Focused Passage

Judges 14:15-18

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

15So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”

16Then Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me! You do not really love me! You have posed to my people a riddle, but have not explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I have not even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?”

17She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people.

18Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

Soוַיְהִ֣י׀H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularon the fourthהַשְּׁבִיעִ֗יH7637Article | Number - ordinal masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthey saidוַיֹּאמְר֤וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto Samson’sשִׁמְשׁוֹן֙H8123Noun - proper - masculine singularwifeלְאֵֽשֶׁת־H802Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular constructEnticeפַּתִּ֣יH6601Verb - Piel - Imperative - feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour husbandאִישֵׁ֗ךְH376Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularto explainוְיַגֶּד־H5046Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularthe riddleהַ֣חִידָ֔הH2420Article | Noun - feminine singularto usלָ֙נוּ֙Preposition | first person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerorפֶּן־H6435Conjunctionwe will burnנִשְׂרֹ֥ףH8313Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralyouאוֹתָ֛ךְH853Direct object marker | second person feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand your father’sאָבִ֖יךְH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularhouseholdבֵּ֥יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructto deathבָּאֵ֑שׁH784Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularDid you invite usקְרָאתֶ֥םH7121Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralhereלָ֖נוּPreposition | first person common plural. . .הֲלֹֽא׃H3808Adverb - Negative particleto rob usהַלְיָרְשֵׁ֕נוּH3423Preposition | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common plural

BSB notes

  • LXX and Syriac; Hebrew seventh
Verse 16

Original words

Then Samson’sשִׁמְשׁ֜וֹןH8123Noun - proper - masculine singularwifeאֵ֨שֶׁתH802Noun - feminine singular constructcame to himעָלָ֗יוH5921Preposition | third person masculine singularweepingוַתֵּבְךְּ֩H1058Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularand saidוַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular. . .רַק־H7535AdverbYou hate meשְׂנֵאתַ֙נִי֙H8130Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singularYou do not reallyוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelove meאֲהַבְתָּ֔נִיH157Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singularYou have posedחַ֙דְתָּ֙H2330Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularto my peopleלִבְנֵ֣יH1121Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עַמִּ֔יH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular. . .וְלִ֖יConjunctive waw | Preposition | first person common singulara riddleהַֽחִידָ֥הH2420Article | Noun - feminine singularbut have notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleexplained it to meהִגַּ֑דְתָּהH5046Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singularLookהִנֵּ֨הH2009Interjectionhe saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularI have notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleeven explainedהִגַּ֖דְתִּיH5046Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularit to my fatherלְאָבִ֧יH1Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularor motherוּלְאִמִּ֛יH517Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularso why should I explain itאַגִּֽיד׃H5046Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularto youוְלָ֥ךְConjunctive waw | Preposition | second person feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

She weptוַתֵּ֤בְךְּH1058Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular. . .עָלָיו֙H5921Preposition | third person masculine singularthe whole sevenשִׁבְעַ֣תH7651Number - masculine singular constructdaysהַיָּמִ֔יםH3117Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative-הָיָ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularof the feastהַמִּשְׁתֶּ֑הH4960Article | Noun - masculine singularand finallyוַיְהִ֣י׀H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularon the seventhהַשְּׁבִיעִ֗יH7637Article | Number - ordinal masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularbecauseכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionshe had pressed him so muchהֱצִיקַ֔תְהוּH6693Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singularhe toldוַיַּגֶּד־H5046Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularher [the answer]לָהּ֙Preposition | third person feminine singularAnd in turn she explainedוַתַּגֵּ֥דH5046Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularthe riddleהַחִידָ֖הH2420Article | Noun - feminine singularto her peopleלִבְנֵ֥יH1121Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עַמָּֽהּ׃H5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

Beforeבְּטֶ֙רֶם֙H2962Preposition-b | Adverbsunsetיָבֹ֣אH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .הַחַ֔רְסָהH2775Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularon the seventhהַשְּׁבִיעִ֗יH7637Article | Number - ordinal masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe menאַנְשֵׁ֨יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof the cityהָעִ֜ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularsaidוַיֹּ֣אמְרוּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto [Samson]לוֹ֩Preposition | third person masculine singularWhatמַה־H4100Interrogativeis sweeterמָּת֣וֹקH4966Adjective - masculine singularthan honeyמִדְּבַ֔שׁH1706Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularAnd what [is]וּמֶ֥הH4100Conjunctive waw | Interrogativestrongerעַ֖זH5794Adjective - masculine singularthan a lionמֵאֲרִ֑יH738Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularSo he saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto themלָהֶ֔םPreposition | third person masculine pluralIf you had notלוּלֵא֙H3884Conjunctionplowedחֲרַשְׁתֶּ֣םH2790Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralwith my heiferבְּעֶגְלָתִ֔יH5697Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularyou would notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave solvedמְצָאתֶ֖םH4672Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralmy riddleחִידָתִֽי׃H2420Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.