The Meaning of Judges 16:8 Explained

Judges 16:8

KJV: Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

YLT: And the princes of the Philistines bring up to her seven green withs which have not been dried, and she bindeth him with them.

Darby: Then the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

ASV: Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then the lords  of the Philistines  brought up  to her seven  green  withs  which had not been dried,  and she bound  him with them. 

What does Judges 16:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 16:1-14 - Playing With The Enemy
Three women, one after another, brought Samson down. If only a noble woman could have influenced him, as Deborah did Barak, how different his record would have been. Let those who are eminent in spiritual capacity guard against the swing of their nature to the opposite, sensual side.
It is clear that Samson's strength was not wholly accounted for by huge stature nor massive muscles, else Delilah would not have needed to ask his secret; and he lost his strength, not merely because the razor deprived him of his hitherto unshorn locks, which lay in glossy ringlets at the feet of his temptress, but because he had yielded to her seductive wiles. We should have supposed that one or two experiences of her shameful treachery would have sufficed to put him on his guard and lead hip to flee from the spot, as did Joseph, Genesis 39:12. But Samson lingered, as the moth which seems unable to resist the fascination of the flame, although already it has singed its wings, Proverbs 1:10-19. There is always a way of escape, but we must take it with instant eagerness, Genesis 19:17-22. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 16

1  Samson at Gaza escapes, and carries away the gates of the city
4  Delilah corrupted by the Philistines, entices Samson
6  Thrice she is deceived
15  At last she overcomes him
21  The Philistines take him, and put out his eyes
22  His strength renewing, he pulls down the house upon the Philistines and dies

What do the individual words in Judges 16:8 mean?

So brought up to her the lords of the Philistines seven bowstrings fresh that not yet dried and she bound him with them
וַיַּעֲלוּ־ לָ֞הּ סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים שִׁבְעָ֛ה יְתָרִ֥ים לַחִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ חֹרָ֑בוּ וַתַּאַסְרֵ֖הוּ בָּהֶֽם

וַיַּעֲלוּ־  So  brought  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
לָ֞הּ  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
סַרְנֵ֣י  the  lords 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סֶרֶן 
Sense: lord, ruler, tyrant.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
שִׁבְעָ֛ה  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
יְתָרִ֥ים  bowstrings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
לַחִ֖ים  fresh 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: לַח  
Sense: moist, fresh, new.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חֹרָ֑בוּ  yet  dried 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָרֵב 
Sense: to be waste, lay waste, make desolate, be desolate, be in ruins.
וַתַּאַסְרֵ֖הוּ  and  she  bound  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: אָסַר  
Sense: to tie, bind, imprison.
בָּהֶֽם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural

What are the major concepts related to Judges 16:8?

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