1 Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the
daughters of the Philistines. 2 He came up, and told his father and his
mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the
Philistines: now therefore get her for me as wife. 3 Then his father and
his mother said to him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of your
brothers, 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. 4 But his father and his mother didn’t know that it was
of Yahweh; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that
time the Philistines had rule over Israel. 5 Then went Samson down, and
his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah:
and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 The Spirit of Yahweh came
mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid; and he had
nothing in his hand: but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had
done. 7 He went down, and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson
well. 8 After a while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see
the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body
of the lion, and honey. 9 He took it into his hands, and went on, eating
as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave to them, and they
ate: but he didn’t tell them that he had taken the honey out of the body of
the lion. 10 His father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a
feast; for so used the young men to do. 11 It happened, when they saw him,
that they brought thirty companions to be with him. 12 Samson said to
them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you: if you can declare it to me
within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you
thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing; 13 but if you
can’t declare it to me, then shall you give me thirty linen garments and
thirty changes of clothing. They said to him, Put forth your riddle, that we
may hear it. 14 He said to them,
Out of the eater came forth food,
Out of the strong came forth sweetness.
They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle. 15 It happened on the
seventh day, that 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 it not so?
16 Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, You do but hate me, and don’t
love me: you have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and
haven’t told it me. He said to her, Behold, I haven’t told it my father nor
my mother, and shall I tell you? 17 She wept before him the seven days,
while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told
her, because she pressed him sore; 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? and what is stronger than a
lion? He said to them,
If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer,
You wouldn’t have found out my riddle.
19 The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he went down to
Ashkelon, and struck thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the
changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger was
kindled, and he went up to his father’s house. 20 But Samson’s wife was
given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
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