King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
Complete Jewish Bible:
His father and mother replied, "Isn't there any woman from the daughters of your kinsmen or among all my people? Must you go to the uncircumcised P'lishtim to find a wife?" Shimshon said to his father, "Get her for me. I like her."
Berean Standard Bible:
But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
American Standard Version:
Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Then his father{H1} and his mother{H517} said{H559} unto him, Is there never{H369} a woman{H802} among the daughters{H1323} of thy brethren{H251}, or among all my people{H5971}, that thou goest{H1980} to take{H3947} a wife{H802} of the uncircumcised{H6189} Philistines{H6430}? And Samson{H8123} said{H559} unto his father{H1}, Get{H3947} her for me; for she pleaseth me well{H3474}{H5869}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Judges 15:18
- ¶ And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
1 Samuel 17:36
- Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
1 Samuel 31:4
- Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
2 Samuel 1:20
- Tell [it] not in Gath, publish [it] not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
1 Samuel 17:26
- And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
Deuteronomy 7:2
- And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, [and] utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Deuteronomy 7:3
- Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Judges 14:3
Judges 14:3 is a part of the narrative concerning Samson, one of the judges of Israel, who lived during a tumultuous period in Israel's history when the nation was frequently oppressed by foreign powers due to their disobedience to God. The verse captures a moment of familial tension and cultural significance.
In this verse, Samson's parents express their concern over his choice of a wife from among the Philistines, who were not only a foreign people but also one of Israel's chief adversaries at the time. The Philistines were known for their idolatrous practices and were a constant threat to Israel's spiritual and physical well-being. The parents' reaction reflects the Israelites' understanding of the importance of maintaining their cultural and religious identity, which was often articulated through strict marriage laws that discouraged intermarriage with non-Israelites. This was particularly emphasized by the fact that the Philistines were "uncircumcised," a term that signified their exclusion from the covenant relationship with God that the Israelites valued.
Samson's response to his parents, "Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well," reveals his personal desires and willingness to disregard cultural norms and divine commandments that prohibited intermarriage with the surrounding nations (as outlined in Deuteronomy 7:3-4). His request reflects his impulsive nature and sets the stage for the subsequent narrative, where his attraction to Philistine women leads to conflict and becomes a source of his downfall.
The themes present in this verse include the tension between individual desire and divine law, the importance of cultural and religious purity, and the consequences of disobedience to God's commands. Historically, this verse reflects the broader context of the time of the judges, when "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25), leading to cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance in Israel's history. Samson's story, beginning with this decision to marry a Philistine woman, illustrates the personal and national ramifications of forsaking God's guidance for personal gratification.
*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: 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: H517
There are 387 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֵם
Transliteration: ʼêm
Pronunciation: ame
Description: a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father)); dam, mother, [idiom] parting. - 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: H369
There are 44 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַיִן
Transliteration: ʼayin
Pronunciation: ah'-yin
Description: as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle; else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare אַיִן. - 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: H1323
There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּת
Transliteration: bath
Pronunciation: bath
Description: from בָּנָה (as feminine of בֵּן); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively); apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village. - Strong's Number: H251
There are 636 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָח
Transliteration: ʼâch
Pronunciation: awkh
Description: a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father)); another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'. - Strong's Number: H5971
There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַם
Transliteration: ʻam
Pronunciation: am
Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people. - Strong's Number: H1980
There are 468 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הָלַךְ
Transliteration: hâlak
Pronunciation: haw-lak'
Description: akin to יָלַךְ; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively); (all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, [idiom] more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), [phrase] send, speedily, spread, still, surely, [phrase] tale-bearer, [phrase] travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-) faring man, [idiom] be weak, whirl. - Strong's Number: H3947
There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָקַח
Transliteration: lâqach
Pronunciation: law-kakh'
Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. - Strong's Number: H6189
There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָרֵל
Transliteration: ʻârêl
Pronunciation: aw-rale'
Description: from עָרֵל; properly, exposed, i.e. projecting loose (as to the prepuce); used only technically,; uncircumcised (i.e. still having the prepuce uncurtailed); uncircumcised (person). - Strong's Number: H6430
There are 244 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פְּלִשְׁתִּי
Transliteration: Pᵉlishtîy
Pronunciation: pel-ish-tee'
Description: patrial from פְּלֶשֶׁת; a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth; Philistine. - 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: H3474
There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָשַׁר
Transliteration: yâshar
Pronunciation: yaw-shar'
Description: a primitive root; to be straight or even; figuratively, to be (causatively, to make) right, pleasant, prosperous; direct, fit, seem good (meet), [phrase] please (will), be (esteem, go) right (on), bring (look, make, take the) straight (way), be upright(-ly). - Strong's Number: H5869
There are 830 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַיִן
Transliteration: ʻayin
Pronunciation: ah'-yin
Description: probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape); affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him, [phrase] humble, knowledge, look, ([phrase] well), [idiom] me, open(-ly), [phrase] (not) please, presence, [phrase] regard, resemblance, sight, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them, [phrase] think, [idiom] us, well, [idiom] you(-rselves).