Judges 14

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 14 of 21

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

² And he came up and told his father and mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines. And now get her for me for a wife.

³ And his father and his mother said to him, Is there not a woman among the daughters of your brothers, and among all my people, that you must go to take a woman from the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she pleases me very much.

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Chapter Summary

Samson desires a wife of the Philistines. 5 he kills a lion. 8 Later he finds honey in the carcass. 10 Samson's marriage feast. 12 His wife reveals his riddle. 20 His wife is given to another.

Key Hebrew Words

חִידָה riddle H2420 · TWOT 616a

אַרְיֵה lion H738 · TWOT 158a

דְּבַשׁ honey H1706 · TWOT 400a

רוּחַ Spirit H7307 · TWOT 2131a

בֶּ֫גֶד garment, change of clothes H899 · TWOT 198a

מִשְׁתֶּה feast H4960 · TWOT 2477c

People & Context

Samson

Sees a Philistine woman at Timnath, tears a lion barehanded, and poses a riddle at his wedding feast

The Timnite Woman

Philistine woman of Timnath whom Samson takes to wife; pressured, she betrays the riddle to her people

The Thirty Companions

Philistine wedding guests who fail the riddle, then coerce Samson's wife to wheedle out its answer

Timeline

Samson Demands a Philistine Wife

Samson sees a Philistine woman in Timnath and demands his parents get her for him. They object to her uncircumcised origins, unaware this is an occasion from Jehovah.

Judges 14:1-4

Samson Kills the Lion

Traveling to Timnath, a young lion roars at Samson. The Spirit of Jehovah comes upon him, and he tears the lion apart barehanded, telling no one.

Judges 14:5-6

Samson Discovers Honey

Returning to marry the woman, Samson finds a bee-swarm and honey in the lion's carcass. He eats it and gives some to his parents without revealing its source.

Judges 14:7-9

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