Focused Passage

Judges 14:10-14

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

10Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.

11And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.

12“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.

13But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.”

14So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” For three days they were unable to explain the riddle.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Cross-references

John 3:29Classic cross-references Esther 2:18Classic cross-references Genesis 29:22Classic cross-references Genesis 29:27Classic cross-references

Original words

Then his fatherאָבִ֖יהוּH1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwentוַיֵּ֥רֶדH3381Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionvisit the womanהָאִשָּׁ֑הH802Article | Noun - feminine singularand Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹן֙H8123Noun - proper - masculine singularpreparedוַיַּ֨עַשׂH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulara feastמִשְׁתֶּ֔הH4960Noun - masculine singularthereשָׁ֤םH8033Adverbasכִּ֛יH3588Conjunction. . .כֵּ֥ןH3651Adverbwas customaryיַעֲשׂ֖וּH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralfor the bridegroomהַבַּחוּרִֽים׃H970Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 11

Cross-references

John 3:29Classic cross-references Matthew 9:15Classic cross-references

Original words

And whenוַיְהִ֖יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular[the Philistines] saw himכִּרְאוֹתָ֣םH7200Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural-אוֹת֑וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularthey selectedוַיִּקְחוּ֙H3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthirtyשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםH7970Number - common pluralmen to accompany himמֵֽרֵעִ֔יםH4828Noun - masculine plural. . .וַיִּהְי֖וּH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .אִתּֽוֹ׃H854Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

Or when the bride’s parents saw him; literally when they saw him

Verse 12

Cross-references

1 Kings 10:1Classic cross-references 2 Kings 5:5Classic cross-references Ezekiel 17:2Classic cross-references Genesis 45:22Classic cross-references 2 Kings 5:22Classic cross-references

Original words

Let me tellאָחֽוּדָה־H2330Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular. . .נָּ֥אH4994Interjectionyouלָכֶ֖םPreposition | second person masculine plurala riddleחִידָ֑הH2420Noun - feminine singularSamsonשִׁמְשׁ֔וֹןH8123Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto themלָהֶם֙Preposition | third person masculine pluralIfאִם־H518Conjunctionyou can solveהַגֵּ֣דH5046Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .תַּגִּידוּ֩H5046Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralitאוֹתָ֨הּH853Direct object marker | third person feminine singularfor meלִ֜יPreposition | first person common singular[within the] sevenשִׁבְעַ֨תH7651Number - masculine singular constructdaysיְמֵ֤יH3117Noun - masculine plural constructof the feastהַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙H4960Article | Noun - masculine singular-וּמְצָאתֶ֔םH4672Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralI will giveוְנָתַתִּ֤יH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularyouלָכֶם֙Preposition | second person masculine pluralthirtyשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםH7970Number - common plurallinen garmentsסְדִינִ֔יםH5466Noun - masculine pluraland thirtyוּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖יםH7970Conjunctive waw | Number - common pluralsetsחֲלִפֹ֥תH2487Noun - feminine plural constructof clothesבְּגָדִֽים׃H899Noun - masculine plural

Verse 13

Original words

But ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionyou cannotלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .תוּכְלוּ֮H3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralsolve itלְהַגִּ֣ידH5046Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructyouאַתֶּ֥םH859Pronoun - second person masculine pluralmust giveוּנְתַתֶּ֨םH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralmeלִי֙Preposition | first person common singularthirtyשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםH7970Number - common plurallinen garmentsסְדִינִ֔יםH5466Noun - masculine pluraland thirtyוּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖יםH7970Conjunctive waw | Number - common pluralsetsחֲלִיפ֣וֹתH2487Noun - feminine plural constructof clothesבְּגָדִ֑יםH899Noun - masculine pluralTell usח֥וּדָהH2330Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularyour riddleחִידָתְךָ֖H2420Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularthey repliedוַיֹּ֣אמְרוּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralLet us hear itוְנִשְׁמָעֶֽנָּה׃H8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural | third person feminine singular

Verse 14

Cross-references

1 Kings 17:6Classic cross-references James 1:2Classic cross-references 1 Peter 2:24Classic cross-references Romans 8:37Classic cross-references

Original words

So he saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto themלָהֶ֗םPreposition | third person masculine pluralOut of the eaterמֵהָֽאֹכֵל֙H398Preposition-m, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularcameיָצָ֣אH3318Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularsomething to eatמַאֲכָ֔לH3978Noun - masculine singularand out of the strongוּמֵעַ֖זH5794Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singularcameיָצָ֣אH3318Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularsomething sweetמָת֑וֹקH4966Adjective - masculine singularFor threeשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁתH7969Number - masculine singular constructdaysיָמִֽים׃H3117Noun - masculine pluralthey were unableוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle. . .יָכְל֛וּH3201Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralto explainלְהַגִּ֥ידH5046Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructthe riddleהַחִידָ֖הH2420Article | Noun - feminine singular

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