Judges 16:17

16:17 Finally he told her his secret. ¹  He said to her, “My hair has never been cut, ²  for I have been dedicated to God ³  from the time I was conceived. ⁴  If my head ⁵  were shaved, my strength would leave me; I would become weak, and be just like all other men.”

Judges 16:20

16:20 She said, “The Philistines are here, ⁶  Samson!” He woke up ⁷  and thought, ⁸  “I will do as I did before ⁹  and shake myself free.” But he did not realize that the Lord had left him.

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¹ tn Heb “all his heart.”

² tn Heb “a razor has not come upon my head.”

³ tn Or “set apart to God.” Traditionally the Hebrew term נָזִיר (nazir) has been translated “Nazirite.” The word is derived from the verb נָזַר (nazar, “to dedicate; to consecrate; to set apart”).

⁴ tn Heb “from the womb of my mother.”

⁵ tn Heb “I.” The referent has been made more specific in the translation (“my head”).

⁶ tn Heb “are upon you.”

⁷ tn The Hebrew adds, “from his sleep.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁸ tn Heb “and said.”

⁹ tn Heb “I will go out as before.”