Judges 14
1 Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my wife.”
And 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 get her for me for a wife.
3 Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is not there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”
Then his father and his mother said to him, Is there not a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
4 But his father and his mother did not know that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion roared at him.
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
6 The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, but he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
7 He went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.
And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8 After a while he returned to take her, and he went over to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
And after a time he returned to 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.
9 He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave to them, and they ate, but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the lion’s body.
And he took of it in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they ate: but he told them not that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
10 His father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so.
So his father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11 When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
And Samson said to them, I will now tell a riddle to you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
13 but if you cannot tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”
But if ye cannot declare it to me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said to him, Tell thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14 He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They could not in three days declare the riddle.
And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
15 On the seventh day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Is not that so?”
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take what we possess? is it not so?
16 Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and do not love me. You have told a riddle to the children of my people, and have not told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I have not told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?”
And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast told a riddle to the children of my people, and hast not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor to my mother, and shall I tell it to thee?
17 She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and on the seventh day, he told her, because she pressed him severely; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him so hard: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18 The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “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.”
And the men of the city said to 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 to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19 The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.
And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments to them who expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.
But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
