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 Living Translation (NLT)On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle for us, or we will burn down your father’s house with you in it. Did you invite us to this party just to make us poor?”

Context of Judges 14:15

13But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” And they said to him, “Pose your riddle, 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.” Now for three days they could not explain the riddle. 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?” 16Then Samson’s wife wept on him, and said, “You only hate me! You do not love me! You have posed a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not explained it to me.” And he said to her, “Look, I have not explained it to my father or my mother; so should I explain it to you?” 17Now she had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed him so much. Then she explained 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass on the seventhשְׁבִיעִיshebîy‛îy shebi‛îy · seventhH7637
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• that they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Samson’sשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
• wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• Enticeפָּתָהpâthâh · to enticeH6601
• thy husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
• that he may declareנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• unto us the riddleחִידָהchîydâh · riddleH2420
• lest we burnשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313
• thee and thy father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• with fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• have ye calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• us to take that we haveיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: poorH3423

People and places in Judges 14:15

• Samson

Cross-references for Judges 14:15

• Judges 14:17Now she had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed him so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of her people.
• Judges 16:5And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.”
• Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
• Proverbs 1:11If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
• Proverbs 5:3For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil;
• Proverbs 6:26For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
• Micah 7:5Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom.
• Judges 12:1Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!”
• Judges 15:6Then the Philistines said, “Who has done this?” And they answered, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife and given her to his companion.” So the Philistines came up and burned her and her father 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