New English Translation
Judges 14:8
8Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to see the lion’s remains. He saw a swarm of bees in the lion’s carcass, as well as some honey.
Judges 14:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
- New International Version (NIV)Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey.
- English Standard Version (ESV)After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
- New King James Version (NKJV)After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion.
Context of Judges 14:8
6The Lord’s spirit empowered him and he tore the lion in two with his bare hands as easily as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. 7Samson continued on down to Timnah and spoke to the girl. In his opinion, she was just the right one. Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to see the lion’s remains. He saw a swarm of bees in the lion’s carcass, as well as some honey. 9He scooped it up with his hands and ate it as he walked along. When he returned to his father and mother, he offered them some and they ate it. But he did not tell them he had scooped the honey out of the lion’s carcass. 10Then Samson’s father accompanied him to Timnah for the marriage. Samson hosted a party there, for this was customary for bridegrooms to do.
Read all of Judges 14Judges 14:8 word by word
וַיָּ֤שָׁב מִיָּמִים֙ לְקַחְתָּ֔הּ וַיָּ֣סַר לִרְא֔וֹת אֵ֖ת מַפֶּ֣לֶת הָאַרְיֵ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה עֲדַ֧ת דְּבוֹרִ֛ים בִּגְוִיַּ֥ת הָאַרְיֵ֖ה וּדְבָֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And after a timeיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- he returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
- her, and he turned asideסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
- to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the carcaseמַפֶּ֫לֶתmappeleth · carcassH4658
- of the lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
- a swarmעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
- of beesדְּבוֹרָהdebôrâh debôrâh · beeH1682
- and honeyדְּבַשׁdebash · honeyH1706
- in the carcaseגְּוִיָּהgevîyâh · bodyH1472
Cross-references for Judges 14:8
- Genesis 29:21Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her.”
- Matthew 1:20When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Commentaries on Judges 14:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8After a time - Probably about one year; as this was the time that generally elapsed between espousing and wedding. A swarm of bees and honey in the carcass - By length of time the flesh had been entirely consumed off the bones, and a swarm of bees had formed their combs within the region of the thorax, nor was it an improper place; nor was the thing unfrequent, if we may credit ancient writers; the carcasses of slain beasts becoming a receptacle for wild…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The formal dowry and gifts having been given by Samson‘s father, an interval, varying according to the Oriental custom, from a few days to a full year, elapsed between the betrothal and the wedding, during which the bride lived with her friends. Then came the essential part of the marriage ceremony, namely, the removal of the bride from her father‘s house to that of the bridegroom or his father. The carcase of the lion - The lion, slain by him a year or…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-9Verses 5-9 By enabling him to kill a lion, God let Samson know what he could do in the strength of the Spirit of the Lord, that he might never be afraid to look the greatest difficulties in the face. He was alone in the vineyards, whither he had rambled. Young people consider not how they exposed themselves to the roaring lion that seeks to devour, when they wander from their prudent, pious parents. Nor do men consider what lions lurk in the vineyards…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. 5-95-9. a young lion--Hebrew, a lion in the pride of his youthful prime. The wild mountain passes of Judah were the lairs of savage beasts; and most or all the "lions" of Scripture occur in that wild country. His rending and killing the shaggy monster, without any weapon in his hand, were accomplished by that superhuman courage and strength which the occasional influences of the Spirit enabled him to put forth, and by the exertion of which, in such private…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 14:8
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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