Judges 14 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Judges 14

Samson’s Marriage

14:1 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 relatives, 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 is right in my eyes.”

4 His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.

5 Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. 6 Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. 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 was right in Samson’s eyes.

8 After some days 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 scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.

10 His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. 11 As soon as 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 changes of clothes, 13 but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” 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 in three days they could not solve the riddle.

15 On the fourth¹ 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 over him and said, “You only hate me; you do not love me. You have put a riddle to my people, 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 people. 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 rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the 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.

Footnotes

[1] 14:15 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew seventh

Commentary

v1-3: Samson's choice of a wife did not please his parents; the Philistine was "the right one for me". It is sad indeed that there was not an acceptable woman among the people of God.

Samson appears to be aggressive towards his parents, "get her for me"; rather he should have shown respect for them (1 Pet 5.5). He declared, “She’s the right one for me,” but his judgment was clearly unwise and unspiritual. He had previously only “seen” her, and was merely attracted by her appearance.

v4: The Lord used Samson's folly for His own purposes, to bring conflict between Samson and the Philistines. The oppression by the Philistines had perhaps become acquiescence by Israel of their new masters. This situation could not remain, and God would bring deliverance.

v5-7: Samson learned, by experience, that God had given him great strength. The incident appears to be a test and a lesson for Samson; how conscious of his vows and calling was he?

v8-9: Samson ate honey from the carcass of the lion. This was contrary to the Nazirite vow. It seems the Lord God 'overlooked' this. It is as well that there is not immediate punishment upon us for every wrong-doing.

v10-13: Samson’s riddle – this little ‘game’ began a period conflict between Samson and the Philistines.

v14: Samson the poet; also v18; 15.16.

v15-17: The woman of Timnah was deceitful, asking Samson for the answer to the riddle, so she could tell the Philistines; there was little real love between them (15.2). At the same time, the Philistines’ treatment of her was harsh and threatening.

The woman of Timnah pressed Samson for the answer to his riddle; in the same way Delilah nagged him about the secret of his strength in 16.16.

v18: Samson knew how they had found out the answer.

v19: To fulfil his promise, Samson raided the Philistines, to obtain 30 sets of clothes, see v13. The Philistines at the wedding would have known this, they were not new garments.

v20: Samson lost his wife, for she was given to another. Samson lost what his heart was set on.