Judges 14 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Samson Takes a Philistine as His Wife

Then Samson^H8123 went^H3381 down^H3381 to Timnah^H8553 and saw^H7200 a woman^H802 in Timnah^H8553, one of the daughters^H1323 of the Philistines^H6430.

Jdg 14:2

Jdg 14:2So he came back up and told his father and [fn]mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; so now, take her for me as a wife.”

Jdg 14:3

Jdg 14:3But his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your [fn]relatives, or among all [fn]our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Take her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”

Jdg 14:4

Jdg 14:4However, his father and mother did not know that it was of Yahweh, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

Jdg 14:5

Then Samson^H8123 went^H3381 down^H3381 to Timnah^H8553 with his father^H1 and mother^H517, and they came^H935 as far^H5704 as the vineyards^H3754 of Timnah^H8553; and behold^H2009, a young^H3715 lion^H738 came roaring^H7580 toward^H7122 him.

Jdg 14:6

Jdg 14:6And the Spirit of Yahweh [fn]came upon him mightily, so that he tore it as one tears a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

Jdg 14:7

Jdg 14:7So he went down and spoke to the woman; and she was right in the eyes of Samson.

Jdg 14:8

Jdg 14:8Then he returned later to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion.

Jdg 14:9

Jdg 14:9So he scraped [fn]the honey into his [fn]hands and went on, eating as he went. Then he went to his father and mother, and he gave some to them, and they ate it; but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion.

Jdg 14:10

Then his father^H1 went^H3381 down^H3381 to the woman^H802; and Samson^H8123 made^H6213 a feast^H4960 there^H8033, for the young^H970 men^H970 customarily did^H6213 this^H3651.

Jdg 14:11

Jdg 14:11Now it happened that when they saw him, they took thirty companions to be with him.

Jdg 14:12

Jdg 14:12Then Samson said to them, “Let me now propound a riddle to you; if you will indeed tell it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.

Jdg 14:13

Jdg 14:13“But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Propound your riddle, that we may hear it.”

Jdg 14:14

Jdg 14:14So he said to them,

“Out of the eater^H398 came^H3318 something^H3978 to^H3978 eat^H3978,

And out of the strong^H5794 came^H3318 something^H4966 sweet^H4966.”

But they could^H3201 not tell^H5046 the riddle^H2420 in three^H7969 days^H3117.

Jdg 14:15

Then it happened^H1961 on the [fn]fourth^H7637 day^H3117 that they said^H559 to Samson’s^H8123 wife^H802, “Entice^H6601 your husband^H376, so that he will tell^H5046 us the riddle^H2420, or^H6435 we will burn^H8313 you and your father’s^H1 house^H1004 with fire^H784. Have you invited^H7121 us to impoverish^H3423 us? Is this not so?”

Jdg 14:16

Jdg 14:16So Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have propounded a riddle to the sons of my people and have not told it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?”

Jdg 14:17

Jdg 14:17However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.

Jdg 14:18

Jdg 14:18So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

“What^H4100 is sweeter^H4966 than^H4480 honey^H1706?

And what^H4100 is stronger^H5794 than^H4480 a lion^H738?”

And he said^H559 to them,

“If^H3884 you had not plowed^H2790 with my heifer^H5697,

You would not have found^H4672 out^H4672 my riddle^H2420.”

Jdg 14:19

Then the Spirit^H7307 of Yahweh^H3068 [fn]came^H6743 upon him mightily^H6743, and he went^H3381 down^H3381 to Ashkelon^H831 and struck^H5221 down^H5221 thirty^H7970 of them and took^H3947 their spoil^H2488 and gave^H5414 the changes^H2487 of clothes to those who told^H5046 the riddle^H2420. And his anger^H639 burned^H2734, and he went^H5927 up^H5927 to his father’s^H1 house^H1004.