he said to her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were used, then shall I be weak, and be as another 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 (Now [there were] men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber.) And she said to him, The Philistines [are] upon thee, Samson. And he broke the withs as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

10 And Delilah said to Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, with what thou mayest be bound.

11 And he said to her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were used, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him with them, and said to him, The Philistines [are] upon thee, Samson. (And [there were] liers in wait abiding in the chamber.) And he broke them from off his arms like a thread.

13 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.