Focused Passage

Judges 14:1-4

Samson's Philistine Marriage, Riddle, and First Violent Conflict

From Samson's right-in-his-eyes desire for a Philistine bride to the LORD's hidden purpose against Philistine rule, the chapter moves through lion, honey, feast, riddle, betrayal, Spirit-empowered retaliation, and marital fracture, showing deliverance beginning through a deeply compromised instrument.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.

2So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”

3But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”

4(Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Joshua 15:10Classic cross-references 1 John 2:16Classic cross-references Joshua 19:43Classic cross-references Genesis 34:2Classic cross-references Genesis 38:12Classic cross-references

Original words

One day Samsonשִׁמְשׁ֖וֹןH8123Noun - proper - masculine singularwent downוַיֵּ֥רֶדH3381Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto Timnahתִּמְנָ֑תָהH8553Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singularwhere he sawוַיַּ֥רְאH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אִשָּׁ֛הH802Noun - feminine singulara young Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃H6430Noun - proper - masculine pluralwomanמִבְּנ֥וֹתH1323Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct. . .בְּתִמְנָ֖תָהH8553Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Genesis 34:4Classic cross-references Genesis 24:2Classic cross-references Genesis 21:21Classic cross-references Jeremiah 29:6Classic cross-references

Original words

So he returnedוַיַּ֗עַלH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand toldוַיַּגֵּד֙H5046Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis fatherלְאָבִ֣יוH1Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand motherוּלְאִמּ֔וֹH517Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular-וַיֹּ֗אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אִשָּׁ֛הH802Noun - feminine singularI have seenרָאִ֥יתִיH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singulara daughterמִבְּנ֣וֹתH1323Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural constructof the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑יםH6430Noun - proper - masculine pluralin Timnahבְתִמְנָ֖תָהH8553Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singularNowוְעַתָּ֕הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbgetקְחוּ־H3947Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralherאוֹתָ֥הּH853Direct object marker | third person feminine singularfor meלִּ֖יPreposition | first person common singularas a wifeלְאִשָּֽׁה׃H802Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

1 Samuel 17:36Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 7:2Classic cross-references Judges 15:18Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 14:6Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 17:26Classic cross-references

Original words

But his fatherאָבִ֣יוH1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand motherוְאִמּ֗וֹH517Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularrepliedוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularCan’t you [find]הַאֵין֩H369Adverba young womanבִּבְנ֨וֹתH1323Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural constructamong your relativesאַחֶ֤יךָH251Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularor among anyוּבְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof our peopleעַמִּי֙H5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular-אִשָּׁ֔הH802Noun - feminine singular-כִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionMust youאַתָּ֤הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singulargoהוֹלֵךְ֙H1980Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularto the uncircumcisedהָעֲרֵלִ֑יםH6189Article | Adjective - masculine pluralPhilistinesמִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖יםH6430Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine pluralto getלָקַ֣חַתH3947Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructa wifeאִשָּׁ֔הH802Noun - feminine singularBut Samsonשִׁמְשׁ֤וֹןH8123Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositiontoldוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis fatherאָבִיו֙H1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularGetקַֽח־H3947Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularherאוֹתָ֣הּH853Direct object marker | third person feminine singularfor meלִ֔יPreposition | first person common singularforכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionsheהִ֖יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis pleasingיָשְׁרָ֥הH3474Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularto my eyesבְעֵינָֽי׃H5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | first person common singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

Joshua 11:20Classic cross-references 1 Kings 12:15Classic cross-references Judges 15:11Classic cross-references Psalms 115:3Classic cross-references Judges 13:1Classic cross-references

Original words

Now his fatherוְאָבִ֨יוH1Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand motherוְאִמּ֜וֹH517Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singulardid notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleknowיָדְע֗וּH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural. . .כִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthisהִ֔יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularwas fromכִּי־H3588Conjunctionthe LORDמֵיְהוָה֙H3068Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singularwhoהֽוּא־H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularwas seekingמְבַקֵּ֖שׁH1245Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularan occasion to moveתֹאֲנָ֥הH8385Noun - feminine singularagainst the Philistinesמִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑יםH6430Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine pluralfor at thatהַהִ֔יאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singulartimeוּבָעֵ֣תH6256Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularthe Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖יםH6430Noun - proper - masculine pluralwere rulingמֹשְׁלִ֥יםH4910Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralover Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃פH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular

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