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Judges 14:10-18 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

10 So his father H1 went down H3381 unto the woman: H802 and Samson H8123 made H6213 there a feast; H4960 for so used the young men H970 to do. H6213

11 And it came to pass, when they saw H7200 him, that they brought H3947 thirty H7970 companions H4828 to be with him.

12 And Samson H8123 said H559 unto them, I will now put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto you: if ye can certainly H5046 declare H5046 it me within the seven H7651 days H3117 of the feast, H4960 and find it out, H4672 then I will give H5414 you thirty H7970 sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 change H2487 of garments: H899

13 But if ye cannot H3201 declare H5046 it me, then shall ye give H5414 me thirty H7970 sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 change H2487 of garments. H899 And they said H559 unto him, Put forth H2330 thy riddle, H2420 that we may hear H8085 it.

14 And he said H559 unto them, Out of the eater H398 came forth H3318 meat, H3978 and out of the strong H5794 came forth H3318 sweetness. H4966 And they could H3201 not in three H7969 days H3117 expound H5046 the riddle. H2420

15 And it came to pass on the seventh H7637 day, H3117 that they said H559 unto Samson's H8123 wife, H802 Entice H6601 thy husband, H376 that he may declare H5046 unto us the riddle, H2420 lest we burn H8313 thee and thy father's H1 house H1004 with fire: H784 have ye called H7121 us to take that we have? H3423 is it not so?

16 And Samson's H8123 wife H802 wept H1058 before him, and said, H559 Thou dost but hate H8130 me, and lovest H157 me not: thou hast put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto the children H1121 of my people, H5971 and hast not told H5046 it me. And he said H559 unto her, Behold, I have not told H5046 it my father H1 nor my mother, H517 and shall I tell H5046 it thee?

17 And she wept H1058 before him the seven H7651 days, H3117 while their feast H4960 lasted: H1961 and it came to pass on the seventh H7637 day, H3117 that he told H5046 her, because she lay sore H6693 upon him: and she told H5046 the riddle H2420 to the children H1121 of her people. H5971

18 And the men H582 of the city H5892 said H559 unto him on the seventh H7637 day H3117 before the sun H2775 went down, H935 What is sweeter H4966 than honey? H1706 and what is stronger H5794 than a lion? H738 And he said H559 unto them, If H3884 ye had not plowed H2790 with my heifer, H5697 ye had not found out H4672 my riddle. H2420

Commentary on Judges 14 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 14

Jud 14:1-5. Samson Desires a Wife of the Philistines.

1, 2. Timnath—now Tibna, about three miles from Zorah, his birthplace.

saw a woman … of the Philistines; and told his father and his mother, and said, … get her for me to wife—In the East parents did, and do in many cases still, negotiate the marriage alliances for their sons. During their period of ascendency, the Philistine invaders had settled in the towns; and the intercourse between them and the Israelites was often of such a friendly and familiar character as to issue in matrimonial relations. Moreover, the Philistines were not in the number of the seven devoted nations of Canaan [De 7:1-3]—with whom the law forbade them to marry.

3, 4. Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren—that is, "of thine own tribe"—a Danite woman.

Samson said … Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well—literally, "she is right in mine eyes"; not by her beautiful countenance or handsome figure, but right or fit for his purpose. And this throws light on the historian's remark in reference to the resistance of his parents: they "knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines"—rather, "from the Philistines"—originating on their side. The Lord, by a course of retributive proceedings, was about to destroy the Philistine power, and the means which He meant to employ was not the forces of a numerous army, as in the case of the preceding judges, but the miraculous prowess of the single-handed champion of Israel. In these circumstances, the provocation to hostilities could only spring out of a private quarrel, and this marriage scheme was doubtless suggested by the secret influence of the Spirit as the best way of accomplishing the intended result.

Jud 14:5-9. He Kills a Lion.

5-9. a young lion—Hebrew, a lion in the pride of his youthful prime. The wild mountain passes of Judah were the lairs of savage beasts; and most or all the "lions" of Scripture occur in that wild country. His rending and killing the shaggy monster, without any weapon in his hand, were accomplished by that superhuman courage and strength which the occasional influences of the Spirit enabled him to put forth, and by the exertion of which, in such private incidental circumstances, he was gradually trained to confide in them for the more public work to which he was destined.

7. he went down, and talked with the woman—The social intercourse between the youth of different sexes is extremely rare and limited in the East, and generally so after they are betrothed.

8. after a time he returned to take her—probably after the lapse of a year, the usual interval between the ceremonies of betrothal and marriage. It was spent by the bride elect with her parents in preparation for the nuptials; and at the proper time the bridegroom returned to take her home.

he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion—In such a climate, the myriads of insects and the ravages of birds of prey, together with the influences of the solar rays, would, in a few months, put the carcass in a state inviting to such cleanly animals as bees.

Jud 14:10, 11. His Marriage Feast.

10, 11. his father went down—The father is mentioned as the head and representative of Samson's relatives.

Samson made there a feast—The wedding festivity lasted a week. The men and women were probably entertained in separate apartments—the bride, with her female relatives, at her parents' house; Samson, in some place obtained for the occasion, as he was a stranger. A large number of paranymphs, or "friends of the bridegroom," furnished, no doubt, by the bride's family, attended his party, ostensibly to honor the nuptials, but really as spies on his proceedings.

Jud 14:12-18. His Riddle.

12-18. I will now put forth a riddle—Riddles are a favorite Oriental amusement at festive entertainments of this nature, and rewards are offered to those who give the solution. Samson's riddle related to honey in the lion's carcass. The prize he offered was thirty sindinim, or shirts, and thirty changes of garments, probably woolen. Three days were passed in vain attempts to unravel the enigma. The festive week was fast drawing to a close when they secretly enlisted the services of the newly married wife, who having got the secret, revealed it to her friends.

18. If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle—a metaphor borrowed from agricultural pursuits, in which not only oxen but cows and heifers were, and continue to be, employed in dragging the plough. Divested of metaphor, the meaning is taken by some in a criminal sense, but probably means no more than that they had resorted to the aid of his wife—an unworthy expedient, which might have been deemed by a man of less noble spirit and generosity as releasing him from the obligation to fulfil his bargain.

Jud 14:19, 20. He Slays Thirty Philistines.

19, 20. went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them—This town was about twenty-four miles west by southwest from Timnah; and his selection of this place, which was dictated by the Divine Spirit, was probably owing to its bitter hostility to Israel.

took their spoil—The custom of stripping a slain enemy was unknown in Hebrew warfare.

20. Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend—that is, "the friend of the bridegroom," who was the medium of communicating during the festivities between him and his bride. The acceptance of her hand, therefore, was an act of base treachery, that could not fail to provoke the just resentment of Samson.