Darby Bible
Judges 14:12
12And Samson said to them, Let me now propound a riddle to you; if ye clearly explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it] out, then I will give you thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments.
Judges 14:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
- New International Version (NIV)“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Samson said to them, "Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Samson said to them, “Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.
Context of Judges 14:12
10And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11And it came to pass when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions, and they were with him. And Samson said to them, Let me now propound a riddle to you; if ye clearly explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it] out, then I will give you thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments. 13But if ye cannot explain [it] to me, then shall ye give me thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments. And they said to him, Propound thy riddle, that we may hear it. 14And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days explain the riddle.
Read all of Judges 14Judges 14:12 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן אָחֽוּדָה־נָּ֥א לָכֶ֖ם חִידָ֑ה אִם־הַגֵּ֣ד תַּגִּידוּ֩ אוֹתָ֨הּ לִ֜י שִׁבְעַ֨ת יְמֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ וּמְצָאתֶ֔ם וְנָתַתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים סְדִינִ֔ים וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים חֲלִפֹ֥ת בְּגָדִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- riddleחִידָהchîydâh · riddleH2420
- sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- feastמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
- findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
- garmentsבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
People and places in Judges 14:12
Cross-references for Judges 14:12
- 1 Kings 10:1And the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon in connection with the name of Jehovah, and came to prove him with enigmas.
- Psalms 49:4I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp.
- Proverbs 1:6to understand a proverb and an allegory, the words of the wise and their enigmas.
- Ezekiel 17:2Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel,
- Ezekiel 20:49And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
- Matthew 13:13For this cause I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear nor understand;
- Luke 14:7And he spoke a parable to those that were invited, remarking how they chose out the first places, saying to them,
- John 16:29His disciples say to him, Lo, now thou speakest openly and utterest no allegory.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12For we see now through a dim window obscurely, but then face to face; now I know partially, but then I shall know according as I also have been known.
- Genesis 29:27Fulfil the week [with] this one: then we will give thee the other one also, for the service that thou shalt serve me yet seven other years.
- 2 Chronicles 7:8And at that time Solomon held the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entrance of Hamath unto the torrent of Egypt.
- Matthew 27:28and having taken off his garment, put on him a scarlet cloak;
- Mark 14:51And a certain young man followed him with a linen cloth cast about his naked [body]; and [the young men] seize him;
- Genesis 45:22To each one of them all he gave changes of clothing; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver and five changes of clothing.
- 2 Kings 5:5And the king of Syria said, Well! go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand [shekels] of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
- Matthew 6:19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust spoils, and where thieves dig through and steal;
Commentaries on Judges 14:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12I will now put forth a riddle - Probably this was one part of the amusements at a marriage-feast; each in his turn proposing a riddle, to be solved by any of the rest on a particular forfeit; the proposer forfeiting, if solved, the same which the company must forfeit if they could not solve it. Thirty sheets - I have no doubt that the Arab hayk, or hake, is here meant; a dress in which the natives of the East wrap themselves, as a Scottish Highlander does…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12See the marginal references. Riddles formed one of the amusements of these protracted feasts. Sheets - Rather “linen shirts;” the “garments” which follow are the outward garments worn by the Orientals.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. 12Riddles were common tests of skill or a form of entertainment that often used double meanings. Although there is some evidence of bees building hives in dead animals, solving the mystery required knowing what Samson knew.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 14:12
In the dictionaries
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
Darby Bible — 1889 — Public Domain
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