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Judges 14 :: Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

Samson’s Riddle
Jdg 14:1

Samson went down to Timnah and saw a young Philistine woman there.

Jdg 14:2

He went back and told his father and his mother, “I have seen a young Philistine woman in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”

Jdg 14:3

But his father and mother said to him, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines for a wife? ”

But Samson told his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.”

Jdg 14:4

Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who wanted the Philistines to provide an opportunity for a confrontation.[fn] At that time, the Philistines were ruling Israel.

Jdg 14:5

Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,

Jdg 14:6

the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully on him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

Jdg 14:7

Then he went and spoke to the woman, because she seemed right to Samson.

Jdg 14:8

After some time, when he returned to marry her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and there was a swarm of bees with honey in the carcass.

Jdg 14:9

He scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had scooped the honey from the lion’s carcass.

Jdg 14:10

His father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as young men were accustomed to do.

Jdg 14:11

When the Philistines saw him, they brought thirty men to accompany him.

Jdg 14:12

“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can explain it to me during the seven days of the feast and figure it out, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.

Jdg 14:13

“But if you can’t explain it to me, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.”

“Tell us your riddle,” they replied.[fn] “Let’s hear it.”

Jdg 14:14

So he said to them:

Out of the eater came something to eat,

and out of the strong came something sweet.

After three days, they were unable to explain the riddle.

Jdg 14:15

On the fourth[fn] day they said to Samson’s wife, “Persuade your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s family to death. Did you invite us here to rob us? ”

Jdg 14:16

So Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me and don’t love me! You told my people the riddle, but haven’t explained it to me.”

“Look,” he said,[fn] “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you? ”

Jdg 14:17

She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and at last, on the seventh day, he explained it to her, because she had nagged him so much. Then she explained it to her people.

Jdg 14:18

On the seventh day, before sunset, the men of the city said to him:

What is sweeter than honey?

What is stronger than a lion?

So he said to them:

If you hadn’t plowed with my young cow,

you wouldn’t know my riddle now!

Jdg 14:19

The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men. He stripped them and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. In a rage, Samson returned to his father’s house,

Jdg 14:20

and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.

CSB Footnotes
for a confrontation supplied for clarity
Lit replied to him
LXX, Syr; MT reads seventh
Lit said to her
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Judges Chapter 14 — Additional Translations: