Judges 14:15

Judges 14:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
• New International Version (NIV)On the fourth day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to steal our property?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)But it came to pass on the seventh day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may explain the riddle to us, or else we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so?”

Context of Judges 14:15

13But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty outfits of clothes.” And they said to him, “Propose your riddle, so that we may hear it.” 14So he said to them, “Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet.” But they could not tell the answer to the riddle in three days. Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?” 16So Samson’s wife wept in front of him and said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have proposed a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?” 17However she wept before him for seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.

Judges 14:15 word by word

וַיְהִ֣י׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ לְאֵֽשֶׁת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ פַּתִּ֣י אֶת־אִישֵׁ֗ךְ וְיַגֶּד־לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־הַ֣חִידָ֔ה פֶּן־נִשְׂרֹ֥ף אוֹתָ֛ךְ וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָבִ֖יךְ בָּאֵ֑שׁ הַלְיָרְשֵׁ֕נוּ קְרָאתֶ֥ם לָ֖נוּ הֲלֹֽא׃Read the interlinear

• Then it cameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• fourth dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• that they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Samson’sשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
• wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• Enticeפָּתָהpâthâh · to enticeH6601
• your husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
• so that he will tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• us the riddleחִידָהchîydâh · riddleH2420
• orפֶּן־pên · lestH6435
• we will burnשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313
• you and your father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• with fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• Have you invitedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• us to impoverishיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: poorH3423

Cross-references for Judges 14:15

• Judges 14:17However she wept before him for seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.
• Judges 16:5So the governors of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we can overpower him so that we may bind him to humble him. Then we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”
• Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
• Proverbs 1:11If they say, “Come with us, Let’s lie in wait for blood, Let’s ambush the innocent without cause;
• Proverbs 5:3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, And her speech is smoother than oil;
• Proverbs 6:26For the price of a prostitute reduces one to a loaf of bread, And an adulteress hunts for a precious life.
• Micah 7:5Do not trust in a neighbor; Do not have confidence in a close friend. Guard your lips From her who lies in your arms.
• Judges 12:1Now the men of Ephraim were summoned, and they crossed to Zaphon; and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the sons of Ammon without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you!”
• Judges 15:6Then the Philistines said, “Who did this?” And some said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he took his wife and gave her to his companion.” So the Philistines came up and burned her and her father to death with fire.

Commentaries on Judges 14:15

• 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. 14-19Israel's hero, like Sisera, was defeated by a woman (Judges 4:21; see study note on Judges 8:20–21).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 14:15

• Betting
• Riddle
• Samson

In the dictionaries

• Seventh, Day
• Change
• Plow
• Put
• Riddle
• Samson
• Swarm
• Timnath
• Dan (1); Dan, Tribe of
• Dark Sayings

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