¹ And 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 get her for me to wife.

³ Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

⁴ But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

⁵ Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

⁶ And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

⁷ And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

⁸ 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.

⁹ And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass 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 it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

¹² And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:

¹³ But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

¹⁴ And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

¹⁵ And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?

¹⁶ And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: 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 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 lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

¹⁸ And the men of the city said unto 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 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 took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

²⁰ But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

---

¹ And Samson ^H8123 went down ^H3381 to Timnath, ^H8553 and saw ^H7200 a woman ^H802 in Timnath ^H8553 of the daughters ^H1323 of the Philistines. ^H6430

² And he came up, ^H5927 and told ^H5046 his father ^H1 and his mother, ^H517 and said, ^H559 I have seen ^H7200 a woman ^H802 in Timnath ^H8553 of the daughters ^H1323 of the Philistines: ^H6430 now therefore get ^H3947 her for me to wife. ^H802

³ Then his father ^H1 and his mother ^H517 said ^H559 unto him, Is there never ^H369 a woman ^H802 among the daughters ^H1323 of thy brethren, ^H251 or among all my people, ^H5971 that thou goest ^H1980 to take ^H3947 a wife ^H802 of the uncircumcised ^H6189 Philistines? ^H6430 And Samson ^H8123 said ^H559 unto his father, ^H1 Get ^H3947 her for me; for she pleaseth me well. ^{H3474 H5869}

⁴ But his father ^H1 and his mother ^H517 knew ^H3045 not that it was of the LORD, ^H3068 that he sought ^H1245 an occasion ^H8385 against the Philistines: ^H6430 for at that time ^H6256 the Philistines ^H6430 had dominion ^H4910 over Israel. ^H3478

⁵ Then went ^H3381 Samson ^H8123 down, ^H3381 and his father ^H1 and his mother, ^H517 to Timnath, ^H8553 and came ^H935 to the vineyards ^H3754 of Timnath: ^H8553 and, behold, a young ^H3715 lion ^H738 roared ^H7580 against ^H7125 him.

⁶ And the Spirit ^H7307 of the LORD ^H3068 came mightily ^H6743 upon him, and he rent ^H8156 him as he would have rent ^H8156 a kid, ^H1423 and he had nothing ^H3972 in his hand: ^H3027 but he told ^H5046 not his father ^H1 or his mother ^H517 what he had done. ^H6213

⁷ And he went down, ^H3381 and talked ^H1696 with the woman; ^H802 and she pleased ^H3474 Samson ^H8123 well. ^{H3474 H5869}

⁸ And after a time ^H3117 he returned ^H7725 to take ^H3947 her, and he turned aside ^H5493 to see ^H7200 the carcase ^H4658 of the lion: ^H738 and, behold, there was a swarm ^H5712 of bees ^H1682 and honey ^H1706 in the carcase ^H1472 of the lion. ^H738

⁹ And he took ^H7287 thereof in his hands, ^H3709 and went on ^H3212 eating, ^H398 and came ^H1980 to his father ^H1 and mother, ^H517 and he gave ^H5414 them, and they did eat: ^H398 but he told ^H5046 not them that he had taken ^H7287 the honey ^H1706 out of the carcase ^H1472 of the lion. ^H738

¹⁰ So his father ^H1 went down ^H3381 unto the woman: ^H802 and Samson ^H8123 made ^H6213 there a feast; ^H4960 for so used the young men ^H970 to do. ^H6213

¹¹ And it came to pass, when they saw ^H7200 him, that they brought ^H3947 thirty ^H7970 companions ^H4828 to be with him.

¹² And Samson ^H8123 said ^H559 unto them, I will now put forth ^H2330 a riddle ^H2420 unto you: if ye can certainly ^H5046 declare ^H5046 it me within the seven ^H7651 days ^H3117 of the feast, ^H4960 and find it out, ^H4672 then I will give ^H5414 you thirty ^H7970 sheets ^H5466 and thirty ^H7970 change ^H2487 of garments: ^H899

¹³ But if ye cannot ^H3201 declare ^H5046 it me, then shall ye give ^H5414 me thirty ^H7970 sheets ^H5466 and thirty ^H7970 change ^H2487 of garments. ^H899 And they said ^H559 unto him, Put forth ^H2330 thy riddle, ^H2420 that we may hear ^H8085 it.

