Judges Chapter 14 (NASB)

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undefined Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, [one] of the daughters of the Philistines.

undefined So he came back and told his father and mother, 'I saw a woman in Timnah, [one] of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.'

undefined Then his father and his mother said to him, 'Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?' But Samson said to his father, 'Get her for me, for she looks good to me.'

undefined However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

undefined Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion [came] roaring toward him.

undefined The Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

undefined So he went down and talked to the woman; and she looked good to Samson.

undefined When he returned later to take her, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion.

undefined So he scraped the honey into his hands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and mother, he gave [some] to them and they ate [it]; but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion.

undefined Then his father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men customarily did this.

undefined When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

undefined Then Samson said to them, 'Let me now propound a riddle to you; if you will indeed tell it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.

undefined 'But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.' And they said to him, 'Propound your riddle, that we may hear it.'

undefined So he said to them, 'Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet.' But they could not tell the riddle in three days.

undefined Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson's wife, 'Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not [so]?'

undefined Samson's wife wept before him and said, 'You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have propounded a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told [it] to me.' And he said to her, 'Behold, I have not told [it] to my father or mother; so should I tell you?'

undefined However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.

undefined So the men of the city said to 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 to them, 'If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have found out my riddle.'

undefined Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes [of clothes] to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father's house.

undefined But Samson's wife was [given] to his companion who had been his friend.

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