Judges 14:20

20 And Samson’s wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast.

Judges 14:20 in Other Translations

KJV
20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
ESV
20 And Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.
NLT
20 So his wife was given in marriage to the man who had been Samson’s best man at the wedding.
MSG
20 Samson's bride became the wife of the best man at his wedding.
CSB
20 and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.

Judges 14:20 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 14:20

But Samson's wife was given to his companion
By her father, and with her consent, both being affronted and provoked by Samson leaving her, who judged her not only to be injured, but hereby discharged from him, and free to marry another:

and whom he had used as his friend;
though there were thirty of them that were his companions, yet there was one of them that was the principal of them, and was the most intimate with him, whom he used in the most friendly manner, and admitted to a more free conversation than the rest, the same that is called the friend of the bridegroom, ( John 3:29 ) while the others were called the children of the bridechamber, ( Matthew 9:15 ) . It is not unlikely that this person had too much intimacy with Samson's wife before, and so had the secret of the riddle from her, and so very readily married her, as soon as Samson departed; and all this furnished out an occasion and opportunity, which Samson sought for, to be revenged on the Philistines, as in the following chapter.

Judges 14:20 In-Context

18 Before sunset 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 to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.”
19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father’s home.
20 And Samson’s wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Judges 15:2,6; John 3:29
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