Judges 14:11

11 And it came to pass when they saw him, that they took thirty guests, and they were with him.

Judges 14:11 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 14:11

And it came to pass; when they saw him
That is, the Philistines, the citizens of Timnath, when they saw that he was come to consummate his marriage:

that they brought thirty companions to be with him;
to be the bridegroom's men, or children of the bridechamber, as they are called, ( Matthew 9:15 ) or friends of the bridegroom, ( John 3:29 ) to keep him company during the nuptial feast: this they did according to custom, and in honour and respect unto him; though some think, and so Josephus {l}, that they were brought to be guards upon him, observing that he was a man of great might, strength, and courage, so that they were afraid of him, lest he should have some design upon them; but it is not certain that there was anything very visible or terrible in him, more than in another man, that showed him to be of extraordinary courage and strength, since it was but at times the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and as yet he had done nothing to their knowledge which showed him to be such; had they indeed known of his encounter with the lion, they might have had such thoughts of him, but this they knew nothing of.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 6.)

Judges 14:11 In-Context

9 And he took it into his hands, and went on eating, and he went to his father and his mother, and gave to them, and they did eat; but he told them not that he took the honey out of the mouth of the lion.

10 And his father went down to the woman, and Sampson made there a banquet for seven days, for so the young men are used to do.

11 And it came to pass when they saw him, that they took thirty guests, and they were with him.

12 And Sampson said to them, I propound you a riddle: if ye will indeed tell it me, and discover it within the seven days of the feast, I will you give thirty sheets and thirty changes of raiment.

13 And if ye cannot tell it me, ye shall give me thirty napkins and thirty changes of apparel: and they said to him, Propound thy riddle, and we will hear it.