The Book of Judges

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 14 -

Samson went down to Timnah, and there he saw a woman, one of the daughters of the Philistines.

When he returned, he told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. Now get her for me to be my wife.”

His father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people? Are you going to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for when I look at her, she pleases me.”

But his father and his mother did not know that this matter came from Yahweh, for he desired to create a conflict with the Philistines, for at that time the Philistines were ruling Israel.

Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And, look, there one of the young lions came up and was roaring at him.

Yahweh’s Spirit suddenly came on him, and he tore the lion apart as easily as he would have torn apart a small goat, and he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

He went and spoke with the woman, and when he looked at her, she pleased Samson.

Samson’s Riddle

A few days later when he returned to marry her, he turned aside to look for the carcass of the lion. And, look, there was a swarm of bees and honey in what was left of the lion’s body.

He scraped up the honey in his hands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and his mother, he gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them he had taken the honey out of what was left of the lion’s body.

Samson’s father went down to where the woman was, and Samson gave a feast there, for this was the custom of the young men.

As soon as her relatives saw him, they brought him thirty of their friends to be with him.

Samson said to them, “Let me now tell you a riddle. If one of you can find it out and tell me the answer during the seven days of the feast, I will give out thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.

But if you cannot tell me the answer, then you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, so we may hear it.”

He said to them, “Out of the eater was something to eat; out of the strong was something sweet.” But his guests could not find the answer in three days.

On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Trick your husband so that he may tell us the answer to the riddle, or we will burn up you and your father’s house. Did you invite us here in order to make us poor?”

Samson’s wife started to weep in front of him; she said, “All you do is hate me! You do not love me. You have told a riddle to some of my people, but you have not told me the answer.” Samson said to her, “Look here, if I have not told my father or my mother, should I tell you?”

She cried during the seven days that their feast lasted. On the seventh day he told her the answer because she pressured him very much. She told the answer to the relatives of her people.

Before the sun went down on the seventh day the men of the city said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found the answer to my riddle.”

Then Yahweh’s Spirit suddenly came on Samson with power. Samson went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men. He took their plunder, and he gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he went up to his father’s house.

Samson’s wife was given to his best friend.

Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.

He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my wife.”

Then his father and his mother said to him, “Isn’t there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”

But his father and his mother didn’t know that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.

Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion roared at him.

The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done.

He went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.

Samson’s Riddle

After a while he returned to take her, and he went over to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.

He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave to them, and they ate, but he didn’t tell them that he had taken the honey out of the lion’s body.

His father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so.

When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;

but if you can’t tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”

He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle.

On the seventh day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Isn’t that so?”

Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You’ve told a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I haven’t told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?”

She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and on the seventh day, he told her, because she pressed him severely; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He said to them, “If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have found out my riddle.”

The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.

But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.