Judges 14
14
Samson Wants a Wife
1One day Samson went down to Timnah where a Philistine girl caught his eye, 2so he returned home and told his parents, “At Timnah I noticed a young woman among the daughters of the Philistines; get her for me now to be my wife.” # 14:2 As in many other cultures, parents (especially the fathers) arranged marriages in the ancient Near East. See Gen. 21:21; 24:4; 34:8; Ex. 21:9.
3His parents replied, “Why can’t you find a woman from among our relatives, or at least from our tribe? You don’t have to get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines.”
But Samson told his father, “Get her for me; I know she’s the right one for me.”
4Now, his parents had no idea that Samson’s passion for the girl was part of Yahweh’s plan to create an opportunity to come against the Philistines who ruled over Israel at that time.
Samson and the Lion
5One day, Samson decided to go back to Timnah to visit the Philistine woman. As he was approaching the vineyards of Timnah, a full-grown lion suddenly came roaring toward him. 6The Spirit of Yahweh entered Samson # 14:6 Or “The Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon him.” and empowered him to tear the lion to pieces with his bare hands as if it were a young goat! But he never disclosed to his father and mother what he had done. 7Afterward, he went into Timnah and talked with the Philistine woman, because Samson was convinced that she was the right one for him.
8Later, Samson returned to marry her. On his way there, he turned aside to look at the lion’s remains, and to his surprise, there was a swarm of bees, honey, and honeycomb in the carcass of the lion! 9He scooped some of the honey # 14:9 The Jewish historian Josephus writes that Samson took three honeycombs from the lion’s carcass and gave them to a woman in Timnah (Ant. 1.5.c.8 sect. 6). Part of the Nazarite vow is a prohibition from touching anything dead or unclean (see Num. 6:6). By touching the carcass of the lion, Samson violated his vow to God. into his hands and continued on his way, eating as he went. When he rejoined his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they ate too. But he did not tell them he had scooped it from the lion’s carcass. 10So Samson’s father accompanied him to Timnah to arrange the marriage.
Samson’s Wedding Feast
Following the custom for young men # 14:10 The Hebrew word for “young men” can also mean “chosen men [warriors].” See 20:15–16. about to marry, Samson threw a party # 14:10 This was a wedding feast with alcohol. Assuming Samson was drinking with the others, he again broke another part of his Nazarite vow not to drink alcohol. The only remaining part of his vow was not to cut his hair, but soon he would violate that too. that lasted for seven days. 11When the Philistines saw him, they arranged for thirty Philistine men to accompany him as groomsmen. # 14:11 Many modern commentators surmise that the Philistines assigned thirty men to keep watch over Samson due to their concern over his unusual strength. 12Samson challenged them with a riddle, “Hey, I have a riddle for you. # 14:12 Or “Let me riddle you a riddle.” The Hebrew word for “riddle” (chidah) can also mean “dark saying,” “hard question,” or “conundrum,” and is taken from a root word meaning “to tie into a knot.” Riddles were common as a source of entertainment in ancient times. The queen of Sheba tested Solomon’s wisdom by presenting him with riddles (see 1 Kings 10:1). God instructed Ezekiel to present a riddle to the people of Israel (see Ezek. 17:2). The book of Proverbs was written, in part, to “unveil the deeper meaning of parables, poetic riddles, and epigrams” (Prov. 1:6). If you can solve my riddle within the seven days of our feast, then I will give each of you a linen garment and a set of fine clothing. 13But if you cannot solve it, then you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of fine clothing.” # 14:13 That is, “costly festive garments,” a cultural mark of favor.
“Ask away,” they said to him. “Let’s hear your riddle.”
14He said to them:
“From the eater came something to eat,
From the strong came something sweet.”
After three days, they were still stumped and could not figure it out. 15On the fourth day, # 14:15 Or “seventh day” (Masoretic Text). they said to Samson’s bride, “Have you invited us here to bankrupt us? Do whatever it takes to persuade your husband to tell you the answer to his riddle, or we will burn down your father’s house with you and your family inside!”
16So Samson’s bride went to him and turned on the tears and sobbed, “Honey, you don’t really love me! You hate me! You’ve challenged my countrymen with a riddle, but you haven’t told me its meaning!”
“Listen,” he said to her. “I haven’t even told my parents. So why should I tell you?” 17She continued to cry on his shoulder for the remaining days of their feast, and on the seventh day, because she had so persistently nagged him, he finally gave in and divulged the secret. Then she went and explained the riddle to her countrymen.
18On the seventh day before the sun had set, the townsmen answered him:
“What could be sweeter than honey?
And what is stronger than a lion?”
And Samson angrily replied,
“If you hadn’t used my cow for your plow
you wouldn’t know my riddle now!”
19Then suddenly, the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon Samson, infusing him with power! He went down to Ashkelon # 14:19 Ashkelon was a Philistine city on the Mediterranean Sea north of Gaza, about two days’ journey from Timnah. and killed thirty of their men. He stripped them of their linen # 14:19 Linen was used for the garment of a priest. Thirty is the number of a mature priesthood, for men could only become priests at the age of thirty. Samson’s riddle has revelation hidden within it for the church today. Seven days they feasted trying to solve the riddle. We are in the seventh day from Adam (see 2 Pet. 3:8), and we are about to unravel the riddle of life. The ones who solve the riddle receive new garments: costly festive wedding garments (i.e., are clothed with immortality). tunics and their robes and gave them in payment to those who had explained the riddle. Then, in a blazing fury, he returned to his father’s house. 20Meanwhile, unknown to Samson, his bride married his best man.
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Judges 14: TPT
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