Judges 14

Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman there from among the daughters of the Philistines. He went up and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah from among the daughters of the Philistines. Now get her for me as a wife.” His father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives or among all my people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.” His father and mother did not know that this was from the LORD, for he was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel. Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother. When they came to the vineyards of Timnah, a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one tears apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. He did not tell his father or mother what he had done. He went down and spoke to the woman, and she was right in Samson’s eyes. After some time he returned to take her as his wife. He turned aside to see the lion’s carcass, and there was a swarm of bees and honey in the lion’s body. He scooped it into his hands and went on, eating as he walked. He came to his father and mother and gave them some, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s body. His father went down to the woman, and Samson held a feast there, as the young men used to do. When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him. Samson said to them, “Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can explain it to me during the seven days of the feast and find it out, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes. But if you cannot explain it to me, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” They said to him, “Pose your riddle, and let us hear it.” He said to them, “Out of the eater came food, and out of the strong came sweetness.” For three days they could not explain the riddle. On the seventh 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 household with fire. Did you invite us so you could take our possessions? Is that not so?” Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “You only hate me; you do not love me. You have posed a riddle to my people, but you have not explained it to me.” He said to her, “I have not explained it to my father or mother. Should I explain it to you?” She wept before him during the seven days of their feast. On the seventh day he explained it to her because she pressed him, and she explained the riddle to her people. On the seventh day, before the sun set, the men of the city said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.” The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, took their spoil, and gave the changes of clothes to those who had explained the riddle. His anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house. Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.

Rights and attribution