Judges Chapter 14

Samson's Marriage

Samson went down to Timna and at Timna he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines.

Then he came up and told his father and mother,

I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timna.

Now get her for me as my wife, but this father and mother

said to him, is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives or among all our people

that you must go take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines? But Samson said to his father,

get her for me, for she is right in my eyes. His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time, the Philistines ruled over Israel. Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timna, and they came to the vineyards of Timna, and behold a young lion came toward him roaring. Then the spirit of the Lord rushed upon him,

and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat.

But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done, and he went down and talked with

the woman, and she was right in Samson's eyes. After some days he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass

of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion and honey. He scraped

it out into his hands and went on, eating as he went, and he came to his father and mother

and gave some to them, and they ate, but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey

from the carcass of the lion. His father went down to the woman, and they ate, but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass

of the lion. His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the

young men used to do. As soon as the people saw him, they brought 30 companions to be with him.

And Samson sent to them, let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is,

within the seven days of the feast,

and find it out, then I will give you 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothes. But if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothes.

And they said to him, put your riddle that we may hear it, and he said to them,

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