¹⁴ And he said ^H559 unto them, Out of the eater ^H398 came forth ^H3318 meat, ^H3978 and out of the strong ^H5794 came forth ^H3318 sweetness. ^H4966 And they could ^H3201 not in three ^H7969 days ^H3117 expound ^H5046 the riddle. ^H2420

¹⁵ And it came to pass on the seventh ^H7637 day, ^H3117 that they said ^H559 unto Samson's ^H8123 wife, ^H802 Entice ^H6601 thy husband, ^H376 that he may declare ^H5046 unto us the riddle, ^H2420 lest we burn ^H8313 thee and thy father's ^H1 house ^H1004 with fire: ^H784 have ye called ^H7121 us to take that we have? ^H3423 is it not so?

¹⁶ And Samson's ^H8123 wife ^H802 wept ^H1058 before him, and said, ^H559 Thou dost but hate ^H8130 me, and lovest ^H157 me not: thou hast put forth ^H2330 a riddle ^H2420 unto the children ^H1121 of my people, ^H5971 and hast not told ^H5046 it me. And he said ^H559 unto her, Behold, I have not told ^H5046 it my father ^H1 nor my mother, ^H517 and shall I tell ^H5046 it thee?

¹⁷ And she wept ^H1058 before him the seven ^H7651 days, ^H3117 while their feast ^H4960 lasted: ^H1961 and it came to pass on the seventh ^H7637 day, ^H3117 that he told ^H5046 her, because she lay sore ^H6693 upon him: and she told ^H5046 the riddle ^H2420 to the children ^H1121 of her people. ^H5971

¹⁸ And the men ^H582 of the city ^H5892 said ^H559 unto him on the seventh ^H7637 day ^H3117 before the sun ^H2775 went down, ^H935 What is sweeter ^H4966 than honey? ^H1706 and what is stronger ^H5794 than a lion? ^H738 And he said ^H559 unto them, If ^H3884 ye had not plowed ^H2790 with my heifer, ^H5697 ye had not found out ^H4672 my riddle. ^H2420

¹⁹ And the Spirit ^H7307 of the LORD ^H3068 came ^H6743 upon him, and he went down ^H3381 to Ashkelon, ^H831 and slew ^H5221 thirty ^H7970 men ^H376 of them, and took ^H3947 their spoil, ^H2488 and gave ^H5414 change ^H2487 of garments unto them which expounded ^H5046 the riddle. ^H2420 And his anger ^H639 was kindled, ^H2734 and he went up ^H5927 to his father's ^H1 house. ^H1004

²⁰ But Samson's ^H8123 wife ^H802 was given to his companion, ^H4828 whom he had used as his friend. ^H7462

---

¹ And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah 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 Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

³ Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

⁴ But his father and his mother knew not that it was of Jehovah; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.

⁵ Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

⁶ And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid; and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

⁷ And he went down, and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.

⁸ And after a while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.

⁹ And he took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave unto them, and they did eat: but he told them not that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.

¹⁰ And his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

¹¹ And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

¹² And Samson said unto them, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can declare it unto me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment;

¹³ but if ye cannot declare it unto me, then shall ye give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

¹⁴ And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.

¹⁵ And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to impoverish us? is it not `so'?

¹⁶ And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: 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 thee?

¹⁷ 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 pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

¹⁸ And the men of the city said unto 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 unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.

¹⁹ And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes `of raiment' unto them that declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

²⁰ But Samson's wife was `given' to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

---

¹ And Samson goeth down to Timnath, and seeth a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines,

² and cometh up and declareth to his father, and to his mother, and saith, `A woman I have seen in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines; and now, take her for me for a wife.'

