Judges 14

1 And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah 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 Timnah 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 Jehovah; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.

5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.6 And the Spirit of Jehovah 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 while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.9 And he took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave unto them, and they did eat: but he told them not that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.

10 And 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, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can declare it unto me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment;13 but if ye cannot declare it unto me, then shall ye give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. 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 food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare 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 impoverish us? 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 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 pressed him sore; 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 Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of raiment unto them that declared 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.

Judges 14

Samson’s Unconsummated Marriage

1 Samson went down to Timnah, where a Philistine girl caught his eye.t2 When he got home,t he told his father and mother, “A Philistine girl in Timnah has caught my eye.t Now get her for my wife.”3 But his father and mother said to him, “Certainly you can find a wife among your relatives or among all ourt people! You should not have to go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines.”t But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me,t because she is the right one for me.”t

4 Now his father and mother did not realize this was the Lord’s doing,t because he was looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble with the Philistinest (for at that time the Philistines were ruling Israel).
5 Samson went down to Timnah. When he approacheds the vineyards of Timnah, he saw a roaring young lion attacking him.t

6 The Lord’s spirit empoweredt him and he tore the liont in two with his bare handst as easily as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
7 Samson continued on down to Timnaht and spoke to the girl. In his opinion, she was just the right one.t8 Some time later, when he went back to marryt her, he turned aside to see the lion’s remains. He sawt a swarm of bees in the lion’s carcass, as well as some honey.

9 He scooped it up with his hands and ate it as he walked along. When he returnedt to his father and mother, he offered them some and they ate it. But he did not tell them he had scooped the honey out of the lion’s carcass.s
10 Then Samson’s father accompanied him to Timnah for the marriage.t Samson hosted a partyt there, for this was customary for bridegroomst to do.11 When the Philistines saw he had no attendants, they gave him thirty groomsmen who kept him company.t12 Samson said to them, “I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts,t I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty setst of clothes.13 But if you cannot solve it,t you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.” They said to him, “Let us hear your riddle.”t

14 He said to them,
“Out of the one who eats came something to eat;
out of the strong one came something sweet.”
They could not solve the riddle for three days.
15 On the fourths day they said to Samson’s bride, “Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle.t If you refuse,t we will burn upt you and your father’s family.t Did you invite us heres to make us poor?”t16 So Samson’s bride cried on his shouldert and said, “You mustt hate me; you do not love me! You told the young ment a riddle, but you have not told me the solution.” He said to her, “Look, I have not even told my father or mother. Do you really expect me to tell you?”t17 She cried on his shouldert until the party was almost over.t Finally, on the seventh day, he told her because she had nagged him so much.t Then she told the young men the solution to the riddle.t

18 On the seventh day, before the sun set, the men of the city said to him,
“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”
He said to them,
“If you had not plowed with my heifer,s
you would not have solved my riddle!”
19 The Lord’s spirit empowered him. He went down to Ashkelon and murdered thirty men. He took their clothest and gave themt to the men who had solved the riddle. He was furious as he went back home.t

20 Samson’s bride was then given to his best man.t