Judges 14

King James Version

Full text for Judges Chapter 14

1¶ And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

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 get her for me to wife.

3Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never 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 unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

4But 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.

5Then 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.

6And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon 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.

7And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

8And 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.

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 made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

11And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto 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:

13But if ye cannot declare [it] me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? [is it] not [so]?

16And Samson's wife wept 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?

17And 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 lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

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.

19And 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 unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

20But Samson's wife was [given] to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Samson desires a Philistine woman from Timnath, a choice his parents oppose but which is ordained by the Lord to provoke the Philistines. On his journey, he supernaturally slays a lion and later finds honey within its carcass. At his wedding feast, Samson poses a riddle based on this event, which his Philistine companions discover by coercing his wife. Enraged, Samson slays thirty Philistines to fulfill his wager, and his wife is given to another.

Medium Summary

Judges 14 opens with Samson's decision to marry a Philistine woman from Timnath, a choice his parents question due to her uncircumcised heritage, though it is revealed to be part of the Lord's plan to find an occasion against the Philistines. During a journey to Timnath, Samson, empowered by the Spirit of the Lord, tears apart a young lion with his bare hands. Later, returning to formalize the marriage, he discovers a swarm of bees and honey within the lion's carcass, which he eats and shares without revealing its origin. At the wedding feast, Samson proposes a riddle to thirty Philistine companions, offering a wager of thirty changes of garments. When the Philistines cannot solve it, they threaten Samson's wife, who, after persistent weeping, extracts the answer from him. Upon hearing the solution, Samson realizes their deceit, and the Spirit of the Lord again empowers him to slay thirty men in Ashkelon to pay the wager. His anger leads him to return to his father's house, and his wife is given to another man.

Long Summary

Judges 14 details the initial steps of Samson's interactions with the Philistines, beginning with his desire for a Philistine wife from Timnath. Despite his parents' objections to his choosing a woman from the uncircumcised, it is revealed that this desire is providentially guided by the Lord, who seeks an occasion against the Philistines, then dominant over Israel. As Samson journeys to Timnath with his parents, a young lion attacks him in the vineyards. The Spirit of the Lord comes mightily upon Samson, enabling him to tear the lion apart with his bare hands, a feat he keeps secret from his parents. Later, when he returns to take the woman as his wife, he turns aside to view the lion's carcass and discovers a swarm of bees and honey within it. He takes some honey, eats it, and shares it with his parents, again without disclosing its unusual origin. Samson then makes a feast, as was customary, and thirty Philistine companions are brought to be with him. During the feast, Samson proposes a riddle: "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness." He wagers thirty sheets and thirty changes of garments, to be exchanged if they solve it within seven days or fail to do so. For three days, the Philistines cannot solve the riddle. On the seventh day, they resort to threatening Samson's wife and her father's house with fire unless she entices the answer from her husband. Samson's wife weeps before him for the remainder of the feast, accusing him of hating her, until, wearied by her importunity, he reveals the solution to her, despite having kept it from his own parents. She then immediately tells the answer to her people. When the Philistines present the correct answer, Samson discerns their treachery, declaring, "If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle." The Spirit of the Lord again comes upon him, empowering him to go down to Ashkelon, where he slays thirty men, takes their spoil, and provides the promised garments to those who solved the riddle. His anger ignited, Samson returns to his father's house, and his Philistine wife is subsequently given to one of his companions.

Core Concepts

  • Divine ProvidenceSamson's choice of a Philistine wife, though seemingly against Israelite custom, is explicitly stated to be "of the LORD" to provide an opportunity against the Philistines, who oppressed Israel.
  • Supernatural StrengthThe Spirit of the Lord empowers Samson to perform extraordinary feats, such as tearing a young lion apart with his bare hands and slaying thirty men in Ashkelon, demonstrating his unique anointing.
  • The RiddleSamson's riddle, "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness," is a clever challenge derived from his personal experience with the lion and the honey, serving as a test for his Philistine companions.
  • Betrayal and DeceitSamson's Philistine companions resort to threatening his wife to coerce her into revealing the riddle's solution, highlighting their deceitful nature and her ultimate betrayal of Samson's trust.
  • Consequences of AngerSamson's anger, fueled by the betrayal and deceit, leads him to violent retribution against the Philistines, slaying thirty men to fulfill his wager, and results in the loss of his wife.
  • Cultural ConflictThe chapter highlights the tension between Israel and the Philistines through Samson's forbidden marriage, the Philistines' oppressive dominion, and the ensuing conflicts initiated by Samson.