Judges 14 · שופטים

And Shimshon went down to Timnat, and saw a woman in Timnat of the daughters of the Pelishtim.

And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnat of the daughters of the Pelishtim: now therefore get her for me to wife.

Then his father and his mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Pelishtim? And Shimshon said to his father, Get her for me; for she pleases me well.

But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought a pretext against the Pelishtim: for at that time the Pelishtim had dominion over Yisra᾽el.

Then Shimshon went down, and his father and his mother, to Timnat, and came to the vineyards of Timnat: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Shimshon well.

And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion.

And he scraped it out in his hands, and went on his way, eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told them not that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.

So his father went down to the woman: and Shimshon made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

And Shimshon said to them, I will now propound a riddle to you: if you can declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty changes of garments:

but if you cannot declare it me, then you shall give me thirty sheets and thirty changes of garments. And they said to him, Propound thy riddle, that we may hear it.

And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Shimshon’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have you called us to take possession of our goods?

And Shimshon’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast propounded a riddle to the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother and shall I tell it thee?

And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she harassed him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

And 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 ploughed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.

And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashqelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their clothing, and gave the changes of garments to them who had expounded the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.

But Shimshon’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had as his friend.