Judges 14

1 A while later, Samson went down to Timnah and observed a woman in Timnah who was of Philistine origin. ^{a14:1 Lit. Timnah from the daughters of Philistines}ISV — Judges 14:1

2 Then he returned and told his father and mother, “In Timnah I saw a woman of Philistine origin.” ^{b14:2 Lit. woman from the daughters of Philistines} He ordered them, “Get her for me as a wife. Now!” ^{c14:2 Or So get her}ISV — Judges 14:2

3 His father and mother asked him, “Isn’t there a woman suitable ^{d14:3 The Heb. lacks suitable} among the daughters of your relatives or among all of our people, since you’re going to get your ^{e14:3 Lit. a} wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson retorted to his father, “Get her for me, since she looks fine to me.”ISV — Judges 14:3

4 Meanwhile, his father and mother did not know that she was from the LORD, because he had been seeking a favorable opportunity concerning the Philistines, since ^{f14:4 Lit. and} the Philistines were dominating Israel at that time.ISV — Judges 14:4

5 Then Samson went down in the direction of Timnah with his father and mother and arrived as far as the vineyards of Timnah. And—surprise!—a young lion came roaring at him!ISV — Judges 14:5

6 The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he ripped the lion ^{g14:6 Lit. ripped it} apart as one might dissect a young goat, even though he carried nothing in his hand. But he didn’t tell his father and mother what he had done.ISV — Judges 14:6

7 Then he went down and talked to the woman, and she looked fine to Samson.ISV — Judges 14:7

8 When he came back later to marry ^{h14:8 Lit. take} her, he turned aside to observe the lion’s carcass. Amazingly, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, complete with honey.ISV — Judges 14:8

9 So he scraped some out into his hands and went on his way, eating all the while. When he met his father and mother, he gave some ^{i14:9 The Heb. lacks some} to them, and they ate it, too. But he didn’t inform them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.ISV — Judges 14:9

10 Later on, when his father went down to visit ^{j14:10 The Heb. lacks visit} the woman, Samson threw a party there, since young men customarily did this.ISV — Judges 14:10

11 When they saw him, they brought 30 companions to accompany him.ISV — Judges 14:11

12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson told them. “If you can solve it during this week-long festival, I’ll give you 30 linen garments and 30 formal garments. ^{k14:12 Or 30 changes of clothes}ISV — Judges 14:12

13 But if you don’t solve it, ^{l14:13 Lit. don’t tell me} then you’ll give me 30 linen garments and 30 formal garments.” ^{m14:13 Or 30 changes of clothes} “Tell us your riddle and we’ll solve it,” they responded.ISV — Judges 14:13

14 So he told them: From the eater came something edible; from the strong something sweet. For three days they couldn’t solve the riddle.ISV — Judges 14:14

15 The next ^{n14:15 Lit. On the fourth} day, they told Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband to explain the riddle or we’ll set fire to your father’s house—with you in it! You’ve invited us here to make us paupers, haven’t you?”ISV — Judges 14:15

16 So Samson’s wife cried in front of him and accused him, “You only hate me. You don’t love me. You’ve told a riddle to my relatives, but you haven’t told the solution ^{o14:16 Lit. told it} to me.” Samson responded, “Look, I haven’t told my parents, ^{p14:16 Lit. my father and my mother} either. Why ^{q14:16 The Heb. lacks either. Why} should I tell you?”ISV — Judges 14:16

17 So she kept on crying in front of him for the entire seven days of the wedding party. On the seventh day he told the solution ^{r14:17 Lit. it} to her because she nagged him, and then she told the solution to ^{s14:17 The Heb. lacks the solution to} the riddle to her relatives.ISV — Judges 14:17

18 Then the men of the city answered him just before sunset on the seventh day: “What’s sweeter than honey? What’s stronger than lions?” Samson ^{t14:18 Lit. He} responded, “If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer you wouldn’t have solved my riddle.”ISV — Judges 14:18

19 Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed 30 men, took their belongings, and gave the garments to those who had told him the solution to ^{u14:19 The Heb. lacks the solution to} the riddle. He remained furious, left for his father’s house,ISV — Judges 14:19

20 and Samson’s wife went to the best man at his wedding. ^{v14:20 Lit. wife was to an acquaintance who was his friend; cf. Judg 15:2, 7}ISV — Judges 14:20