He said to her, “If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”
Parallel translations
- KJV And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
- BSB He replied, “If they tie me up with new ropes that have never been used, I will become as weak as any other man.”
- NKJV So he said to her, “If they bind me securely with new ropes that have never been used, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”
- NASB Then he said to her, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes which have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man.”
- NLT Samson replied, “If I were tied up with brand-new ropes that had never been used, I would become as weak as anyone else.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Samson offers a second lie: new, unused ropes would weaken him. He keeps playing a dangerous game.
Overview
This false answer recalls the new ropes that failed to hold him in Judah (15:13). Samson edges closer to the truth without disclosing it, showing both his cunning and his folly. His refusal to flee reveals a man dulled to danger, presuming his strength makes him untouchable.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Prov 29:25The fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.
- Eph 4:25Therefore putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another.
- Prov 13:3He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
- Judg 15:13They spoke to him, saying, “No; but we will bind you securely, and deliver you into their hands; but surely we will not kill you.” They bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.
- Prov 13:5A righteous man hates lies, but a wicked man brings shame and disgrace.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 16:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.