Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he came back up and told his father and ¹mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; so now, take her for me as a wife.” 3 But his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your ^1arelatives, or among all ²our people, that you go to ^btake a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Take her for me, for she is right in my eyes.” 4 However, his father and mother did not know that ^ait was of Yahweh, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and they came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 ^aAnd the Spirit of Yahweh ¹came upon him mightily, so that ^bhe tore it 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. 7 So he went down and spoke to the woman; and she was right in the eyes of Samson. 8 Then he returned later to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion. 9 So he scraped ¹the honey into his ²hands and went on, eating as he went. Then he went to his father and mother, and 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.

10 Then his father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men customarily did this. 11 Now it happened that when they saw him, they took thirty companions to be with him. 12 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. 13 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.” 14 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.

15 Then it happened 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?” 16 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?” 17 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. 18 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.” 19 Then ^athe Spirit of Yahweh ¹came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down 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. 20 But Samson’s wife was ^agiven to his companion who had been his ¹friend.

Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 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.” 3 Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your ^1arelatives, 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.” 4 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.

5 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. 6 ^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. 7 So he went down and talked to the woman; and she ¹looked good to Samson. 8 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. 9 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.

10 Then his father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men customarily did this. 11 When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12 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. 13 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.” 14 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.

15 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?” 16 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?” 17 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. 18 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.” 19 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. 20 But Samson’s wife was ^agiven to his companion who had been his ¹friend.

Samson went down to Timnah and at Timnah he saw a woman, one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he went back and told his father and his mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now get her for me as a wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your ^arelatives, or among all our people, that you must go to ^btake a wife from the uncircumcised (pagan) Philistines?” And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, because she ¹looks pleasing to me.” 4 His father and mother did not know that ^ait was of the LORD, and that He was seeking an occasion to take action against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother to arrange the marriage, and they came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and ¹suddenly, a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 ^aThe Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and ^bhe tore the lion apart as one tears apart a young goat, and he had nothing at all in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. 7 So he went down and talked with the woman; and she looked pleasing to Samson. 8 When he returned later to take her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion. 9 So he scraped the honey out into his hands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and mother, he gave them some, and they ate it; but he did not tell them he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.

10 His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for that was the customary thing for young men to do. 11 When the people saw him, they brought thirty companions (wedding attendants) to be with him.

12 Then Samson said to them, “Let me now ^aask you a riddle; if you can tell me what it is within the seven days of the feast, and solve it, then I will give you thirty linen tunics (undergarments) and thirty ^bchanges of outer clothing. 13 But if you are unable to tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen tunics (undergarments) and thirty changes of outer clothing.” And they said to him, “Ask your riddle, so that we may hear it.” 14 So he said to them,“Out of the eater came something to eat,And out of the strong came something sweet.”And they could not solve the riddle in three days.

15 Then on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “^aPersuade your husband to tell us through you the answer to the riddle, ^bor we will burn you and your father’s household with fire. Have you invited us to make us poor? Is this not true?” 16 So Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “^aYou only hate me, you do not love me; you have asked my countrymen a riddle, and have not told the answer to me.” And he said to her, “Listen, I have not told my father or my mother either, so why should I tell you?” 17 However Samson’s wife wept before him seven days while their wedding feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. Then she told the answer to the riddle to her countrymen. 18 So the men of the city said to Samson on the seventh day before sundown,“What is sweeter than honey?What is stronger than a lion?”And he said to them,“If you had not plowed with ¹my heifer,You would not have solved my riddle.” 19 Then ^athe Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their gear, and gave changes of clothes to those who had explained the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house. 20 But Samson’s wife was ^agiven to his ¹companion who had been his friend.