Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 16:7
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
7. seven green withes ] Follow marg.; similarly LXX and Vulgate The cords (cf. Psa 11:2; Psa 21:12) were to be made of fresh or moist gut. Elsewhere the adjective is applied to trees or fruit, hence the rendering of EV; withes = flexible twigs, esp. of willow; Josephus thinks of vine stalks. There may have been a magic charm in the number seven here and in Jdg 16:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 7. Seven 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, c. 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. But the Septuagint, by translating the Hebrew yetharim lachim by , and the Vulgate by nerviceis funibus, understand these bonds to be cords made of the nerves of cattle, or perhaps rather out of raw hides, these also making an exceedingly strong cord. In some countries they take the skin of the horse, cut it lengthwise from the hide into thongs about two inches broad, and after having laid them in salt for some time, take them out for use. This practice is frequent in the country parts of Ireland and both customs, the wooden cord, and that made of the raw or green hide, are among the most ancient perhaps in the world. Among the Irish peasantry this latter species of cord is called the tug and is chiefly used for agricultural purposes, particularly for drawing the plough and the harrow, instead of the iron chains used in other countries.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Samson is guilty both of the sin of lying, though he dress up the lie in such circumstances as might make it most probable; and of great folly, in encouraging her inquiries, which he should at first have checked: but as he had forsaken God, so God had now forsaken him, and deprived him of common prudence; otherwise the frequent repetition and vehement urging of this question might easily have raised suspicion in him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. Samson said . . ., If they bindme with seven green withsVine tendrils, pliant twigs, ortwists made of crude vegetable stalks are used in many Easterncountries for ropes at the present day.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 u 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 w observes, and was upon his guard with respect to the secret of his strength.
u Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 9.) w Ibid.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) Green withs.The meaning of the words is uncertain. Probably the LXX. and the Vulg. are right in taking them to mean moist, i.e., fresh sinews (Psa. 11:2) (LAX., Neurais hugrais; Vulg., Nerviceis funibus necdum siccis et adhuc humentibus). Josephus says vine shoots, but fresh vine shoots would be ridiculously inadequate. The number seven is used as the sacred number implying perfectness; and it is one of the signs that even thus early Samson is playing about on the confines of his secret.
As another man.Literally, as one man, i.e., as an ordinary man.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Seven green withs Or, seven moist cords. The rendering withs comes from Josephus’s statement that these cords were twisted of a vine, and the well-known fact that strings were often made of tough and pliant wood twisted in the form of a rope. Samson was too shrewd not to see Delilah’s possible designs, and he thrice deceived her. The question of his veracity and morality need not be entertained, for if he was not too good to go in unto a harlot, he was not too good to practice deception on his wily mistress.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh (green) withes that were never dried, then I will become weak, and be as another man.” ’
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 16:7 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.
Ver. 7. And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs. ] This he said for a put off, or as intending to make himself sport with her. But he should have remembered that God’s children will not lie. Isa 63:8
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
green withs = green twigs. Anglo-Saxon, a willow, because of its twining and flexibility.
man. Hebrew. ‘adam. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
If they bind: Jdg 16:10, 1Sa 19:17, 1Sa 21:2, 1Sa 21:3, 1Sa 27:10, Pro 12:19, Pro 17:7, Rom 3:8, Gal 6:7, Col 3:9
green withs: or, new cords, Heb. moist
another: Heb. one.