Judges 14
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 * .
