Judges Chapter 14

Judges Chapter 14
1 Now 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 give me
her to wife.
3 Then his father and his mother said
unto him, Is there never a wife among the
daughters of thy brethren, and among all
my people, that thou must go to take a
wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?
And Samson said unto his father, Give
me her, for she pleaseth me well.
4 But his father and his mother knew not
that it came of the Lord, that he should
seek an occasion against the Philistines:
for at that time the Philistines reigned
over Israel.
5 Then went Samson and his father and
his mother down to Timnath, and came
to the vineyards at Timnath: and behold,
a young lion roared upon him. 6 And the
spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he
tear him, as one should have rent a kid,
and had nothing in his hand, neither told
he his father nor his mother what he had
done.
7 And he went down, and talked with the
woman which was beautiful in the eyes
of Samson.
8 And within a few days, when he
returned to receive her, he went aside to
see the carcass of the Lion: and behold,
there was a swarm of bees, and honey in
the body of the lion.
9 And he took thereof in his hands, and
went eating, and came to his father and
to his mother, and gave unto them, and
they did eat: but he told not them, that he
had taken the honey out of the body 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 when they saw him, they brought
thirty companions to be with him. 12
Then Samson said unto them, I will now
put forth a riddle unto you: and if you
can declare it me within seven days of
the feast, and find it out, I will give you
thirty sheets, and thirty change of
garments.
13 But if you cannot declare it me, then
shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty
change of garments. And they answered
him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may
hear it.
14 And he said unto them, Out of the
eater came meat, and out of the strong
came sweetness: and they could not in
three days expound the riddle. 15 And
when the seventh day was come, they
said unto Samson's wife, Entice thine
husband, that he may declare us the
riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's
house with fire. Have ye called us, to
possess us? Is it not so?
16 And Samson's wife wept before him,
and said, Surely thou hatest me and
lovest me not: for 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 Then Samson's wife wept before him
seven days, while their feast lasted: and
when the seventh day came he told her,
because she was importunate upon him:
so she told the riddle to the children of
her people. 18 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 a lion?
Then said he 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 spoiled
them, and gave change of garments unto
them, which expounded the riddle: and
his wrath was kindled, and he went up to
his father's house.
20 Then Samson's wife was given to his
companion, whom he had used as his
friend.