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
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 his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
3
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. ​
4
But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. ​

The Lion and the Secret Honey

5
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. ​
6
And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. ​
7
And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8
And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. ​
9
And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

The Wedding Feast and the Riddle

10
So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. ​
11
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12
And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: ​
13
But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. ​

Samson's Wife Reveals the Secret

15
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? ​
16
And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
17
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. ​
18
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. ​

Samson's Vengeance and Abandonment

19
And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house. ​
20
But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend. ​

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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