³ And his father saith to him -- also his mother, `Is there not among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, a woman, that thou art going to take a woman from the uncircumcised Philistines?' and Samson saith unto his father, `Take her for me, for she is right in mine eyes.'

⁴ And his father and his mother have not known that from Jehovah it `is', that a meeting he is seeking of the Philistines; and at that time the Philistines are ruling over Israel.

⁵ And Samson goeth down -- also his father and his mother, to Timnath, and they come unto the vineyards of Timnath, and lo, a lion's whelp roareth at meeting him,

⁶ and the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and he rendeth it as the rending of a kid, and there is nothing in his hand, and he hath not declared to his father and to his mother that which he hath done.

⁷ And he goeth down and speaketh to the woman, and she is right in the eyes of Samson;

⁸ and he turneth back after `some' days to take her, and turneth aside to see the carcase of the lion, and lo, a company of bees `are' in the body of the lion -- and honey.

⁹ And he taketh it down on to his hands, and goeth on, going and eating; and he goeth unto his father, and unto his mother, and giveth to them, and they eat, and he hath not declared to them that from the body of the lion he took down the honey.

¹⁰ And his father goeth down unto the woman, and Samson maketh there a banquet, for so the young men do;

¹¹ and it cometh to pass when they see him, that they take thirty companions, and they are with him.

¹² And Samson saith to them, `Let me, I pray you, put forth to you a riddle; if ye certainly declare it to me `in' the seven days of the banquet, and have found `it' out, then I have given to you thirty linen shirts, and thirty changes of garments;

¹³ and if ye are not able to declare `it' to me, then ye have given to me thirty linen shirts, and thirty changes of garments.' And they say to him, `Put forth thy riddle, and we hear it!'

¹⁴ And he saith to them: `Out of the eater came forth meat, And out of the strong came forth sweetness;' and they were not able to declare the riddle `in' three days.

¹⁵ And it cometh to pass, on the seventh day, that they say to Samson's wife, `Entice thy husband, that he declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and the house of thy father with fire; to possess us have ye called for us? is it not?'

¹⁶ And Samson's wife weepeth for it, and saith, `Thou hast only hated me, and hast not loved me; the riddle thou hast put forth to the sons of my people -- and to me thou hast not declared it;' and he saith to her, `Lo, to my father and to my mother I have not declared `it' -- and to thee I declare `it'!'

¹⁷ And she weepeth for it the seven days `in' which their banquet hath been, and it cometh to pass on the seventh day that he declareth `it' to her, for she hath distressed him; and she declareth the riddle to the sons of her people.

¹⁸ And the men of the city say to him on the seventh day, before the sun goeth in: -- `What `is' sweeter than honey? And what stronger than a lion?' And he saith to them: `Unless ye had ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.'

¹⁹ And the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and he goeth down to Ashkelon, and smiteth of them thirty men, and taketh their armour, and giveth the changes to those declaring the riddle; and his anger burneth, and he goeth up to the house of his father;

²⁰ and Samson's wife becometh his companion's, who `is' his friend.

---

¹ Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines.

² Then he came up, and told his father and mother, "I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife."

³ But his father and mother said to him, "Is there not a woman among the daughters of your kinsmen, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me; for she pleases me well."

⁴ His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD; for he was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

⁵ Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and he came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion roared against him;

⁶ and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion asunder as one tears a kid; and he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

⁷ Then he went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

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

⁹ He scraped it out into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the carcass of the lion.

¹⁰ And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there; for so the young men used to do.

¹¹ And when the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

¹² And Samson said to them, "Let me now put a riddle to you; if you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments;

¹³ but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments." And they said to him, "Put your riddle, that we may hear it."

¹⁴ And he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." And they could not in three days tell what the riddle was.

¹⁵ On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?"

¹⁶ And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, "You only hate me, you do not love me; you have put a riddle to my countrymen, and you have not told me what it is." And he said to her, "Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?"

¹⁷ She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted; and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her countrymen.

