Bible Text: Judges 14
Skripts > Skripts ++ > en
Judges 14 - Simson begins to redeem Israel
And Samson went down to Timnath; and he saw in Timnath a wife of the daughters of the Philistines. And he went up, and told his father and his mother, and said: I saw in Timnath a woman of the daughters of the Philistines; and now take her to be my wife. And his father and his mother said unto him, Is there not a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, that thou shouldest go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, "Take this one from me, for she is right (which means: sincere and just) in my eyes".
But his father and mother did not know that it was of Jahwe; for he sought an chance in the Philistines. And at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel. And Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnath; and when they came to the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion roared to meet him. And the spirit of Jahwe came upon him, and he rent him as a kid is rent, and he had nothing in his hand. And he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
And he went down and spake unto the woman, and she was right in the eyes of Samson.
And he returned after some time to take her, and he turned to see the carrion of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. And he took it out into his hands, and went and ate in the way; and he went to his father and to his mother, and gave them, and they ate; but he made it known unto them not that he had taken the honey out of the lion's body.
And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made there a feast: for so the young men did.
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that the thirty fellows took, and were with him.
And Samson said unto them: I will once give you a riddle; if ye make it known unto me in the seven days of the feast, and guess it, I will give you thirty shirts, and thirty changing garments: but if ye cannot make it known unto me, ye shall give me thirty shirts, and thirty changing garments. And they said unto him, Give up thy riddle, that we may hear it.
And he said to them: From the devourer came food, and from the strong came sweetness.
And they could not reveal the riddle for three days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they spoke to Samson's wife: Speak to your husband that he may tell us the mystery, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire! You invited us to rob us, didn't you? And Samson's wife wept against him, saying, "You hate me, but you love me not. You have given up this riddle to the children of my people, and you have not made it known to me." And he said unto her, Behold, I have not made it known unto my father and my mother, and I should make it known unto thee? And she wept on him the seven days that they had supper.
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that he made it known unto her, because she urged him. And she made the riddle known to the children of her people. And the men of the city said unto him the seventh day before the sun went down: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than the lion?
And he said to them: If you had not plowed with my calf, you would not have guessed my riddle.
And the Spirit of Jahwe came upon him: and he went down to Askalon, and slew thirty of them, and took their robes off, and gave the changing garments to those who had revealed the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up into his father's house. And Simon's wife was given to one of his fellows whom he had joined.