Judges 14:4

Judges 14:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
• New Living Translation (NLT)His father and mother didn’t realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time.

Context of Judges 14:4

2When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” 3His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.) 5Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. 6The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.

Judges 14:4 word by word

וְאָבִ֨יו וְאִמּ֜וֹ לֹ֣א יָדְע֗וּ כִּ֤י מֵיְהוָה֙ הִ֔יא כִּי־תֹאֲנָ֥ה הֽוּא־מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וּבָעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים מֹשְׁלִ֥ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• and his motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
• knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• that he soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• an occasionתֹּאֲנָהta'ănâh tô'ănâh · opportunityH8385
• against the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• for at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• had dominionמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
• over Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Judges 14:4

• Joshua 11:20For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
• 1 Kings 12:15So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
• 2 Kings 6:33While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him. The king said, “This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
• 2 Chronicles 10:15So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
• 2 Chronicles 22:7Through Ahaziah’s visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.
• 2 Chronicles 25:20Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them into the hands of Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom.
• Psalms 115:3Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.
• Judges 13:1Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.
• Judges 15:11Then three thousand men from Judah went down to the cave in the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Don’t you realize that the Philistines are rulers over us? What have you done to us?” He answered, “I merely did to them what they did to me.”
• Deuteronomy 28:48therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.

Commentaries on Judges 14:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4His father and mother very properly opposed Samson‘s marriage with a Pagan woman, the daughter of the oppressors of his race. But they could not prevail, because it was the secret purpose of God by these means to “seek occasion” against the Philistines; i. e. to make the misconduct of the father of Samson‘s wife, which He foresaw, the occasion of destruction to the Philistines. Compare the marginal references for similar statements.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. 3-43-4. Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren--that is, "of thine own tribe"--a Danite woman. Samson said ... Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well--literally, "she is right in mine eyes"; not by her beautiful countenance or handsome figure, but right or fit for his purpose. And this throws light on the historian's remark in reference to the resistance of his parents: they "knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 14:4

• Predestination
• Samson

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Philistines
• Change
• Manoah
• Plow
• Put
• Riddle
• Samson
• Swarm
• Timnath

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