Judges 14:11

11 When they saw him, they took thirty companions, 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 He scraped it out into his hands, and he went on, eating [it] as he went. And he went to his father and mother and gave [some] to them, and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the body of the lion.

10 His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared there a feast, as young men were accustomed to doing this.

11 When they saw him, they took thirty companions, and they were with him.

12 And Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle. If you can fully explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it out], I will give to you thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments.

13 But if you are unable to explain it to me, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments." So they said to him, "Tell your riddle; let us hear it."