King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? [is it] not [so]?
Complete Jewish Bible:
On the seventh day, they said to Shimshon's wife, "Coax your husband into telling us the solution to the riddle. Otherwise we'll burn down your father's house and you with it. You two called us here to turn us into paupers, didn't you?"
Berean Standard Bible:
So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
American Standard Version:
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to impoverish us? is it not so?
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
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?
Cross-References (KJV):
Judges 15:6
- Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
Judges 16:5
- And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength [lieth], and by what [means] we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred [pieces] of silver.
Proverbs 1:11
- If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
Proverbs 5:3
- For the lips of a strange woman drop [as] an honeycomb, and her mouth [is] smoother than oil:
Genesis 3:1
- ¶ Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Genesis 3:6
- ¶ And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Micah 7:5
- Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Judges 14:15
Judges 14:15 is set within the narrative of Samson, one of the judges of Israel, whose story is recounted in the Book of Judges. The verse is part of a larger account that takes place during the period when the Israelites were governed by a series of leaders known as judges, which occurred after the conquest of Canaan and before the establishment of the monarchy under King Saul.
In this verse, the themes of deception, pressure, and the potential for violence are central. The context is the wedding feast of Samson, who has proposed a riddle to his Philistine guests as part of a wager. The riddle is based on an experience that only Samson and his wife know about—when he tore apart a lion, bees made honey in the carcass, and Samson later scooped up the honey.
By the seventh day of the feast, the guests have been unable to solve the riddle, and they turn to Samson's wife in desperation. They demand that she coax the answer from her husband, using emotional manipulation and threats of violence. They remind her that failing to obtain the answer would result in severe consequences—not only for her but also for her family, as they threaten to burn her and her father's house with fire. This reveals the harsh and volatile environment in which these events occur, highlighting the tension between the Israelites and the Philistines, who were often in conflict during this period.
The guests' words, "have ye called us to take that we have?" suggest that they feel cheated or robbed by the riddle, implying that Samson's challenge is an unfair attempt to take their possessions. This reflects the cultural importance of honor and the deep resentment that can arise from perceived affronts to one's status or wealth.
In summary, Judges 14:15 captures a moment of high tension and conflict within the broader narrative of Samson's judgeship. It underscores the themes of cunning and manipulation, the precariousness of social relations in a time of foreign occupation, and the severe consequences that could result from challenges to authority or social norms. The verse also foreshadows the escalating conflict between Samson and the Philistines, which is a significant element of his story.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7637
There are 94 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁבִיעִי
Transliteration: shᵉbîyʻîy
Pronunciation: sheb-ee-ee'
Description: or שְׁבִעִי; ordinal from שִׁבְעִים; seventh; seventh (time). - Strong's Number: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H8123
There are 37 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שִׁמְשׁוֹן
Transliteration: Shimshôwn
Pronunciation: shim-shone'
Description: from שֶׁמֶשׁ; sunlight; Shimshon, an Israelite; Samson. - Strong's Number: H802
There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִשָּׁה
Transliteration: ʼishshâh
Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. - Strong's Number: H6601
There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פָּתָה
Transliteration: pâthâh
Pronunciation: paw-thaw'
Description: a primitive root; to open, i.e. be (causatively, make) roomy; usually figuratively (in a mental or moral sense) to be (causatively, make) simple or (in a sinister way) delude; allure, deceive, enlarge, entice, flatter, persuade, silly (one). - Strong's Number: H376
There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִישׁ
Transliteration: ʼîysh
Pronunciation: eesh
Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה. - Strong's Number: H5046
There are 344 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָגַד
Transliteration: nâgad
Pronunciation: naw-gad'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise; bewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter. - Strong's Number: H2420
There are 17 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חִידָה
Transliteration: chîydâh
Pronunciation: khee-daw'
Description: from חוּד; a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maxim; dark saying (sentence, speech), hard question, proverb, riddle. - Strong's Number: H8313
There are 107 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׂרַף
Transliteration: sâraph
Pronunciation: saw-raf'
Description: a primitive root; to be (causatively, set) on fire; (cause to, make a) burn((-ing), up) kindle, [idiom] utterly. - Strong's Number: H1
There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָב
Transliteration: ʼâb
Pronunciation: awb
Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'. - Strong's Number: H1004
There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּיִת
Transliteration: bayith
Pronunciation: bah'-yith
Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). - Strong's Number: H784
There are 549 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֵשׁ
Transliteration: ʼêsh
Pronunciation: aysh
Description: a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively); burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot. - Strong's Number: H7121
There are 689 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָרָא
Transliteration: qârâʼ
Pronunciation: kaw-raw'
Description: a primitive root (rather identical with קָרָא through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications); bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say. - Strong's Number: H3423
There are 204 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָרַשׁ
Transliteration: yârash
Pronunciation: yaw-rash'
Description: or יָרֵשׁ; a primitive root; to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin; cast out, consume, destroy, disinherit, dispossess, drive(-ing) out, enjoy, expel, [idiom] without fail, (give to, leave for) inherit(-ance, -or) [phrase] magistrate, be (make) poor, come to poverty, (give to, make to) possess, get (have) in (take) possession, seize upon, succeed, [idiom] utterly.