English Standard Version
Judges 14:12
12And 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,
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle. If you solve my riddle during these seven days of the celebration, I will give you thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing.
Context of Judges 14:12
10His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. 11As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him. 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, 13but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes." And they said to him, "Put your riddle, that we may hear it." 14And he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." And in three days they could not solve 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, I will now put forthחוּדchûd · to riddleH2330
- a riddleחִידָהchîydâh · riddleH2420
- unto you: if ye can certainlyנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- it me within the sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of the feastמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
- outמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- then I will giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- you thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
- sheetsסָדִיןsâdîyn · linenH5466
- changeחֲלִיפָהchălîyphâh · changeH2487
- of garmentsבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
Cross-references for Judges 14:12
- 1 Kings 10:1Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
- Psalms 49:4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
- Proverbs 1:6to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.
- Ezekiel 17:2"Son of man, propound a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;
- Ezekiel 20:49Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, 'Is he not a maker of parables?'"
- Matthew 13:13This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
- Luke 14:7Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,
- John 16:29His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech!
- 1 Corinthians 13:12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
- Genesis 29:27Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years."
- 2 Chronicles 7:8At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt.
- Matthew 27:28And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,
- Mark 14:51And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him,
- Genesis 45:22To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five changes of clothes.
- 2 Kings 5:5And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
- Matthew 6:19"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries