Judges

And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

1Samson went down to a town called Timnah. There he saw a woman. She was one of the Philistines, the people who ruled Israel then.

2And 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.

2He came home and told his father and mother. He said, "I saw a Philistine woman in Timnah. Please get her for me. I want to marry her."

3Then 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.

3His father and mother said, "Is there no woman among our own family or our own people? Must you marry one of the Philistines, who are not God's people?" But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me. She is the one I want."

4But 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.

4His father and mother did not know this plan came from the LORD. God wanted a reason to act against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.

5Then 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.

5So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother. They came to the grapevines near the town. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at Samson.

6And 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.

6The Spirit of the LORD came on Samson with great power. He tore the lion apart with his bare hands, as easily as a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

7And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

7Then Samson went on and talked with the woman. He liked her very much.

8And 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.

8Later he went back to marry her. He stepped off the road to look at the dead lion. Inside it was a swarm of bees, and there was honey.

9And 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.

9He scooped the honey into his hands and ate as he walked. He gave some to his father and mother, and they ate it too. But he did not tell them the honey came from the dead lion.

10So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

10His father went down to see the woman. Samson made a big feast there. That is what young men did when they married.

11And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

11When the Philistines saw him, they brought thirty men to stay with him at the feast.

12And 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:

12Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle. If you can tell me the answer during the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen cloths and thirty sets of clothes.

NoteThe KJV says "sheets," but it does not mean bed sheets. It means fine linen clothing.

13But 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.

13But if you cannot tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen cloths and thirty sets of clothes." They said, "Tell us your riddle. We want to hear it."

14And 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.

14So he said, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." For three days they could not figure it out.

NoteIn the KJV, "meat" means any kind of food, not just meat from an animal.

15And 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?

15On the seventh day they said to Samson's wife, "Talk your husband into telling us the answer. If you do not, we will burn you and your father's house. Did you invite us here to rob us?"

16And 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?

16Samson's wife cried in front of him. She said, "You hate me. You do not love me. You told my people a riddle, but you will not tell me the answer." He said, "I have not even told my father and mother. Why should I tell you?"

17And 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.

17She cried in front of him for all seven days of the feast. On the seventh day he finally told her, because she kept begging him. Then she told the answer to her own people.

18And 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.

18Before the sun went down on the seventh day, the men of the town said to him, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson said, "You used my young cow to plow. That is the only reason you found my answer."

Note"Plowed with my heifer" is a saying. A heifer is a young cow used to pull a plow. Samson means they got the answer by using his wife.

19And 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.

19The Spirit of the LORD came on Samson. He went down to the town of Ashkelon and killed thirty men there. He took their clothes and gave them to the men who had answered his riddle. Then he went to his father's house, still very angry.

20But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

20Samson's wife was given to another man. It was the friend who had stood with Samson at the feast.