Judges 14

1And SamsonH8123 wentH3381 downH3381 to TimnahH8553, and sawH7200 a womanH802 in TimnahH8553 of the daughtersH1323 of the PhilistinesH6430. 2And he cameH5927 up, and toldH5046 his fatherH1 and his motherH517, and saidH559, I have seenH7200 a womanH802 in TimnahH8553 of the daughtersH1323 of the PhilistinesH6430: nowH6258 thereforeH6258 get her for me to wifeH802. 3Then his fatherH1 and his motherH517 saidH559 unto him, Is there never a womanH802 among the daughtersH1323 of thy brethren, or among all my peopleH5971, that thou goest to takeH3947 a wifeH802 of the uncircumcisedH6189 PhilistinesH6430? And SamsonH8123 saidH559 unto his fatherH1, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 4But his fatherH1 and his motherH517 knewH3045 not that it was of Jehovah; for he soughtH1245 an occasion against the PhilistinesH6430. Now at that timeH6256 the PhilistinesH6430 had ruleH4910 over IsraelH3478.

5Then wentH935 SamsonH8123 downH3381, and his fatherH1 and his motherH517, to TimnahH8553, and cameH935 to the vineyardsH3754 of TimnahH8553: and, behold, a youngH3715 lionH738 roaredH7580 against him. 6And the SpiritH7307 of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid; and he had nothing in his handH3027: but he toldH5046 not his fatherH1 or his motherH517 what he had done. 7And he wentH3381 downH3381, and talked with the womanH802, and she pleased SamsonH8123 well. 8And after a while he returnedH7725 to takeH3947 her; and he turnedH7725 asideH5493 to seeH7200 the carcassH1472 of the lionH738: and, behold, there was a swarm of beesH1682 in the body of the lionH738, and honeyH1706. 9And he took it into his handsH3709, and wentH1980 on, eatingH398 as he wentH1980; and he cameH1980 to his fatherH1 and motherH517, and gaveH5414 unto them, and they did eatH398: but he toldH5046 them not that he had taken the honeyH1706 out of the body of the lionH738.

10And his fatherH1 wentH3381 downH3381 unto the womanH802: and SamsonH8123 madeH6213 there a feastH4960; for soH3651 used the youngH970 menH970 to do. 11And it came to pass, when they sawH7200 him, that they brought thirtyH7970 companionsH4828 to beH1961 with him. 12And SamsonH8123 saidH559 unto them, Let me now putH5414 forth a riddleH2420 unto you: if ye can declareH5046 it unto me within the sevenH7651 daysH3117 of the feastH4960, and findH4672 it out, then I will giveH5414 you thirtyH7970 linenH5466 garmentsH899 and thirtyH7970 changes of raiment; 13but if ye cannot declareH5046 it unto me, then shall ye giveH5414 me thirtyH7970 linenH5466 garmentsH899 and thirtyH7970 changes of raiment. And they saidH559 unto him, PutH5414 forth thy riddleH2420, that we may hearH8085 it. 14And he saidH559 unto them,

And they could not in threeH7969 daysH3117 declareH5046 the riddleH2420.

15And it came to pass on the seventhH7637 dayH3117, that they saidH559 unto Samson’s wifeH802, Entice thy husbandH376, that he may declareH5046 unto us the riddleH2420, lestH6435 we burnH8313 thee and thy father’sH1 houseH1004 with fireH784: have ye calledH7121 us to impoverishH3423 us? is it not so? 16And Samson’s wifeH802 weptH1058 before him, and saidH559, Thou dost but hateH8130 me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddleH2420 unto the children of my peopleH5971, and hast not toldH5046 it me. And he saidH559 unto her, Behold, I have not toldH5046 it my fatherH1 nor my motherH517, and shall I tellH5046 thee? 17And she weptH1058 before him the sevenH7651 daysH3117, while their feastH4960 lasted: and it came to pass on the seventhH7637 dayH3117, that he toldH5046 her, because she pressed him sore; and she toldH5046 the riddleH2420 to the children of her peopleH5971. 18And the menH376 of the cityH5892 saidH559 unto him on the seventhH7637 dayH3117 before the sun wentH935 down, What is sweeter than honeyH1706? and what is strongerH5794 than a lionH738? And he saidH559 unto them,

19And the SpiritH7307 of Jehovah cameH5927 mightily upon him, and he wentH5927 downH3381 to AshkelonH831, and smote thirtyH7970 menH376 of them, and tookH3947 their spoilH2488, and gaveH5414 the changes of raiment unto them that declaredH5046 the riddleH2420. And his angerH639 was kindled, and he wentH5927 up to his father’sH1 houseH1004. 20But Samson’s wifeH802 wasH1961 given to his companionH4828, whom he had used as his friend.