Shìshījì 14

1 CānSūn xià dào Tíngná , zaì nàli kànjian yī gè nǚzi , shì Fēilìshìrén de nǚér .

2 CānSūn shàng lái bǐnggào tā fùmǔ shuō , wǒ zaì Tíngná kànjian yī gè nǚzi , shì Fēilìshìrén de nǚér , yuàn nǐmen gĕi wǒ qǔ lái wéi qì .

3 Tā fùmǔ shuō , zaì nǐ dìxiōng de nǚér zhōng , huò zaì bĕn guó de mín zhōng , qǐ méiyǒu yī gè nǚzi , hé zhì nǐ qù zaì wèi shòu gēlǐ de Fēilìshì rén zhōng qǔ qì ne . CānSūn duì tā fùqin shuō , yuàn nǐ gĕi wǒ qǔ nà nǚzi , yīn wǒ xǐyuè tā .

4 Tāde fùmǔ què bú zhīdào zhè shì shì chūyú Yēhéhuá , yīnwei tā zhǎo jīhuì gōngjī Fēilìshì rén . nàshí , Fēilìshì rén xiá zhì Yǐsèliè rén .

5 CānSūn gēn tā fùmǔ xià Tíngná qù , dào le Tíngná de pútaóyuán , jiàn yǒu yī zhǐ shào zhuàng shīzi xiàng tā hǒu jiào .

6 Yēhéhuá de líng dàdà gǎndòng CānSūn , tā suīrán shǒu wú qìxiè , què jiāng shīzi sī liè , rútóng sī liè shānyánggāo yíyàng . tā xíng zhè shì bìng méiyǒu gàosu fùmǔ .

7 CānSūn xià qù yǔ nǚzi shuōhuà , jiù xǐyuè tā .

8 Guō le xiē rìzi , zaì xià qù yào qǔ nà nǚzi , zhuǎn xiàng dào páng yào kàn sǐ shī , jiàn yǒu yī qún fēng zǐ hé mì zaì sǐ shī zhī neì ,

9 Jiù yòng shǒu qǔ mì , qiĕ chī qiĕ zǒu . dào le fùmǔ nàli , gĕi tā fùmǔ , tāmen yĕ chī le . zhǐshì méiyǒu gàosu zhè mì shì cōng sǐ shī zhī neì qǔ lái de .

10 Tā fùqin xià qù jiàn nǚzi . CānSūn zaì nàli shè bǎi yán yàn , yīnwei xiàng lái shàonián rén dōu yǒu zhège guīju .

11 Zhòngrén kànjian CānSūn , jiù qǐng le sān shí gèrén péibàn tā .

12 CānSūn duì tāmen shuō , wǒ gĕi nǐmen chū yī gè míyǔ , nǐmen zaì qī rì yán yàn zhī neì , ruòo néng cāi chū yìsi gàosu wǒ , wǒ jiù gĕi nǐmen sān shí jiàn lǐ yī , sān shí tào yīshang .

13 Nǐmen ruò bùnéng cāi chū yìsi gàosu wǒ , nǐmen jiù gĕi wǒ sān shí jiàn lǐ yī , sān shí tào yīshang . tāmen shuō , qǐng jiāng míyǔ shuō gĕi wǒmen tīng .

14 CānSūn duì tāmen shuō , chī de cōng chī zhĕ chūlai . tián de cōng jiàng zhĕ chūlai . tāmen sān rì bùnéng cāi chū míyǔ de yìsi .

15 Dào dì qī tiān , tāmen duì CānSūn de qì shuō , nǐ kuāng hōng nǐ zhàngfu , tàn chū míyǔ de yìsi gàosu wǒmen , miǎndé wǒmen yòng huǒshào nǐ hé nǐ fù jiā . nǐmen qǐng le wǒmen lái , shì yào duó wǒmen suǒyǒude ma .

16 CānSūn de qì zaì zhàngfu miànqián tíkū shuō , nǐ shì hèn wǒ , bú shì aì wǒ , nǐ gĕi wǒ bĕn guó de rén chū míyǔ , què méiyǒu jiāng yìsi gàosu wǒ . CānSūn huídá shuō , lián wǒ fùmǔ wǒ dōu méiyǒu gàosu , qǐ kĕ gàosu nǐ ne .

17 Qī rì yán yàn zhī neì , tā zaì zhàngfu miànqián tíkū , dào dì qī tiān bī zhe tā , tā cái jiāng míyǔ de yìsi gàosu tā qì , tā qì jiù gàosu bĕn guó de rén .

