New English Translation
Judges 14:12
12Samson said to them, “I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty sets 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.
- 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
10Then Samson’s father accompanied him to Timnah for the marriage. Samson hosted a party there, for this was customary for bridegrooms to do. 11When the Philistines saw he had no attendants, they gave him thirty groomsmen who kept him company. Samson said to them, “I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes. 13But if you cannot solve it, you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.” They said to him, “Let us hear your riddle.” 14He said to them, “Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong one came something sweet.” They could not solve the riddle for three days.
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 10:1When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions.
- Psalms 49:4I will learn a song that imparts wisdom; I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.
- Proverbs 1:6To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.
- Ezekiel 17:2“Son of man, offer a riddle, and tell a parable to the house of Israel.
- Ezekiel 20:49Then I said, “O sovereign Lord! They are saying of me, ‘Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?’”
- Matthew 13:13For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.
- Luke 14:7Then when Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. He said to them,
- John 16:29His disciples said, “Look, now you are speaking plainly and not in obscure figures of speech!
- 1 Corinthians 13:12For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known.
- Genesis 29:27Complete my older daughter’s bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more years of work.”
- 2 Chronicles 7:8At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival for seven days. This great assembly included people from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt in the south.
- Matthew 27:28They stripped him and put a scarlet robe around him,
- Mark 14:51A young man was following him, wearing only a linen cloth. They tried to arrest him,
- Genesis 45:22He gave sets of clothes to each one of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes.
- 2 Kings 5:5The king of Syria said, “Go! I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten suits of clothes.
- Matthew 6:19“Do not accumulate 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
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