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Judges 16:12
ESV So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And the men lying in ambush were in an inner chamber. But he snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread.
NIV So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then, with men hidden in the room, she called to him, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.
NASB So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' For the men in the ambush were waiting in the inner room. But he tore the ropes from his arms like thread.
CSB Delilah took new ropes, tied him up with them, and shouted, "Samson, the Philistines are here!" But while the men in ambush were waiting in her room, he snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread.
NLT So Delilah took new ropes and tied him up with them. The men were hiding in the inner room as before, and again Delilah cried out, 'Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!' But again Samson snapped the ropes from his arms as if they were thread.
KJV Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
NKJV Therefore Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And men were lying in wait, staying in the room. But he broke them off his arms like a thread.

What does Judges 16:12 mean?

The pattern of an odd game repeats once again (Judges 16:6–11). Samson again lied to Delilah, saying he would become as weak as any other man if bound with new ropes. Delilah has been hired to capture Samson (Judges 16:4–5), so she again hides Philistine men in her inner chamber to ambush Samson once he is weak. As she did before, she applies the method suggested by Samson, as he sleeps, then calls out a warning. Samson again snaps the ropes like thread.

It's unclear whether Samson is asleep each time this happens or whether he allows Delilah to tie him up while awake, waiting for her to cry out as part of the game. If so, he is truly unaware she is hoping to turn him over to his enemies. The text does not say the waiting men attack—most likely, they are waiting to see what happens. After a few cycles, this game seems to lull Samson into false trust, and he will foolishly give up his real secret (Judges 16:16–17).
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