Judges 16:7

7 Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, ¹then I shall become weak and be like any other man."

Judges 16:7 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 16:7

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 ^F21 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 ^F23 observes, and was upon his guard with respect to the secret of his strength.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 9.)
F23 Ibid.

Judges 16:7 In-Context

5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, "Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver."

6 So Delilah said to Samson, "Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you."

7 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."

8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

9 Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

Cross References

• 1. ver. 11, 17