Judges 7:6

7:6 Three hundred men lapped; ¹  the rest of the men ²  kneeled to drink water.

Judges 16:7

16:7 Samson said to her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh ³  bowstrings ⁴  that have not been dried, I will become weak and be just like any other man.”

[7:6]  ¹ tc The Hebrew text adds, “with their hands to their mouths,” This makes no sense in light of v. 5, which distinguishes between dog-like lappers (who would not use their hands to drink) and those who kneel (who would use their hands). It seems likely that the words “with their hands to their mouths” have been misplaced from v. 6. They fit better at the end of v. 5 or v. 6. Perhaps these words were originally a marginal scribal note which was later accidentally inserted into the text in the wrong place.

[7:6]  ² tn Heb “the people.”

[16:7]  ³ tn Or “moist.”

[16:7]  ⁴ tn The word refers to a bowstring, probably made from animal tendons. See Ps 11:2; Job 30:11.