Judges 14 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Samson Takes a Philistine as His Wife

1 Then Samson ^H8123 went ^H3381 down ^H3381 to Timnah ^H8553 and saw ^H7200 a woman ^H802 in Timnah ^H8553, one of the daughters ^H1323 of the Philistines ^H6430.

2 So he came ^H5927 back up ^H5927 and told ^H5046 his father ^H1 and [fn]mother ^H517, “I saw ^H7200 a woman ^H802 in Timnah ^H8553, one of the daughters ^H1323 of the Philistines ^H6430; so now ^H6258, take ^H3947 her for me as a wife ^H802.” 3 But his father ^H1 and his mother ^H517 said ^H559 to him, “Is ^H369 there ^H369 no ^H369 woman ^H802 among the daughters ^H1323 of your [fn]relatives ^H251, or among all ^H3605 [fn]our people ^H5971, that you go ^H1980 to take ^H3947 a wife ^H802 from the uncircumcised ^H6189 Philistines ^H6430?” But Samson ^H8123 said ^H559 to his father ^H1, “Take ^H3947 her for me, for she is ^H3474 right ^H3474 in my eyes ^H5869.” 4 However, his father ^H1 and mother ^H517 did not know ^H3045 that it was of Yahweh ^H3068, for He was seeking ^H1245 an occasion ^H8385 against ^H4480 the Philistines ^H6430. Now at that time ^H6256 the Philistines ^H6430 were ruling ^H4910 over Israel ^H3478.

5 Then Samson ^H8123 went ^H3381 down ^H3381 to Timnah ^H8553 with his father ^H1 and mother ^H517, and they came ^H935 as far ^H5704 as the vineyards ^H3754 of Timnah ^H8553; and behold ^H2009, a young ^H3715 lion ^H738 came roaring ^H7580 toward ^H7122 him. 6 And the Spirit ^H7307 of Yahweh ^H3068 [fn]came ^H6743 upon him mightily ^H6743, so that he tore ^H8156 it as one tears ^H8156 a young ^H1423 goat ^H1423, though he had ^H369 nothing ^H3972 H369 in his hand ^H3027; but he did not tell ^H5046 his father ^H1 or mother ^H517 what ^H834 he had done ^H6213. 7 So he went ^H3381 down ^H3381 and spoke ^H1696 to the woman ^H802; and she was ^H3474 right ^H3474 in the eyes ^H5869 of Samson ^H8123. 8 Then he returned ^H7725 later ^H4480 H3117 to take ^H3947 her, and he turned ^H5493 aside ^H5493 to see ^H7200 the carcass ^H4658 of the lion ^H738; and behold ^H2009, a swarm ^H5712 of bees ^H1682 and honey ^H1706 were in the body ^H1472 of the lion ^H738. 9 So he scraped ^H7287 [fn]the honey into his [fn]hands ^H3709 and went ^H1980 on, eating ^H398 as he went ^H1980. Then he went ^H1980 to his father ^H1 and mother ^H517, and he gave ^H5414 some to them, and they ate ^H398 it; but he did not tell ^H5046 them that he had scraped ^H7287 the honey ^H1706 out ^H7287 of the body ^H1472 of the lion ^H738.

10 Then his father ^H1 went ^H3381 down ^H3381 to the woman ^H802; and Samson ^H8123 made ^H6213 a feast ^H4960 there ^H8033, for the young ^H970 men ^H970 customarily did ^H6213 this ^H3651. 11 Now it happened ^H1961 that when they saw ^H7200 him, they took ^H3947 thirty ^H7970 companions ^H4828 to be with him. 12 Then Samson ^H8123 said ^H559 to them, “Let me now ^H4994 propound ^H2330 a riddle ^H2420 to you; if ^H518 you will indeed ^H5046 tell ^H5046 it to me within the seven ^H7651 days ^H3117 of the feast ^H4960 and find ^H4672 it out ^H4672, then I will give ^H5414 you thirty ^H7970 linen ^H5466 wraps ^H5466 and thirty ^H7970 changes ^H2487 of clothes ^H899. 13 But if ^H518 you are ^H3201 unable ^H3808 H3201 to tell ^H5046 me, then you shall give ^H5414 me thirty ^H7970 linen ^H5466 wraps ^H5466 and thirty ^H7970 changes ^H2487 of clothes ^H899.” And they said ^H559 to him, “Propound ^H2330 your riddle ^H2420, that we may hear ^H8085 it.” 14 So he said ^H559 to them,

“Out of the eater ^H398 came ^H3318 something ^H3978 to ^H3978 eat ^H3978,

And out of the strong ^H5794 came ^H3318 something ^H4966 sweet ^H4966.”

But they could ^H3201 not tell ^H5046 the riddle ^H2420 in three ^H7969 days ^H3117.

15 Then it happened ^H1961 on the [fn]fourth ^H7637 day ^H3117 that they said ^H559 to Samson’s ^H8123 wife ^H802, “Entice ^H6601 your husband ^H376, so that he will tell ^H5046 us the riddle ^H2420, or ^H6435 we will burn ^H8313 you and your father’s ^H1 house ^H1004 with fire ^H784. Have you invited ^H7121 us to impoverish ^H3423 us? Is this not so?” 16 So Samson’s ^H8123 wife ^H802 wept ^H1058 before ^H5921 him and said ^H559, “You only ^H7534 hate ^H8130 me, and you do not love ^H157 me; you have propounded ^H2330 a riddle ^H2420 to the sons ^H1121 of my people ^H5971 and have not told ^H5046 it to me.” And he said ^H559 to her, “Behold ^H2009, I have not told ^H5046 it to my father ^H1 or mother ^H517; so should I tell ^H5046 you?” 17 However she wept ^H1058 before ^H5921 him seven ^H7651 days ^H3117 while ^H834 their feast ^H4960 lasted ^H1961. And on the seventh ^H7637 day ^H3117 he told ^H5046 her because ^H3588 she pressed ^H6693 him so hard ^H6693. She then told ^H5046 the riddle ^H2420 to the sons ^H1121 of her people ^H5971. 18 So the men ^H376 of the city ^H5892 said ^H559 to him on the seventh ^H7637 day ^H3117 before ^H2962 the sun ^H2775 went ^H935 down,

“What ^H4100 is sweeter ^H4966 than ^H4480 honey ^H1706?

And what ^H4100 is stronger ^H5794 than ^H4480 a lion ^H738?”

And he said ^H559 to them,

“If ^H3884 you had not plowed ^H2790 with my heifer ^H5697,

You would not have found ^H4672 out ^H4672 my riddle ^H2420.”

19 Then the Spirit ^H7307 of Yahweh ^H3068 [fn]came ^H6743 upon him mightily ^H6743, and he went ^H3381 down ^H3381 to Ashkelon ^H831 and struck ^H5221 down ^H5221 thirty ^H7970 of them and took ^H3947 their spoil ^H2488 and gave ^H5414 the changes ^H2487 of clothes to those who told ^H5046 the riddle ^H2420. And his anger ^H639 burned ^H2734, and he went ^H5927 up ^H5927 to his father’s ^H1 house ^H1004. 20 But Samson’s ^H8123 wife ^H802 was given to his companion ^H4828 who ^H834 had been his [fn]friend ^H7462.