1Samson desireth to take one of the daughters of the Philistines to wife. 5In his journey to Timnath he killeth a lion. 8In a second journey thither he findeth honey in the lion's carcase. 10Samson's marriage feast. 12His riddle, which his wife prevaileth upon him to unfold to her, and she discovereth to the guests. 19He slayeth thirty Philistines, and giveth their spoil to those who had expounded his riddle; he leaveth his wife in anger, who is given to another.
1AND Samson went down to aTimnath, and bsaw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
a Ge. 38.12-14. Jos. 15.57; 19.43. b Ge. 6.2; 34.2.
2And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore cget her for me to wife.
c Ge. 21.21; 24.3-8; 28.1,2; 34.4.
3Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of dthy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the euncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for 1she pleaseth me well.
1Heb. she is right in mine eyes.
d Ge. 13.8; 24.3,4,27. e ch. 15.18. Ge. 34.14. 1Sa. 14.6; 17.26,36; 31.4. Ex. 34.12. De. 7.2. 2Sa. 1.20.
4But his father and his mother knew not that it was fof the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines ghad dominion over Israel.
f 2Ch. 10.15; 22.7; 25.20. Ps. 115.3. Ex. 3.22. Jos. 11.20. g ch. 10.7; 13.1; 15.11.
5¶Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, ha young lion roared 2against him.
2Heb. in meeting him.
h Eze. 19.2,3.
6iAnd the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he jrent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: kbut he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
i ch. 3.10; 11.29; 15.14. 1Sa. 10.6,10; 11.6. v.19. j 1Sa. 17.34. ch. 15.8,15; 16.30. 1Jn. 3.8. Col. 2.15. Zec. 4.6. k Is. 42.2. Mat. 11.29.
7And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8¶And after a time he returned lto take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
l Mat. 1.20. Ge. 29.21.
9And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
10¶So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson mmade there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
m Ge. 29.22. Jn. 2.1-9.
11And it came to pass, when they nsaw him, that they brought othirty companions to be with him.
n 1Sa. 10.23; 16.6. o 1Sa. 18.20,21. Mat. 9.15.
12¶And Samson said unto them, I will now pput forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly *declare it me within the qseven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty 3sheets and thirty rchange of garments:
*declare-explain.
3Or, shirts.
p 1Ki. 10.1. Eze. 17.2. Mat. 13.11. v.13,16. Lu. 14.7. Ps. 78.2. Pr. 1.6. q Ge. 29.27. v.17. r Ge. 45.22. 2Ki. 5.22.
13But if ye cannot *declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty 4sheets and thirty schange of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
*declare-explain.
4Or, shirts. Pr. 31.24. Is. 3.23.
s 2Ki. 5.5,22,23.
14And he said unto them, tOut of the eater came forth *meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And uthey could not in three days expound the riddle.
*meat-food of any kind.
t Jn. 6.51-56. 2Co. 4.17. u 1Co. 2.14,15. Mat. 13.11. Jn. 6.32-60.
15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, vEntice thy husband, that he may *declare unto us the riddle, wlest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us 5to take that we have? is it not so ?
*declare-explain.
5Heb. to possess us, or to impoverish us.
v Ge. 3.6. ch. 16.5. Job 31.27. Pr. 5.3; 6.3. w ch. 15.6.
16And Samson's wife xwept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
x ch. 16.15. Job 2.12.
17And she wept before him 6the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because yshe lay sore upon him: and zshe told the riddle to the children of her people.
6Or, the rest of the seven days.
y ch. 16.16. z Mi. 7.5. Job 2.9. Pr. 2.16,17.
18And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19¶And the aSpirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to bAshkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their 7spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
7Or, apparel.
a ch. 3.10; 11.29. 1Sa. 11.6. v.6. b ch. 1.18.
20But Samson's wife cwas given to his companion, whom he had dused as his friend.
c ch. 15.2,6. d Ca. 5.1. Jn. 3.29.