*Judges 14:1-20
Samson, chosen by God from birth, disregards his parents’ concerns and marries a Philistine woman in Timnah.
- Samson’s Desire for a Philistine Wife:
- Samson, a Nazirite dedicated to God from birth, desires to marry a woman from the Philistine city of Timnah.
- Despite his parents’ objections and their offer to find him a wife among his own people, Samson insists on marrying the Philistine woman.
- Samson’s Encounter with a Lion:
- While on his way to Timnah to finalize his marriage, Samson encounters a young lion.
- Empowered by the Spirit of the Lord, Samson tears the lion apart with his bare hands, but he does not tell his parents about this feat.
- Samson’s Marriage Feast and Riddle:
- Samson hosts a seven-day wedding feast in Timnah, as was customary.
- During the feast, Samson poses a riddle to the Philistine guests, promising them thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes if they can solve it within the seven-day feast.
- The Philistine’s Deception and Samson’s Wrath:
- Unable to solve the riddle, the Philistine guests pressure Samson’s wife to extract the answer from him.
- Samson’s wife weeps and pleads with him until he reveals the answer to her.
- She then betrays Samson by telling the Philistine guests the answer to the riddle.
- Samson’s Retaliation and Consequences:
- Frustrated and angered by the betrayal, Samson kills thirty Philistines in Ashkelon and takes their garments to fulfill his promise to the wedding guests.
- Samson, feeling betrayed and humiliated, leaves his wife and returns to his father’s house.
- As a result of this incident, conflict escalates between Samson and the Philistines, setting the stage for further confrontations.
Judges 14:1-20 teaches us the importance of making wise choices and seeking God’s guidance in our decisions. Samson followed his own desires without considering God’s wisdom, which led to trouble. This reminds us that our choices have consequences, and we should not let emotions or personal desires lead us away from what is right. Instead, we should seek God’s direction, trust His wisdom, and make decisions that honor Him.
Judges 14:1-20 (WEB)
14:1 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, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my wife.”3 Then his father and his mother said to him, “Isn’t there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, 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 the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion roared at him. 6 The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, 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 went over 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. 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 lion’s body. 10 His father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so. 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 tell me the answer 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 tell me the answer, 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? Isn’t that so?”16 Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You’ve 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 my father or my mother, so why should 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 LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house. 20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.