18 Dào dì qī tiān , rìtou wèi luò yǐqián , nà chéng lǐ de rén duì CānSūn shuō , yǒu shénme bǐ mì hái/huán tián ne . yǒu shénme bǐ shīzi hái jiàng ne . CānSūn duì tāmen shuō , nǐmen ruò fēi yòng wǒde mǔ niúdú gēngdì , jiù cāi bú chū wǒ míyǔ de yìsi lái .

19 Yēhéhuá de líng dàdà gǎndòng CānSūn , tā jiù xià dào Yàshíjīlún , jī shā le sān shí gèrén , duó le tāmende yīshang , jiāng yīshang gĕi le cāi chū míyǔ de rén . CānSūn fānù , jiù shǎng fù jiā qù le .

20 CānSūn de qì biàn guī le CānSūn de péibàn , jiù shì zuō guō tā péngyou de .

Shìshījì 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

Samson desires a wife of the Philistines. (1-4) Samson kills a lion. (5-9) Samson's riddle. (10-20)

Verses 1-4 As far as Samson's marriage was a common case, it was weak and foolish of him to set his affections upon a daughter of the Philistines. Shall one, not only an Israelite, but a Nazarite, devoted to the Lord, covet to become one with a worshipper of Dagon? It does not appear that he had any reason to think her wise or virtuous, or any way likely to be a help meet for him; but he saw something in her agreeable to his fancy. He that, in the choice of a wife, is only guided by his eye, and governed by his fancy, must afterwards thank himself if he find a Philistine in his arms. Yet it was well done not to proceed till Samson had made his parents acquainted with the matter. Children ought not to marry, nor to move towards it, without the advice and consent of their parents. Samson's parents did well to dissuade him from yoking himself unequally with unbelievers. It seems that it pleased God to leave Samson to follow his own inclinations, intending to bring out good from his conduct; and his parents consented, because he was bent upon it. However, his example is not recorded for us to do likewise.

Verses 5-9 By enabling him to kill a lion, God let Samson know what he could do in the strength of the Spirit of the Lord, that he might never be afraid to look the greatest difficulties in the face. He was alone in the vineyards, whither he had rambled. Young people consider not how they exposed themselves to the roaring lion that seeks to devour, when they wander from their prudent, pious parents. Nor do men consider what lions lurk in the vineyards, the vineyards of red wines. Our Lord Jesus having conquered Satan, that roaring lion, believers, like Samson, find honey in the carcass abundant strength and satisfaction, enough for themselves, and for all their friends.

Verses 10-20 Samson's riddle literally meant no more than that he had got honey, for food and for pleasure, from the lion, which in its strength and fury was ready to devour him. But the victory of Christ over Satan, by means of his humiliation, agonies, and death, and the exaltation that followed to him, with the glory thence to the Father, and spiritual advantages to his people, seem directly alluded to. And even death, that devouring monster, being robbed of his sting, and stripped of his horror, forwards the soul to the realms of bliss. In these and other senses, out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong, sweetness. Samson's companions obliged his wife to get the explanation from him. A worldly wife, or a worldly friend, is to a godly man as an enemy in the camp, who will watch every opportunity to betray him. No union can be comfortable or lasting, where secrets cannot be intrusted, without danger of being divulged. Satan, in his temptations, could not do us the mischief he does, if he did not plough with the heifer of our corrupt nature. His chief advantage against us arises from his correspondence with our deceitful hearts and inbred lusts. This proved an occasion of weaning Samson from his new relations. It were well for us, if the unkindness we meet with from the world, and our disappointments in it, obliged us by faith and prayer to return to our heavenly Father's house, and to rest there. See how little confidence is to be put in man. Whatever pretence of friendship may be made, a real Philistine will soon be weary of a true Israelite.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 14

This chapter treats of Samson's courtship, and marriage of a Philistine woman, Jud 14:1-5 of his meeting with a young lion as he went courting, and of his slaying it, and afterwards finding honey in it, Jud 14:6-9, of a riddle which be framed out of this incident, and put to his companions at his marriage to solve, giving them seven days to do it in, with a promise of a reward, Jud 14:10-14 and of their solving it by means of his wife, who got the secret from him, Jud 14:15-18, which led him to slay thirty Philistines, to make good his promise of thirty sheets and changes of raiment, and to leave his newly married wife, who was given to his companion, Jud 14:19,20.