(11) New ropes.—As in Judges 15:13.

That never were occupied.—“Occupied” is an old word for “used.” (See Exodus 38:24, “All the gold that was occupied for the work;” Luke 19:13; Hebrews 13:9; “Like a new bright silver dish never occupied “—Ascham, Schoolmaster.) Here, again, Samson distantly touches on the consecration which is the secret of his strength.

16:4-17 Samson had been more than once brought into mischief and danger by the love of women, yet he would not take warning, but is again taken in the same snare, and this third time is fatal. Licentiousness is one of the things that take away the heart. This is a deep pit into which many have fallen; but from which few have escaped, and those by a miracle of mercy, with the loss of reputation and usefulness, of almost all, except their souls. The anguish of the suffering is ten thousand times greater than all the pleasures of the sin.Occupied - The margin, "wherewith work hath not been done," is better. 10. And Delilah said—To avoid exciting suspicion, she must have allowed some time to elapse before making this renewed attempt. No text from Poole on this verse.

And he said unto her,.... Abarbinel presents Samson replying to her, that he had told her the truth at first, only forgot one circumstance, that the "cords", for so he takes the word for "withs" to signify, should be "new", such as were never used, as follows:

if they bind me fast with new ropes, that never were occupied; the word signifies thick ropes, which, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, were trebled, or made of three cords twisted together, and those such as were just made, and had never been put to any use, and so strong and firm:

then shall I be weak, and be as another man; see Judges 16:7.

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.