Then Samson went
down
to Timnah
and saw
a woman
in Timnah
, one of the daughters
of the Philistines
.
So he came 1back
and told
his father
and 2mother
, "I saw
a woman
in Timnah
, one of the daughters
of the Philistines
; now
therefore, get
her for me as a wife
."
Then his father and his mother
said
to him, "Is there
no
woman
among the daughters
of your 1 arelatives
, or among all
2our people
, that you go
to btake
a wife
from the uncircumcised
Philistines
?" But Samson
said
to his father
, "Get
her for me, for she 3looks
good
to me."
However, his father and mother
did not know
that ait was of the LORD
, for He was seeking
an occasion
against
the Philistines
. Now at that time
the Philistines
were ruling
over Israel
.
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.
aThe Spirit of the LORD
1came
upon him mightily
, so that bhe 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
.
So he went down
and talked
to the woman
; and she 1looked
good
to Samson
.
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
.
So he scraped 1the honey into his 2hands
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
.
Then his father went
down
to the woman
; and Samson
made
a feast
there
, for the young
men
customarily did
this
.
When they saw him, they brought
thirty
companions
to be with him.
Then Samson said
to them, "Let me now
apropound
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
bchanges
of clothes
.
"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."
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
.
Then it came about on the 1fourth
day
that they said
to Samson's
wife
, " aEntice
your husband
, so that he will tell
us the riddle
, bor
we will burn
you and your father's
house
with fire
. Have you invited
us to impoverish
us? Is this not so?"
Samson's wife
wept
before
him and said
, " aYou 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?"
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
.
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
."
Then athe Spirit of the LORD
1came
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
.
But Samson's wife
was agiven to his companion
who
had been his 1friend
.