Judges 14
1 One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.
And Samson went down to Timnathah, and saw a woman in Timnathah of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
And he went up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnathah of the daughters of the Philistines; and now take her to me for wife.
3 But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
Then said unto him his father and his mother, Is there not among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, a woman, that thou art going to take a wife from the Philistines, the uncircumcised? And Samson said unto his father, This one take for me; for she pleaseth me well.
4 (Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)
But his father and his mother knew not that it was from the Lord, that he sought but an occasion against the Philistines; and at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,
And Samson thus went down, with his father and his mother, to Timnathah; and when they were come as far as the vineyards of Timnathah, behold, a young lion came roaring toward him.
6 and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
And the Spirit of the Lord came suddenly over him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand; but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
7 Then Samson continued on his way down and spoke to the woman, because she was pleasing to his eyes.
And he went down, and spoke unto the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8 When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey.
And when he returned after a time to take her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the carcass of the lion and honey likewise.
9 So he scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. And when he returned to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.
And he took it out in his hands, and went on, eating as he was going, and came to his father and mother, and he gave unto them, and they did eat; but he told them not that out of the carcass of the lion he had taken the honey.
10 Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
And his father went down unto the woman; and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11 And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions, and they remained with him.
12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
And Samson said unto them, I will now propound unto you a riddle; if ye can in anywise tell it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then will I give you thirty shirts and thirty changes of garments;
13 But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.”
But if ye will not be able to tell it to me, then shall ye give me thirty shirts and thirty changes of garments. And they said unto him, Propound thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14 So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” For three days they were unable to explain the riddle.
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not solve the riddle in three days.
15 So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Persuade thy husband, that he may solve unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye invited us to impoverish us? is it not so?
16 Then Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me! You do not really love me! You have posed to my people a riddle, but have not explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I have not even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?”
And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou doest but hate me, and lovest me not: that riddle hast thou propounded unto the children of my people, and me hast thou not told [the solution]. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it to my father and to my mother, and thee shall I tell it?
17 She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to 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 had worried him: and she told [the solution of] the riddle to the children of her people.
18 Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”
Then said unto him the men of the city on the seventh day before the sun was yet gone down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,
And the Spirit of the Lord came suddenly over him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew of them thirty men, and he took their apparel, and gave the changes of garments unto the expounders of the riddle; but his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
20 and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.
And Samson's wife was given to his companion who had been given him as his associate.
