Judges 14

1 One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.

2 So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”

3 But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”

4 (Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)

5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,

6 and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

7 Then Samson continued on his way down and spoke to the woman, because she was pleasing to his eyes.

8 When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey.

9 So he scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. And when he returned to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.

10 Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.

11 And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.

12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.

13 But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.”

14 So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” For three days they were unable to explain the riddle.

15 So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”

16 Then Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me! You do not really love me! You have posed to my people a riddle, but have not explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I have not even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?”

17 She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people.

18 Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”

19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,

20 and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.

1 ¶ And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

10 ¶ So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it] out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:

13 But if ye cannot declare [it] me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? [is it] not [so]?

16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told [it] me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told [it] my father nor my mother, and shall I tell [it] thee?

17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What [is] sweeter than honey? and what [is] stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

20 But Samson's wife was [given] to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 And when he was come up, he told his father and his mother, saying: I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore give me the same to wife.

3 And his father and his mother said unto him, Is there not then a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all thy people, that thou goest and takest a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? Then Samson said to his father, "Give me this one, for she is pleasing to my eyes.

4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD: for he sought cause of the Philistines. And the Philistines reigned over Israel at that time.

5 So Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnath. And when they were come to the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion came roaring to meet him.

6 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and rent him as a kid is rent, and had nothing in his hand. And he told not his father, nor his mother, what he had done.

7 And when he was come down, he spake unto the woman, and she pleased Samson in his eyes.

8 And after some days he returned to take them, and went out of the way to see the carcase of the lion. And, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the carcase of the lion, and honey.

9 And he took it in his hand, and did eat thereof by the way: and he went to his father and to his mother, and gave them to eat also. And he told them not that he had taken the honey of the lion's nest.

10 And when his father was come down to the woman, Samson made a marriage there, as young men do.

11 And when they saw him, they gave him thirty companions to be with him.

12 And Samson said unto them: I will give you a riddle. If ye will tell me, and come to the seven days of the marriage, I will give you thirty shirts, and thirty garments for a feast.

13 But if ye cannot guess, then ye shall give me thirty shirts, and thirty ceremonial garments. And they said unto him, Give up thy riddle, and let us hear.

14 And he said unto them, Food came from the eater, and sweetness from the strong. And they could not guess the riddle in three days.

15 And on the seventh day they said unto Samson's wife: Persuade thy husband to tell us the riddle, or we will burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Did ye bring us hither to make us poor, or not?

16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou art angry with me, and lovest me not. Thou hast set a riddle before the children of my people, and hast not told it. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and should I tell thee?

17 And she wept before him seven days, because they were married. But on the seventh day he told her, because she drove him in. And she told the riddle of her people unto her children.

18 Then said the men of the city unto him the seventh day, before the sun went down: What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than the lion? But he said unto them: If ye had not plowed with my calf, ye would not have met my riddle.

19 And the Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he went down to Asklon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their raiment, and gave garments of feasting unto them that had guessed the riddle. And he was wroth in his anger, and went up to his father's house.

20 But Samson's wife was given to one of his fellows that belonged to him.