¹⁸ And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? 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 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ash'kelon and killed thirty men of the town, and took their spoil and gave the festal garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house.

²⁰ And Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

---

¹ Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.

² He came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me as wife.

³ Then his father and his mother said to him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? Samson said to his father, Get her for me; for she pleases me well.

⁴ But his father and his mother didn't know that it was of Yahweh; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.

⁵ Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

⁶ The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid; and he had nothing in his hand: but he didn't tell his father or his mother what he had done.

⁷ He went down, and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.

⁸ After a while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.

⁹ He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave to them, and they ate: but he didn't tell them that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.

¹⁰ His father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

¹¹ It happened, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

¹² Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you: if you can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;

¹³ but if you can't declare it to me, then shall you give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. They said to him, Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it.

¹⁴ He said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, Out of the strong came forth sweetness. They couldn't in three days declare the riddle.

¹⁵ It happened on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire: have you called us to impoverish us? is it not [so]?

¹⁶ Samson's wife wept before him, and said, You do but hate me, and don't love me: you have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and haven't told it me. He said to her, Behold, I haven't told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?

¹⁷ She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

¹⁸ 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? He said to them, If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, You wouldn't have found out my riddle.

¹⁹ The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and struck thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes [of clothing] to those who declared the riddle. His anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

²⁰ But Samson's wife was [given] to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

---

¹ Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah, of the daughters of the Philistines;

² And when he came back he said to his father and mother, I have seen a woman in Timnah, of the daughters of the Philistines: get her now for me for my wife.

³ Then his father and mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of your relations or among all my people, that you have to go for your wife to the Philistines, who are without circumcision? But Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she is pleasing to me.

⁴ Now his father and mother had no knowledge that this was the purpose of the Lord, who had the destruction of the Philistines in mind. Now the Philistines at that time were ruling over Israel.

⁵ Then Samson went down to Timnah (and his father and his mother,) and came to the vine-gardens of Timnah; and a young lion came rushing out at him.

⁶ And the spirit of the Lord came on him with power, and, unarmed as he was, pulling the lion in two as one might do to a young goat, he put him to death; (but he said nothing to his father and mother of what he had done.)

⁷ So he went down and had talk with the woman; and she was pleasing to Samson.

⁸ Then after a time he went back to take her; and turning from the road to see the dead body of the lion, he saw a mass of bees in the body of the lion, and honey there.

⁹ And he took the honey in his hand, and went on, tasting it on the way; and when he came to his father and mother he gave some to them; but did not say that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.

¹⁰ Then Samson went down to the woman, and made a feast there, as was the way among young men.

¹¹ And he took thirty friends, and they were with him.

¹² And Samson said, Now I have a hard question for you: if you are able to give me the answer before the seven days of the feast are over, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty changes of clothing;

¹³ But if you are not able to give me the answer, then you will have to give me thirty linen robes and thirty changes of clothing. And they said to him, Put your hard question and let us see what it is.

¹⁴ And he said, Out of the taker of food came food, and out of the strong came the sweet. And at the end of three days they were still not able to give the answer.

¹⁵ So on the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, Get from your husband the answer to his question by some trick or other, or we will have you and your father's house burned with fire; did you get us here to take all we have?

¹⁶ Then Samson's wife, weeping over him, said, Truly you have no love for me but only hate; you have put a hard question to the children of my people and have not given me the answer. And he said to her, See, I have not given the answer even to my father or my mother; am I to give it to you?

¹⁷ And all the seven days of the feast she went on weeping over him; and on the seventh day he gave her the answer, because she gave him no peace; and she sent word of it to the children of her people.

¹⁸ Then on the seventh day, before he went into the bride's room, the men of the town said to him, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If you had not been ploughing with my cow you would not have got the answer to my question.

¹⁹ And the spirit of the Lord came rushing on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and, attacking thirty men there, took their clothing from them, and gave it to the men who had given the answer to his hard question. Then, full of wrath, he went back to his father's house.

²⁰ But Samson's wife was given to the friend who had been his best man.