Judges 14:1-8

1 Shimshon went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Pelishtim.

2 He came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Pelishtim: now therefore get her for me as wife.

3 Then his father and his mother said to him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Pelishtim? Shimshon 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 Pelishtim. Now at that time the Pelishtim had rule over Yisra'el.

5 Then went Shimshon down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

6 The Spirit of the LORD came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid; and he had nothing in his hand: 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 Shimshon well.

8 After a while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.

Judges 14:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

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.