Judges 14: A Riddle and a Wedding Gone Wrong
Samson demands a Philistine bride, kills a lion with his bare hands, and poses a riddle that unravels his marriage in betrayal.
Judges 14 (WEB)
1 Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 He came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me as wife.”
3 Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there never a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me; for she pleases me well.”
4 But his father and his mother didn’t know that it was of Yahweh; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.
5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and behold, a young lion roared against him.
6 The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat; and he had nothing in his hand: but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done.
7 He went down, and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.
8 After a while 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 took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave to them, and they ate: but he didn’t tell them that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.
10 His father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11 When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
13 but if you can’t declare it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”
14 He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle.
15 On the seventh day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Is it not so?”
16 Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You have told a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I haven’t told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?”
17 She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and on the seventh day, he told her, because she pressed him severely; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18 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?” He said to them, “If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have found out my riddle.”
19 The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and struck thirty men of them, and took their plunder, and gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Judges 14 (KJV)
1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
9 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 carcase of the lion.
10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 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:
13 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.
14 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.
15 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?
16 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?
17 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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Judges 14 (ASV)
1 And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
3 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.
4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of Jehovah; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.
5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
6 And the Spirit of Jehovah 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.
7 And he went down, and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.
8 And after a while 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 And he took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave unto them, and they did eat: but he told them not that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.
10 And his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 And Samson said unto them, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can declare it unto me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment;
13 but if ye cannot declare it unto me, then shall ye give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
15 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 impoverish us? is it not so?
16 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 thee?
17 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 pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18 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.
19 And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of raiment unto them that declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Summary
Samson goes down to Timnah and sees a Philistine woman, then demands that his parents get her for him as a wife. They object, longing for a bride from his own people, but Samson insists, “Get her for me; for she pleases me well.” Unknown to them, this is of Yahweh, who is seeking an occasion against the Philistines. On the way to Timnah a young lion roars at Samson, and the Spirit of Yahweh rushes on him so that he tears the lion apart with his bare hands, telling no one. Later he returns and finds a swarm of bees and honey in the lion's carcass; he eats the honey and shares it with his parents, again saying nothing. At the wedding feast Samson poses a riddle to thirty Philistine companions, wagering thirty changes of clothing: “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” When they cannot solve it, they threaten his bride, who weeps before him for seven days until he tells her, and she betrays the answer to her people. Enraged, the Spirit of Yahweh comes on Samson again; he strikes down thirty men of Ashkelon to pay his debt and storms back to his father's house, while his wife is given to his companion. Even Samson's tangled passions are quietly woven into God's purpose to confront Philistia.
Main Characters
- Samson — The Nazirite judge driven by his appetites and temper, empowered by the Spirit to tear a lion apart, yet careless with his calling as he chases a Philistine bride.
- Samson's wife of Timnah — The Philistine woman Samson desires, pressured by her countrymen and weeping until she pries out the riddle's answer and betrays it to them.
- The thirty companions — Philistine men who cannot solve Samson's riddle honestly, so they threaten his bride with fire to force the answer from him.
Key Verse
Judges 14:6 (WEB)
The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat; and he had nothing in his hand: but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done.
Lessons Learned
- God can advance his purposes even through our flawed desires and tangled choices.
- The Spirit's power resting on a person is no guarantee of that person's wisdom or holiness.
- Following our eyes and appetites rather than God's word leads us into needless trouble.
- Manipulation, pressure, and tears can be weapons of betrayal as surely as the sword.
- God works even through our wrong wants. Samson insists on a forbidden bride, “for she pleases me well,” yet it “was of Yahweh; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines” (Judges 14:3-4, WEB).
- The Spirit's power is not a license for folly. “The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him” to tear the lion (Judges 14:6, WEB), yet Samson keeps chasing his appetites rather than his calling.
- What we feed in secret shapes us. Samson eats honey from a carcass and shares it without telling his parents (Judges 14:9, WEB), quietly compromising the purity of his Nazirite life.
- Sin breeds betrayal. Pressed by threats, his bride weeps until “she told the riddle to the children of her people” (Judges 14:17, WEB), turning intimacy into treachery.
- Why do Samson's parents object to the marriage, and how does Samson overrule them?
- How can it be that this marriage is both Samson's willful choice and something “of Yahweh” (14:4)?
- What does Samson's encounter with the lion and the honey reveal about his attitude toward his Nazirite calling?
- How is Samson's bride caught between Samson and her own people, and what does her betrayal cost?
- Where are you tempted to follow what merely “pleases you well” rather than what God has said is good?
- His parents long for a bride from Israel rather than “the uncircumcised Philistines,” but Samson simply commands, “Get her for me; for she pleases me well” (14:2-3). His desire overrides both his parents' wisdom and his covenant identity.
- The text holds both truths together: Samson acts from raw desire, yet God is sovereignly using even that to create an occasion against the Philistines (14:4). God's purposes are not thwarted by human folly; he weaves it into his plan without excusing it.
- Samson touches a carcass and eats honey from it, brushing aside the purity his Nazirite vow implied, and tells no one (14:8-9). His casualness with his calling foreshadows the deeper compromises that will finally undo him.
- Threatened with being burned alive, his bride pleads and weeps until Samson relents, then she hands the answer to her people (14:15-17). Caught between loyalties, she chooses survival, and the marriage collapses into anger and bloodshed.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider where attraction or appetite has overruled obedience, and how to resubmit those desires to God. As leader, be gentle and honest, acknowledging how strong such pulls can be.