CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Judges 14 Christian Standard Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/judges/14.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/judges/14-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CSB</a> > Judges 14</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="../menu.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../judges/13.htm" title="Judges 13">◄</a> Judges 14 <a href="../judges/15.htm" title="Judges 15">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">Christian Standard Bible</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/csb/esv/judges/14.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Verses"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><section epub:type="chapter" id="csb-Judges.14" /><h3 class="head1">Samson’s Riddle</h3><p class="noind"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.1" /><A name="2"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Samson went down to Timnah<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Judges.14.1.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> and saw a young Philistine woman there. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.2" /> <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>He went back and told his father and his mother, “I have seen a young Philistine woman in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.3" /> <A name="4"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>But his father and mother said to him, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines for a wife? ”</p><p class="scripture">But Samson told his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.4" /> <A name="5"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Now his father and mother did not know this was from the L<span class="smallcaps">ord</span>,<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Judges.14.4.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> who wanted the Philistines to provide an opportunity for a confrontation.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Judges.14.4.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">A</span></a> At that time, the Philistines were ruling Israel.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.5" /> <A name="6"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him, <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.6" /> <A name="7"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>the Spirit of the L<span class="smallcaps">ord</span> came powerfully on<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Judges.14.6.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.7" /> <A name="8"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Then he went and spoke to the woman, because she seemed right to Samson.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.8" /> <A name="9"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>After some time, when he returned to marry her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and there was a swarm of bees with honey in the carcass. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.9" /> <A name="10"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>He scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. 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 scooped the honey from the lion’s carcass.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Judges.14.9.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a></p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.10" /> <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>His father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as young men were accustomed to do. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.11" /> <A name="12"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>When the Philistines saw him, they brought thirty men to accompany him.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.12" /> <A name="13"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>“Let me tell you a riddle,”<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Judges.14.12.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> Samson said to them. “If you can explain it to me during the seven days of the feast and figure it out, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.13" /> <A name="14"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>But if you can’t explain it to me, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.”</p><p class="scripture">“Tell us your riddle,” they replied.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Judges.14.13.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">A</span></a> “Let’s hear it.”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.14" /> <A name="15"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>So he said to them:</p><blockquote class="poetryblock"><p class="poem">Out of the eater came something to eat,</p><p class="poem">and out of the strong came something sweet.</p></blockquote><p class="scripture">After three days, they were unable to explain the riddle. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.15" /> <A name="16"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>On the fourth<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Judges.14.15.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">A</span></a> day they said to Samson’s wife, “Persuade your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s family to death. Did you invite us here to rob us? ”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.16" /> <A name="17"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>So Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me and don’t love me!<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Judges.14.16.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> You told my people the riddle, but haven’t explained it to me.”</p><p class="scripture">“Look,” he said,<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Judges.14.16.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">A</span></a> “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you? ”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.17" /> <A name="18"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and at last, on the seventh day, he explained it to her, because she had nagged him so much. Then she explained it to her people. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.18" /> <A name="19"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>On the seventh day, before sunset, the men of the city said to him:</p><blockquote class="poetryblock"><p class="poem">What is sweeter than honey?</p><p class="poem">What is stronger than a lion?</p></blockquote><p class="scripture">So he said to them:</p><blockquote class="poetryblock"><p class="poem">If you hadn’t plowed with my young cow,</p><p class="poem">you wouldn’t know my riddle now!</p></blockquote><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.19" /> <A name="20"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>The Spirit of the L<span class="smallcaps">ord</span> came powerfully on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men. He stripped them and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. In a rage, Samson returned to his father’s house, <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Judges.14.20" /> <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/14-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.</p><br /><section id="footnotes-Judges.14" class="fnSection"><aside id="fn.Judges.14.4.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.4">14:4</a></span> <span class="italic">for a confrontation</span> supplied for clarity</aside><aside id="fn.Judges.14.13.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.13">14:13</a></span> Lit <span class="italic">replied to him</span></aside><aside id="fn.Judges.14.15.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.15">14:15</a></span> LXX, Syr; MT reads <span class="italic">seventh</span></aside><aside id="fn.Judges.14.16.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.16">14:16</a></span> Lit <span class="italic">said to her</span></aside><br /><section id="cross-references-Judges.14" class="xrfSection"><aside id="xrf.Judges.14.1.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.1">14:1</a></span> Jos 15:10; 19:43; 2Ch 28:18</aside><aside id="xrf.Judges.14.4.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.4">14:4</a></span> Jos 11:20; 1Kg 12:15; 2Kg 6:33</aside><aside id="xrf.Judges.14.6.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.6">14:6</a></span> Jdg 14:19; 15:14; 1Sm 10:6,10; 11:6; 16:13; 18:10</aside><aside id="xrf.Judges.14.9.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.9">14:9</a></span> Lv 11:27</aside><aside id="xrf.Judges.14.12.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.12">14:12</a></span> Nm 12:8; Ps 49:4; Pr 1:6; Ezk 17:2; Dn 8:23</aside><aside id="xrf.Judges.14.16.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Judges.14.16">14:16</a></span> Jdg 16:15</aside><br /><section id="study-notes-Judges.14" class="snSection"><br /></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved. <br><br><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /><br /><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../judges/13.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Judges 13"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Judges 13" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../judges/15.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Judges 15"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Judges 15" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>