Shoftim - Chapter 14

1. And Samson went down to Timnath; and he saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

2. And he came up, and told his father and mother, and said, "I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; so now take her to me for a wife."

3. And his father and mother said to him, "Is there no woman among the daughters of your brothers and among all my people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson said to his father, "Take her for me, because she is pleasing in my eyes."

4. Now his father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, that he sought a pretense against the Philistines; now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

5. And Samson and his father and mother went down to Timnath, and they came to the vineyards of Timnath, and behold, a young lion roared towards him.

6. And there rested on him a spirit of the Lord, and he rent it as one would rent a kid, although he had nothing in his hand, but he did not tell his father and mother what he had done.

7. And he went down, and he talked concerning the woman, and she was pleasing in Samson's eyes.

8. And he returned after a few days to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, a swarm of bees was in the body of the lion, with honey.

9. And he separated it into his hands, and he went on, eating as he went, and he went to his father and mother and gave them, and they ate; but he did not tell them that he had separated the honey from the body of the lion.

10. Now his father went down concerning the woman, and Samson made there a feast, because the young men were accustomed to do so.

11. And it was, when they saw him, that they took thirty companions and they were with him.

12. Now Samson said to them, "Let me ask you a riddle, if you can tell it to me (within) the seven days of feasting and you will guess it, then I will give you thirty linen sheets and thirty suits of clothing.

13. But if you cannot tell it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen sheets and thirty suits of clothing," and they said to him, "Ask your riddle that we may hear it."

14. And he said to them, "From the eater came out food, and out of the strong came out sweetness," but they could not tell the riddle for three days.

15. And it was, on the seventh day, they said to Samson's wife, "Persuade your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire, have you called us here to impoverish us?"

16. And Samson's wife wept upon him, and said, "You only hate me and do not love me; the riddle you have asked my people, but to me you have not told it." And he said to her, "Behold, to my father and mother I have not told it, and to you I shall tell it?"

17. And she wept upon him the seven days that their feast lasted; and it was, on the seventh day, that he told her, because she had tormented him, and she told the riddle to her people.

18. And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day, before the sun set, "What is sweeter than honey and what is stronger than a lion?" And he said to them, "Had you not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle."

19. And there rested upon him a spirit of the Lord, and he went down to Ashkelon, and killed of them thirty men, and he took their clothing and gave the suits to those who had told the riddle; but his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

20. And Samson's wife was (given) to his companion, who had accompanied him.