Judges 14

Samson’s Marriage

1Then SamsonH8123 wentH3381 downH3381 to TimnahH8553, and he sawH7200 a womanH802 in TimnahH8553, one of the daughtersH1323 of the PhilistinesH6430. 2So he cameH5927 1backH5927 and toldH5046 his fatherH1 and 2motherH517, “I sawH7200 a womanH802 in TimnahH8553, one of the daughtersH1323 of the PhilistinesH6430; so nowH6258, getH3947 her for me as a wifeH802.” 3But his fatherH1 and his motherH517 saidH559 to him, “IsH369 thereH369 noH369 womanH802 among the daughtersH1323 of your 3relativesH251, or among allH3605 4our peopleH5971, that you goH1980 to 5takeH3947 a wifeH802 from the uncircumcisedH6189 PhilistinesH6430?” Yet SamsonH8123 saidH559 to his fatherH1, “GetH3947 her for me, becauseH3588 she isH3474 rightH3474H5869 6for me.” 4However, his fatherH1 and motherH517 did not knowH3045 that 7thisH1931 was of the LordH3068, for He was seekingH1245 an occasionH8385 againstH4480 the PhilistinesH6430. And at that timeH6256 the PhilistinesH6430 were rulingH4910 over IsraelH3478.

5Then SamsonH8123 wentH3381 downH3381 to TimnahH8553 with his fatherH1 and motherH517, and cameH935 as farH5704 as the vineyardsH3754 of TimnahH8553; and beholdH2009, a youngH3715 lionH738 came roaringH7580 towardH7122 him. 6And 8the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 rushedH6743 uponH5921 him, so that 9he toreH8156 it apartH8156 as one tearsH8156 apartH8156 a youngH1423 goatH1423, though he hadH369 nothingH3972H369 in his handH3027; but he did not tellH5046 his fatherH1 or motherH517 whatH834 he had doneH6213. 7So he wentH3381 downH3381 and talkedH1696 to the womanH802; and she 10lookedH3474H5869 pleasingH3474 to SamsonH8123. 8When he returnedH7725 laterH4480H3117 to takeH3947 her, he turnedH5493 asideH5493 to lookH7200 at the carcassH4658 of the lionH743; and beholdH2009, a swarmH5712 of beesH1682 and honeyH1706 were in the bodyH1472 of the lionH743. 9So he tookH7287 outH7287 11the honey on his 12handsH3709 and wentH1980 on, eatingH398 as he wentH1980. When he cameH1980 to his fatherH1 and motherH517, he gaveH5414 some to them and they ateH398 it; but he did not tellH5046 them that he had takenH7287 the honeyH1706 outH7287 of the bodyH1472 of the lionH743.

10Then his fatherH1 wentH3381 downH3381 to the womanH802; and SamsonH8123 heldH6213 a feastH4960 thereH8033, for the youngH970 menH970 customarily didH6213 thisH3651. 11When they sawH7200 him, they broughtH3947 thirtyH7970 companionsH4828 to be with him.

Samson’s Riddle

12Then SamsonH8123 saidH559 to them, “Let me nowH4994 13proposeH2330 a riddleH2420 for you; ifH518 you actuallyH5046 tellH5046 me 14the answer within the sevenH7651 daysH3117 of the feastH4960, and solveH4672 it, then I will giveH5414 you thirtyH7970 linenH5466 wrapsH5466 and thirtyH7970 15outfitsH2487 of clothesH899. 13But ifH518 you areH3201 unableH3808H3201 to tellH5046 me, then you shall giveH5414 me thirtyH7970 linenH5466 wrapsH5466 and thirtyH7970 outfitsH2487 of clothesH899.” And they saidH559 to him, “ProposeH2330 your riddleH2420, so that we may hearH8085 it.” 14So he saidH559 to them, “OutH3318 of the eaterH398 cameH3318 somethingH3978 toH3978 eatH3978, And outH3318 of the strongH5794 cameH3318 somethingH4966 sweetH4966.” But they couldH3201 not tellH5046 the answer to the riddleH2420 in threeH7969 daysH3117.

15Then it cameH1961 aboutH1961 on the 16fourth dayH3117 that they saidH559 to Samson’sH8123 wifeH802, “17EnticeH6601 your husbandH376, so that he will tellH5046 us the riddleH2420, 18orH6435 we will burnH8313 you and your father’sH1 houseH1004 with fireH784. Have you invitedH7121 us to impoverishH3423 us? Is this not so?” 16So Samson’sH8123 wifeH802 weptH1058 in frontH5921 of him and saidH559, “19You onlyH7534 hateH8130 me, and you do not loveH157 me; you have proposedH2330 a riddleH2420 to the sonsH1121 of my peopleH5971, and have not toldH5046 it to me.” And he saidH559 to her, “BeholdH2009, I have not toldH5046 it to my fatherH1 or motherH517; so should I tellH5046 you?” 17However she weptH1058 beforeH5921 him for sevenH7651 daysH3117 whileH834 their feastH4960 lastedH1961. And on the seventhH7637 dayH3117 he toldH5046 her becauseH3588 she pressedH6693 him so hardH6693. She then toldH5046 the riddleH2420 to the sonsH1121 of her peopleH5971. 18So the menH376 of the cityH5892 saidH559 to him on the seventhH7637 dayH3117 beforeH2962 the sunH2775 wentH935 down, “WhatH4100 is sweeterH4966 thanH4480 honeyH1706? And whatH4100 is strongerH5794 thanH4480 a lionH738?” And he saidH559 to them, “IfH3884 you had not plowedH2790 with my heiferH5697, You would not have foundH4672 outH4672 my riddleH2420.” 19Then 20the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 rushedH6743 uponH5921 him, and he wentH3381 downH3381 to AshkelonH831 and killedH5221 thirtyH7970 menH376 of them and tookH3947 whatH2488 they were wearingH2488 and gaveH5414 the outfitsH2487 ofH2487 clothesH2487 to those who toldH5046 the riddleH2420. And his angerH639 burnedH2734, and he wentH5927 upH5927 to his father’sH1 houseH1004. 20But Samson’sH8123 wifeH802 was 21given to his companionH4828 whoH834 had been his 22friendH7462.