Philistines

The term that is transliterated as “Philistines” in English means “(from) the land of wanderers,” “(from the) land of strangers” (same as “Palestinian”). (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the helmet the Philistine warriors wore was decorated with feather-like objects. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Philistines” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Philistines (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Samson

The name that is transliterated as “Samson” in English means “a little sun,” “splendid sun” (i.e., great joy and felicity), “like the sun,” “distinguished,” “strong,” “a perfect servant.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “headband” referring to his long hair and likely use of a headband. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Samson” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Samson and Delilah (image).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Samson .

complete verse (Judges 16:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 16:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, Delilah took new ropes and tied Samson with them. After that she said, ‘Samson, the Philistines have come for you!’ And/But meanwhile some people were lying in wait in the bedroom. But Samson shook off those ropes like (they were) threads.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So Delilah brought new ropes and tied him up. She had men hidden in an inner room and she said to him — "Samson, the Philistines are here." Then he snapped that rope off his arms like thread.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Delila took a new rope/chain/cord that had- not ever -been-used and she tied-up Samson. There-were some Filistinhon who were-hiding at-that-time in the other room. Then Delila shouted, ‘Samson, there-are some Filistinhon who have-arrived to capture you (sing.)!’ But Samson just broke the rope from his shoulders as-if just like a thread.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So again, she told the Philistine leaders, and they came and hid in the room as they had done before. And again, while Samson was sleeping, she took the new ropes and tied him up with them. Then she called out, ‘Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!’ But Samson snapped the ropes on his arms as easily as if they were threads.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Judges 16:12

So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them: So renders well the Hebrew waw conjunction here. As is often the case in Hebrew, the narrative “mirrors” the dialogue and the same vocabulary is used. See verse 16.11. For bound him with them, see verse 16.8.

And said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”: See verse 16.9. Certainly there is a time lapse between the time Delilah binds Samson and the time she cries out.

And the men lying in wait were in an inner chamber: See verse 16.9. The Hebrew expression here is shorter than the one in the previous incident, but the vocabulary and their meaning is essentially the same.

But he snapped the ropes off his arms: As in the previous incident, Samson snapped the ropes that bound him. See verse 16.9. However, here the narrator adds a new element: off his arms. The Hebrew word for arms can refer to either a person’s arms or wrists (see verse 15.14). The narrator does not specify whether his arms are tied down to his sides, or whether his arms are tied at the wrists behind or in front of him.

Like a thread: The Hebrew word for thread is different than the one for “string” in verse 16.9, but it has a similar meaning. In many languages this comparison may need to be made more explicit, for example, “He snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were made of [a very fine] thread.” In some languages it may also be necessary to add that the ropes “fell off,” for example, “But Samson snapped the ropes on his arms as if they were threads, and they fell to the ground.”

A translation model for this verse is:

• So Delilah took some new ropes and very tightly tied him up. Then she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” As before, an ambush had been set, but Samson broke the ropes on his arms as easily as if they were threads.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 16:12

16:12a So Delilah took new ropes, tied him up with them,

So Delilah got new ropes and tied him up.
-or-
So ⌊while Samson was sleeping⌋ she took new ropes and tied him up with them.

16:12b and called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!”

Then she shouted, “Samson, people of Philistia are here to get you.”
-or-
Then Delilah called to Samson, “Samson, the Philistia men are going to capture you.”

16:12c But while the men were hidden in her room,

Some men were hiding in an inner room.
-or-
She arranged for men to hide in the bedroom ready to attack him ⌊like before⌋ .

16:12d he snapped the ropes off his arms like they were threads.

But he tore the ropes off as if they were thin strings.
-or-
But Samson broke the ropes on his arms as easily as if they were threads.

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.