 1 Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 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 get her for me for a wife. 3 His father and his mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of your brothers or among all my people so that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines? Samson said to his father, Get her for me for she greatly pleases me. 4 But his father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord that He was looking for an occasion against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had the rule over Israel. 5 So Samson and his father and mother went down to Timnath. They came to the vineyards of Timnath and a young lion roared to meet him. 6 The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and he tore it as he would have torn a kid. Nothing was in his hand, but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. 7 He went down and talked with the woman and she pleased Samson well. 8 After a time, he returned to take her and he turned aside to see the dead body of the lion. By then, a swarm of bees and honey was in the dead body of the lion. 9 He took some of it in his hands and ate and then went on to his father and mother. He gave some to them and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the dead body of the lion. 10 Then his father went to the woman and Samson made a feast there as the young men used to do. 11 When they saw him, they brought 30 companions to be with him. 12 Samson said to them, I will now put forth a riddle to you. If you certainly tell it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out then I will give you 30 linen blouses and 30 changes of garments. 13 But if you cannot tell me, then you must give me 30 linen blouses and 30 changes of garments. They said to him, Put forth your riddle so that we may hear it. 14 He said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And in three days they were not able to declare the riddle. 15 On the seventh day they said to Samson's wife, Lure your husband so that he may tell the riddle to us, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you called us to take what we have? Is it not so? 16 Samson's wife wept before him and said, You only hate me, and do not love me. You have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and have not told it to me. He said to her, Behold, I have not told my father nor to my mother, and shall I tell you? 17 She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day, he told her, because she pressed hard upon him. And she told the riddle to the children of her people. 18 The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey, and what stronger than a lion? He said to them, If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle. 19 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed 30 men of them, and took their spoil, and gave changes of garments to them who told what the riddle meant. And his anger was kindled, and he went to his father's house. 20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had served as his friend.
|