Judges 14:18

Judges 14:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town 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 solved my riddle.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And 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?" And he said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the men of the city said to 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 to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have solved my riddle!”

Context of Judges 14:18

16So Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me and don’t love me! You told my people the riddle, but haven’t explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?” 17She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and at last, on the seventh day, he explained it to her, because she had nagged him so much. Then she explained it to her people. On the seventh day, before sunset, the men of the city said to him: What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion? So he said to them: If you hadn’t plowed with my young cow, you wouldn’t know my riddle now! 19The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men. He stripped them and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. In a rage, Samson returned to his father’s house, 20and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.

Judges 14:18 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לוֹ֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הָעִ֜יר בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ יָבֹ֣א הַחַ֔רְסָה מַה־מָּת֣וֹק מִדְּבַ֔שׁ וּמֶ֥ה עַ֖ז מֵאֲרִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם לוּלֵא֙ חֲרַשְׁתֶּ֣ם בְּעֶגְלָתִ֔י לֹ֥א מְצָאתֶ֖ם חִידָתִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him on the seventhשְׁבִיעִיshebîy‛îy shebi‛îy · seventhH7637
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• before the sunחֶ֫רֶסcheres charsâh · sunH2775
• went downבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• sweeterמָתוֹקmâthôq mâthûq · sweetH4966
• than honeyדְּבַשׁdebash · honeyH1706
• strongerעַז‛az · strongH5794
• than a lionאֲרִי'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
• unto them, Ifלוּלֵאlûlê' lûlêy · unlessH3884
• ye had not plowedחָרַשׁchârash · to plow/plotH2790
• with my heiferעֶגְלָה‛eglâh · heiferH5697
• ye had not found outמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• my riddleחִידָהchîydâh · riddleH2420

Commentaries on Judges 14:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18If ye had not ploughed with my heifer - If my wife had not been unfaithful to my bed, she would not have been unfaithful to my secret; and, you being her paramours, your interest was more precious to her than that of her husband. She has betrayed me through her attachment to you. Calmet has properly remarked, in quoting the Septuagint, that to plough with one's heifer, or to plough in another man's ground, are delicate turns of expression used both by the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18They try to give the answer in a way to make it appear that they had guessed it. Samson saw at once that she had betrayed him. He lets them know in a speech, which was of the nature of a riddle, that he had discovered the treachery.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-20Verses 10-20 Samson's riddle literally meant no more than that he had got honey, for food and for pleasure, from the lion, which in its strength and fury was ready to devour him. But the victory of Christ over Satan, by means of his humiliation, agonies, and death, and the exaltation that followed to him, with the glory thence to the Father, and spiritual advantages to his people, seem directly alluded to. And even death, that devouring monster, being…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18People often answered a riddle with another riddle. In this case, the Philistines used a similar poetic couplet. They did not reveal everything they knew; they just wanted to win the contest.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1812-18. I will now put forth a riddle--Riddles are a favorite Oriental amusement at festive entertainments of this nature, and rewards are offered to those who give the solution. Samson's riddle related to honey in the lion's carcass. The prize he offered was thirty sindinim, or shirts, and thirty changes of garments, probably woolen. Three days were passed in vain attempts to unravel the enigma. The festive week was fast drawing to a close when they…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 14:18

• Betting
• Heifer
• Lion
• Riddle
• Samson
• Sarcasm

In the dictionaries

• Seventh, Day
• Change
• Heifer
• Lions
• Plow
• Put
• Riddle
• Samson
• Swarm
• Timnath

Commentaries on Judges 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings