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And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven [a]green withes that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man. Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now she had liers-in-wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withes, as a string of tow is broken when it [b]toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 16:7 Or, new bowstrings
  2. Judges 16:9 Hebrew smelleth.

Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”

Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them. With men hidden in the room,(A) she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”(B) But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.

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