Judges14

Samson desires a Philistine woman from Timnath, a choice his parents oppose but which is ordained by the Lord to provoke the Philistines. On his journey, he supernaturally slays a lion and later finds honey within its carcass. At his wedding feast, Samson poses a riddle based on this event, which his Philistine companions discover by coercing his wife. Enraged, Samson slays thirty Philistines to fulfill his wager, and his wife is given to another.
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Samson Seeks a Philistine Wife

1
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman. ​
2
So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
3
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.” ​
4
(Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.) ​

The Lion and the Secret Honey

5
Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him, ​
6
and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. ​
7
Then Samson continued on his way down and spoke to the woman, because she was pleasing to his eyes.
8
When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey. ​
9
So he scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. And when he returned to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.

The Wedding Feast and the Riddle

10
Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom. ​
11
And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.
12
“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. ​
13
But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.”
14
So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” For three days they were unable to explain the riddle. ​

Samson's Wife Reveals the Secret

15
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?” ​
16
Then Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me! You do not really love me! You have posed to my people a riddle, but have not explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I have not even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?”
17
She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people. ​
18
Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!” ​

Samson's Vengeance and Abandonment

19
Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house, ​
20
and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him. ​

Study Notes for Judges 14

Verse 1

Samson’s choice of a Philistine woman immediately signals his disregard for the covenant boundary requiring separation from foreign, idolatrous nations (Deut 7:3). This highlights his character flaw: prioritizing immediate personal desire over spiritual duty.

Verse 3

The parents object on the grounds of religious identity, calling the Philistines 'uncircumcised.' This term was used by Israelites to emphasize the Philistines' status as outsiders to the covenant promises.

Verse 4

This verse provides the theological key to the chapter. Although Samson acts on selfish impulse, the narrator reveals that God is sovereignly orchestrating the events to create conflict and deliver Israel from Philistine oppression.

Verse 5

Timnath was situated in the Shephelah, the border region between Israelite and Philistine territory. The vineyards outside the city were likely wild and dangerous, providing the setting for the lion encounter.

Verse 6

This is the first manifestation of the supernatural strength granted by the Spirit of the LORD, confirming Samson’s divine calling. However, Samson keeps the feat secret, suggesting a pattern of using divine gifts for personal, non-publicized actions.

Verse 8

The discovery of honey in the carcass is the source of the later riddle. By touching the dead lion, Samson violated his Nazarite vow, which strictly forbade contact with any corpse (Num 6:6). He then shares the defiled honey with his parents.

Verse 10

The seven-day feast was the customary length for a wedding celebration. Samson’s making of the feast and the subsequent wager show his integration into Philistine social customs.

Verse 12

The wager of thirty linen shirts and thirty changes of clothes represented a massive financial stake. This suggests the thirty companions were men of wealth and standing, likely selected to guard Samson or spy on him.

Verse 14

The riddle, 'Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness,' is based on his unique, secret experience with the lion and the honey. It is fundamentally unsolvable by those who do not share his secret.

Verse 15

The Philistines instantly resort to threats of violence ('burn thee... with fire') against the wife and her household. This reveals the brutal and desperate nature of Samson’s oppressors and their willingness to use coercion.

Verse 17

Samson’s persistent weakness in the face of feminine emotional pressure ('lay sore upon him') is a fatal flaw that recurs throughout his life story, leading him to betray his secrets.

Verse 18

Samson’s retort, 'If ye had not plowed with my heifer,' is a sardonic idiom meaning, 'If you had not used my wife to discover the answer.' It expresses his anger at their deceitful methods.

Verse 19

The Spirit of the LORD again empowers Samson, leading to the murder of thirty Philistine men in Ashkelon, a major Philistine city far from Timnath. This act of violence fulfills the wager and initiates the major conflict between Samson and the Philistines.

Verse 20

The father-in-law's decision to give the bride to the companion was a profound insult, ending the marriage and setting the stage for Samson's subsequent acts of revenge detailed in the following chapter.

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