Verse
BSB
Berean Standard Bible
KJV
King James Version
One
day
Samson went down to Timnah
, where
he
saw a young
Philistine
woman.
And
Samson went down to Timnath
, and
saw a woman in
Timnath
of
the
daughters
of
the
Philistines
.
So
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. ”
And
he came
up,
and told his father and his
mother, and
said,
I have seen a woman
in
Timnath
of the daughters
of
the
Philistines :
now therefore
get her for me to
wife.
But
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
. ”
Then
his father and his
mother said
unto
him
, Is
there
never
a woman among the
daughters
of
thy
brethren,
or among all
my
people ,
that
thou
goest
to take
a
wife
of
the uncircumcised Philistines? And
Samson said
unto
his father, Get her for me ;
for she pleaseth
me
well
.
(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. )
But
his father and his
mother knew
not that
it
was of
the LORD, that
he
sought
an occasion against the Philistines :
for at that time the Philistines had
dominion
over Israel.
Then 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 ,
Then went Samson
down ,
and
his father and his
mother ,
to
Timnath,
and came to the vineyards of Timnath:
and,
behold,
a young lion roared
against
him .
and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully
upon him, and he tore
the
lion
apart
with
his
bare
hands
as one
would tear
a young
goat.
But he did
not tell
his father or mother what he had done.
And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily
upon him, and he rent
him
as he
would have
rent
a kid,
and
he
had
nothing
in
his
hand:
but he told
not his father or his
mother what he had done.
Then
Samson
continued
on
his
way
down and spoke
to
the woman ,
because
she was
pleasing
to
his
eyes
.
And
he
went
down ,
and talked
with
the woman ;
and
she pleased
Samson
well
.
When
Samson
returned later
to take her, he left
the
road
to see the lion’s
carcass ,
and in
it
was a swarm of bees ,
along
with
their
honey.
And
after
a
time
he
returned to take her, and
he turned
aside
to see the carcass of
the
lion:
and ,
behold,
there
was a swarm of bees and
honey in
the
carcass
of
the
lion
.
So
he scooped
some
honey
into
his hands and ate
it
as
he
went along.
And when
he
returned
to his father and mother, he gave some
to
them and they ate
it.
But he did
not tell
them that he had taken the honey from
the lion’s
carcass.
And
he took
thereof
in
his hands ,
and went on
eating,
and came
to his father and mother, and
he gave them ,
and they did
eat:
but he told
not them that he had taken the honey out
of
the carcass of
the
lion
.
Then
his father went to
visit
the woman ,
and Samson prepared
a feast there,
as
was
customary
for the bridegroom
.
So
his father went down
unto
the woman :
and Samson made
there
a feast ;
for so
used
the young
men
to
do
.
And when the
Philistines
saw him, they selected
thirty men
to accompany
him.
And it
came
to
pass,
when they
saw him, that
they brought
thirty companions
to be
with
him.
“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.
And
Samson said unto
them ,
I
will
now
put
forth
a
riddle
unto
you :
if
ye
can certainly
declare
it me within the seven days of the feast, and
find
it
out,
then
I will give you thirty sheets
and thirty change
of garments:
But 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. ”
But if ye
cannot declare
it me
, then
shall
ye
give me thirty sheets
and thirty change
of garments
. And
they
said
unto
him,
Put
forth
thy
riddle, that
we
may
hear it.
So
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.
And
he said unto
them ,
Out of the eater came forth
meat
, and out of the strong came forth
sweetness
. And
they
could
not
in
three days expound
the riddle.
So
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
? ”
And
it
came
to
pass
on the seventh
day ,
that
they said unto
Samson's
wife, Entice thy
husband ,
that
he
may
declare
unto
us
the riddle, lest
we burn thee
and thy
father's
house
with
fire:
have
ye
called
us to take
that
we
have
? is
it
not
so?
Then
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
? ”
And
Samson's
wife wept
before
him, and said, Thou
dost
but
hate me ,
and
lovest
me not:
thou
hast
put
forth
a riddle unto
the
children
of
my
people
, and
hast
not told
it me. And
he said unto
her
, Behold,
I have not told
it my father nor
my
mother, and
shall
I tell
it thee
?
She 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.
And
she wept before
him
the seven days, while
their
feast
lasted:
and it
came
to
pass
on the seventh day, that
he told her ,
because
she
lay
sore
upon
him:
and she told
the riddle to the
children
of
her people.
Before
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 !”
And
the men of the city said unto
him
on
the
seventh
day
before
the
sun
went
down,
What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? and
he said unto
them ,
If ye
had not plowed with my heifer, ye
had
not found
out
my riddle .
Then
the Spirit of the LORD came mightily
upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed
thirty of
their
men, took their apparel
, and gave their
clothes
to
those
who
had
solved
the riddle. And burning
with
anger, Samson
returned
to his father’s
house ,
And
the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and
slew
thirty men of
them
, and
took their spoil
, and gave change
of
garments
unto
them
which
expounded
the riddle. And his
anger was
kindled
, and
he
went
up
to his father's
house .
and
his
wife was given to one
of
the
men
who
had accompanied
him
.
But
Samson's
wife was given to his
companion,
whom
he
had used
as
his
friend
.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible and King James Version. Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC.; UK publication rights are administered by the Crown's patentee; public domain in most other jurisdictions..