The Judges & Ruth

Nowe Samson went downe to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistims,

And he came vp and told his father and his mother and saide, I haue seene a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistims: now therfore giue me her to wife.

Then his father and his mother sayde vnto him, Is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, that thou must go to take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistims? And Samson sayd vnto his father, Giue mee her, for she pleaseth me well.

But his father and his mother knewe not that it came of the Lord, that he should seeke an occasion against the Philistims: for at that time the Philistims reigned ouer Israel.

Then went Samson and his father and his mother downe to Timnath, and came to ye vineyardes at Timnath: and beholde, a young Lyon roared vpon him.

And the Spirit of the Lord came vpon him, and he tare him, as one should haue rent a kid, and had nothing in his hand, neither told he his father nor his mother what he had done.

And he went down, and talked with the woman which was beautifull in the eyes of Samson.

And within a fewe dayes, when he returned to receiue her, he went aside to see the karkeis of the Lion: and behold, there was a swarme of bees, and hony in the body of the Lyon.

And he tooke therof in his handes, and went eating, and came to his father and to his mother, and gaue vnto them, and they did eate: but hee told not them, that he had taken the hony out of the body of the lyon.

So his father went down vnto the woman, and Samson made there a feast: for so vsed the yong men to doe.

And when they sawe him, they brought thirtie companions to be with him.

Then Samson sayd vnto them, I will nowe put forth a riddle vnto you: and if you can declare it me within seuen dayes of the feast, and finde it out, I will giue you thirty sheetes, and thirtie change of garments.

But if you cannot declare it mee, then shall yee giue mee thirty sheetes and thirtie change of garments. And they answered him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may heare it.

And he sayd vnto them, Out of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetenesse: and they could not in three dayes expound the riddle.

And when the seuenth day was come, they said vnto Samsons wife, Entise thine husband, that he may declare vs the riddle, lest wee burne thee and thy fathers house with fire. Haue ye called vs, to possesse vs? is it not so?

And Samsons wife wept before him, and said, Surely thou hatest mee and louest mee not: for thou hast put forth a riddle vnto the children of my people, and hast not told it mee. And hee sayd vnto her, Beholde, I haue not told it my father, nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

Then Samsons wife wept before him seuen dayes, while their feast lasted: and when the seuenth day came he tolde her, because she was importunate vpon him: so she told the riddle to the children of her people.

And the men of ye citie sayde vnto him the seuenth day before the Sunne went downe, What is sweeter then honie? and what is stronger then a lyon? Then sayd hee vnto them, If yee had not plowed with my heiffer, yee had not found out my riddle.

And the Spirite of the Lord came vpon him, and he went downe to Ashkelon, and slew thirtie men of them and spoyled them, and gaue chaunge of garments vnto them, which expounded the riddle: and his wrath was kindled, and he went vp to his fathers house.

Then Samsons wife was giuen to his companion, whom he had vsed as his friend.

But within a while after, in the time of wheate haruest, Samson visited his wife with a kid, saying, I wil go in to my wife into the chamber: but her father would not suffer him to goe in.

And her father sayde, I thought that thou hadst hated her: therefore gaue I her to thy companion. Is not her yonger sister fayrer then shee? take her, I pray thee, in stead of the other.

Then Samson saide vnto them, Nowe am I more blamelesse then the Philistims: therefore will I doe them displeasure.

And Samson went out, and tooke three hundreth foxes, and tooke firebrands, and turned them taile to taile, and put a firebrand in ye middes betweene two tailes.

And when he had set the brandes on fire, he sent them out into the standing corne of the Philistims, and burnt vp both the rickes and the standing corne with the vineyardes and oliues.