Berean Standard Bible

Judges 14:12-18

12“Let me tellH2330 H4994 you a riddleH2420,” SamsonH8123 saidH559 to them. “IfH518 you can solveH5046 itH853 for me within the sevenH7651 daysH3117 of the feastH4960 , I will giveH5414 you thirtyH7970 linen garmentsH5466 and thirtyH7970 setsH2487 of clothesH899. 13But ifH518 you cannotH3808 H3201 solve itH5046, youH859 must giveH5414 me thirtyH7970 linen garmentsH5466 and thirtyH7970 setsH2487 of clothesH899.”

“Tell usH2330 your riddleH2420,” they repliedH559. “Let us hear itH8085.”

14So he saidH559 to them:

“Out of the eaterH398 cameH3318 something to eatH3978,and out of the strongH5794 cameH3318 something sweetH4966.”

For threeH7969 daysH3117 they were unableH3808 H3201 to explainH5046 the riddleH2420. 15SoH1961 on the fourthH7637 1 dayH3117 they saidH559 to Samson’sH8123 wifeH802, “EnticeH6601 your husbandH376 to explainH5046 the riddleH2420 to us, orH6435 we will burnH8313 youH853 and your father’sH1 householdH1004 to deathH784. Did you invite usH7121 hereH3808 to rob usH3423?”

16Then Samson’sH8123 wifeH802 came to himH5921, weepingH1058, and saidH559 H7535, “You hate meH8130! You do not reallyH3808 love meH157! You have posedH2330 to my peopleH1121 H5971 a riddleH2420, but have notH3808 explained it to meH5046.”

“LookH2009,” he saidH559, “I have notH3808 even explainedH5046 it to my fatherH1 or motherH517, so why should I explain itH5046 to you?”

17She weptH1058 H5921 the whole sevenH7651 daysH3117 of the feastH4960, and finallyH1961 on the seventhH7637 dayH3117, becauseH3588 she had pressed him so muchH6693, he toldH5046 her the answer. And in turn she explainedH5046 the riddleH2420 to her peopleH1121 H5971.

18BeforeH2962 sunsetH935 H2775 on the seventhH7637 dayH3117, the menH582 of the cityH5892 saidH559 to Samson:

“WhatH4100 is sweeterH4966 than honeyH1706?And whatH4100 is strongerH5794 than a lionH738?”

So he saidH559 to them:

“If you had notH3884 plowedH2790 with my heiferH5697,you would notH3808 have solvedH4672 my riddleH2420!”

Notes