For a third time Delilah attempts to learn Samson’s secret. It would appear that Delilah is now losing patience.

And Delilah said to Samson: This new incident begins with the full names of Delilah and Samson. In most languages there will be a new paragraph here, as in Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version.

Until now you have mocked me, and told me lies: Until now refers to the two previous incidents. Delilah was tricked two times, so these opening words may be marked by anger or frustration. For you have mocked me, and told me lies, see verse 16.10. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “You have been deceiving me all along; you have been lying to me!”

Tell me how you might be bound: This is the same request as in verse 16.10, but probably with a much harder tone. Delilah no longer says “please,” and this shows she is becoming really impatient.

And he said to her: Once again Samson pretends to tell Delilah his secret. As he did before (verse 16.7, 11), he uses a condition-consequence statement. The general verb said may be rendered “replied” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version) or “answered” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web: This time Samson comes closer to revealing his secret. The audience knows, in fact, that his strength comes from Yahweh, to whom he was consecrated as a Nazirite. Part of this vow was never cutting his hair (verse 13.5). The Hebrew verb rendered weave does not occur often in the Old Testament. While it usually refers to weaving cloth, here Samson suggests that Delilah weave or plait his hair.

The seven locks of my head seems to provide information not yet mentioned. According to these words, Samson’s long hair, which had never been cut, was divided into seven braids or dreadlocks. Seven is a sacred or divine number, indicating completeness. The Hebrew word for locks refers to “braids.” Here it probably refers to hair that was twisted or bunched together as seen with the dreads of some modern-day singers. Samson’s hair had never been cut, so it must have been extremely long and unwieldy. The Hebrew text specifies that the dreadlocks were on my head, but in many languages this phrase will be redundant and need to be omitted (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

The Hebrew word for web comes from a root meaning “weave.” Some scholars think it refers to a loom, while others think it refers to cloth that is in the process of being woven on the loom. Most think Samson is speaking about his hair being tied to a loom, the wooden structure where weaving is done.

And make it tight with the pin refers to pulling or tightening Samson’s hair. This clause is not in the Hebrew text, but is referred to in verse 16.14. Scholars think that the copyist’s eyes went from the word pin in verse 16.13 to the same word in verse 16.14, omitting the material between these two words. But the Septuagint, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, and most modern versions retain this material, believing it was part of the original text. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is one of the few versions that omit it. Good News Translation adds a footnote explaining that this material is not in the Hebrew text, but in an ancient version. The Hebrew verb for make … tight is the same one used to describe Jael’s hammering of a tent peg into Sisera’s skull in verse 4.21, where it is rendered “drove.” The pronoun it probably refers to Samson’s unwieldy hair. Make it tight may be rendered “pack it down.” The Hebrew noun for pin can refer to a tent peg that is hammered into the ground (so verse 4.21) or a peg nailed to the wall to hang things up. In this context of weaving it refers to the long piece of wood on a loom used to pack down the cross threads onto the vertical threads. If weaving with looms is known in the receptor culture, there may be a technical term for pin. But if not, translators may speak of a “weaving stick.”

Then I shall become weak, and be like any other man: See verse 16.7. As noted above, these two clauses are not in the original Hebrew text. With the exception of New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, most English versions follow the Septuagint and include them. Translators are free to decide how to handle this problem.

Besides the textual problem, scholars are also not agreed about what is being described. Some think Samson may be telling Delilah that if she tightly weaves his long hair into the cloth being woven on a loom, then he will lose all his strength (New International Version). Others believe he is telling her to weave his hair tightly into a big loom, which would be difficult or impossible to move (Good News Translation). Contemporary English Version thinks he is telling her to nail the loom to the wall, a possible but not very likely interpretation. The text does not give any more information, so translators should render the text as it stands.

For the last half of this verse we might say:

• He replied, “If you weave/tie/attach my seven braids of hair tightly into this piece of cloth and fasten it with a pin, then I will lose my strength and be like anyone else.”

• He said to Delilah, “Weave my seven braids of hair onto a loom and pack it down with the weaving stick. Then I will become weak and be just like any other person.”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .