New Living Translation
Judges 14:12
12Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle. If you solve my riddle during these seven days of the celebration, I will give you thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing.
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
10As his father was making final arrangements for the marriage, Samson threw a party at Timnah, as was the custom for elite young men. 11When the bride’s parents saw him, they selected thirty young men from the town to be his companions. Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle. If you solve my riddle during these seven days of the celebration, I will give you thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing. 13But if you can’t solve it, then you must give me thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing.” “All right,” they agreed, “let’s hear your riddle.” 14So he said: “Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong came something sweet.” Three days later they were still trying to figure it out.
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 of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
- Psalms 49:4I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
- Proverbs 1:6by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.
- Ezekiel 17:2“Son of man, give this riddle, and tell this story to the people of Israel.
- Ezekiel 20:49Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me, ‘He only talks in riddles!’”
- Matthew 13:13That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
- Luke 14:7When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice:
- John 16:29Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
- Genesis 29:27“But wait until the bridal week is over; then we’ll give you Rachel, too—provided you promise to work another seven years for me.”
- 2 Chronicles 7:8For the next seven days Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters. A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south.
- Matthew 27:28They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.
- Mark 14:51One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him,
- Genesis 45:22And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces of silver.
- 2 Kings 5:5“Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
- Matthew 6:19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, 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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