Judges 14:4

Judges 14:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)(His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

Context of Judges 14:4

2When he returned home, he said to his father and mother, ‘I have seen a young Philistine woman in Timnah and I want to marry her. Please get her for me as my wife.’ 3His parents replied, ‘You do not need to go to the Philistines to get a wife. They are not the Lord's people. There is surely someone among our own relatives or other Israelites that you would like to marry.’ But Samson said to his father, ‘You must get her for me. She is the right girl for me to marry.’ Samson's parents did not realize that the Lord was causing this to happen. The Lord wanted to prepare a way for the Israelites to attack the Philistines, because the Philistines were ruling over Israel at that time. 5Samson went to Timnah, and his parents went too. When he reached some vineyards near Timnah, an angry young lion ran out to attack him. 6The Lord's Spirit gave Samson great strength. He tore the lion into pieces with his hands. He made it seem very easy, as if he was killing a goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

Judges 14:4 word by word

וְאָבִ֨יו וְאִמּ֜וֹ לֹ֣א יָדְע֗וּ כִּ֤י מֵיְהוָה֙ הִ֔יא כִּי־תֹאֲנָ֥ה הֽוּא־מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וּבָעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים מֹשְׁלִ֥ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• and his motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
• knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• that he soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• an occasionתֹּאֲנָהta'ănâh tô'ănâh · opportunityH8385
• against the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• for at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• had dominionמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
• over Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Judges 14:4

• Joshua 11:20The Lord had caused the minds of those people to become hard. So they all decided to fight against the Israelites. The Lord wanted the Israelites to destroy those people completely, as he had commanded Moses.
• 1 Kings 12:15So the king did not agree to do what the people wanted him to do. It was the Lord who caused this to happen. He had already given his message about this to Nebat's son Jeroboam. The prophet Ahijah who came from Shiloh had spoken the Lord's message to Jeroboam.
• 2 Kings 6:33While Elisha was still talking to the city's leaders, the king's man arrived with this message: ‘The Lord has caused this terrible trouble to happen to us. I cannot wait any longer for the Lord to help us.’
• 2 Chronicles 10:15So the king did not agree to do what the people wanted him to do. It was God who caused this to happen. He had already given his message about this to Nebat's son Jeroboam. The prophet Ahijah who came from Shiloh had spoken the Lord's message to Jeroboam.
• 2 Chronicles 22:7When Ahaziah visited Joram, God used it to cause Ahaziah's death. When Ahaziah arrived, he went with Joram to meet Nimshi's son Jehu. But the Lord had chosen Jehu to kill all Ahab's family.
• 2 Chronicles 25:20But Amaziah did not accept Jehoash's message. God had decided to put him under the power of his enemies because he worshipped the gods of Edom.
• Psalms 115:3We know that our God is in heaven. He does whatever he wants to do.
• Judges 13:1The Israelites again did things that the Lord saw were evil. So he put them under the power of the Philistines for 40 years.
• Judges 15:11Then 3,000 men of Judah went to the cave where Samson was hiding. They said to him, ‘You know that the Philistines are our rulers. You are causing them to give us trouble.’ Samson said, ‘I have only done to them as they did to me.’
• Deuteronomy 28:48So you will serve your enemies that the Lord will send to attack you. You will be hungry and thirsty. You will be so poor that you do not even have clothes to wear. Your enemies will make you work so hard that they will destroy you.

Commentaries on Judges 14:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4His father and mother very properly opposed Samson‘s marriage with a Pagan woman, the daughter of the oppressors of his race. But they could not prevail, because it was the secret purpose of God by these means to “seek occasion” against the Philistines; i. e. to make the misconduct of the father of Samson‘s wife, which He foresaw, the occasion of destruction to the Philistines. Compare the marginal references for similar statements.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-20Samson, who gets more attention in the book of Judges than any other judge, is more mysterious than Jephthah. Samson shows great inspiration as a leader. He also represents the unstoppable move toward chaos, which shows the need for a more organized society under a godly ruler.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren--that is, "of thine own tribe"--a Danite woman. Samson said ... Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well--literally, "she is right in mine eyes"; not by her beautiful countenance or handsome figure, but right or fit for his purpose. And this throws light on the historian's remark in reference to the resistance of his parents: they "knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 14:4

• Predestination
• Samson

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Philistines
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Change
• Manoah
• Plow
• Put
• Riddle
• Samson

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