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1. Samson went down to the city of Timnah. He saw a young Philistine woman there.
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1. And Samson H8123 went down H3381 to Timnath H8553 , and saw H7200 a woman H802 in Timnath H8553 of the daughters H4480 H1323 of the Philistines H6430 .
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2. When he returned home, he said to his father and mother, "I saw a Philistine woman in Timnah. I want you to get her for me. I want to marry her."
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2. And he came up H5927 , and told H5046 his father H1 and his mother H517 , and said H559 , I have seen H7200 a woman H802 in Timnath H8553 of the daughters H4480 H1323 of the Philistines H6430 : now H6258 therefore get H3947 her for me to wife H802 .
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3. His father and his mother answered, "But surely there is a woman from the Israelites you can marry. Do you have to marry a woman from the Philistines? Their men are not even circumcised. " But Samson said, "Get that woman for me! She is the one I want!"
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3. Then his father H1 and his mother H517 said H559 unto him, Is there never H369 a woman H802 among the daughters H1323 of thy brethren H251 , or among all H3605 my people H5971 , that H3588 thou H859 goest H1980 to take H3947 a wife H802 of the uncircumcised H6189 Philistines H4480 H6430 ? And Samson H8123 said H559 unto H413 his father H1 , Get H3947 her for me; for H3588 she H1931 pleaseth me well H3474 H5869 .
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4. (Samson's parents did not know that the Lord wanted this to happen. He was looking for a way to do something against the Philistines. They were ruling over the Israelites at that time.)
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4. But his father H1 and his mother H517 knew H3045 not H3808 that H3588 it H1931 was of the LORD H4480 H3068 , that H3588 he H1931 sought H1245 an occasion H8385 against the Philistines H4480 H6430 : for at that H1931 time H6256 the Philistines H6430 had dominion H4910 over Israel H3478 .
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5. Samson went down with his father and mother to the city of Timnah. They went as far as the vineyards near that city. There a young lion suddenly roared and jumped at Samson!
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5. Then went Samson down H3381 H8123 , and his father H1 and his mother H517 , to Timnath H8553 , and came H935 to H5704 the vineyards H3754 of Timnath H8553 : and, behold H2009 , a young H3715 lion H738 roared H7580 against H7125 him.
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6. The Spirit of the Lord came on Samson with great power. He tore the lion apart with his bare hands. It seemed easy to him. It was as easy as tearing apart a young goat. But Samson did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
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6. And the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 came mightily H6743 upon H5921 him , and he rent H8156 him as he would have rent H8156 a kid H1423 , and he had nothing H3972 H369 in his hand H3027 : but he told H5046 not H3808 his father H1 or his mother H517 H853 what H834 he had done H6213 .
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7. So Samson went down to the city and talked to the Philistine woman. She pleased him.
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7. And he went down H3381 , and talked H1696 with the woman H802 ; and she pleased Samson well H3474 H5869 H8123 .
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8. Several days later, Samson came back to marry her. On his way, he went over to look at the dead lion. He found a swarm of bees in its body. They had made some honey.
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8. And after a time H4480 H3117 he returned H7725 to take H3947 her , and he turned aside H5493 to see H7200 H853 the carcass H4658 of the lion H738 : and, behold H2009 , there was a swarm H5712 of bees H1682 and honey H1706 in the carcass H1472 of the lion H738 .
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9. Samson got some of the honey with his hands. He walked along eating the honey. When he came to his parents, he gave them some of the honey, and they ate it too. But Samson did not tell his parents that he had taken the honey from the body of the dead lion.
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9. And he took H7287 thereof in H413 his hands H3709 , and went on H1980 H1980 eating H398 , and came H1980 to H413 his father H1 and mother H517 , and he gave H5414 them , and they did eat H398 : but he told H5046 not H3808 them that H3588 he had taken H7287 the honey H1706 out of the carcass H4480 H1472 of the lion H738 .
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10. Samson's father went down to see the Philistine woman. The custom was for the bridegroom to give a party. So Samson gave a party.
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10. So his father H1 went down H3381 unto H413 the woman H802 : and Samson H8123 made H6213 there H8033 a feast H4960 ; for H3588 so H3651 used the young men H970 to do H6213 .
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11. When the Philistines saw that he was having a party, they sent 30 men to be with him.
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11. And it came to pass H1961 , when they saw H7200 him , that they brought H3947 thirty H7970 companions H4828 to be H1961 with H854 him.
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12. Then Samson said to the 30 men, "I want to tell you a story. This party will last for seven days. Try to find the answer during that time. If you can answer the riddle in that time, I will give you 30 linen shirts and 30 changes of clothes.
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12. And Samson H8123 said H559 unto them , I will now H4994 put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto you: if H518 ye can certainly declare H5046 H5046 it me within the seven H7651 days H3117 of the feast H4960 , and find it out H4672 , then I will give H5414 you thirty H7970 sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 change H2487 of garments H899 :
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13. But if you cannot find the answer, you must give me 30 linen shirts and 30 changes of clothes." So the 30 men said, "Tell us your riddle, we want to hear it."
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13. But if H518 ye cannot H3201 H3808 declare H5046 it me , then shall ye H859 give H5414 me thirty H7970 sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 change H2487 of garments H899 . And they said H559 unto him , Put forth H2330 thy riddle H2420 , that we may hear H8085 it.
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14. Samson told them this riddle: "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." The 30 men tried for three days to find the answer, but they couldn't.
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14. And he said H559 unto them , Out of the eater H4480 H398 came forth H3318 meat H3978 , and out of the strong H4480 H5794 came forth H3318 sweetness H4966 . And they could H3201 not H3808 in three H7969 days H3117 expound H5046 the riddle H2420 .
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15. On the fourth day, the men came to Samson's wife. They said, "Did you invite us here just to make us poor? You must trick your husband into telling us the answer to the riddle. If you don't get the answer for us, we will burn you and everyone in your father's house to death."
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15. And it came to pass H1961 on the seventh H7637 day H3117 , that they said H559 unto Samson H8123 's wife H802 , Entice H6601 H853 thy husband H376 , that he may declare H5046 unto us H853 the riddle H2420 , lest H6435 we burn H8313 thee and thy father H1 's house H1004 with fire H784 : have ye called H7121 us to take that we have H3423 ? is it not H3808 so ?
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16. So Samson's wife went to him and began crying. She said, "You just hate me! You don't really love me! You told my people a riddle, and you will not tell me the answer."
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16. And Samson H8123 's wife H802 wept H1058 before H5921 him , and said H559 , Thou dost but H7535 hate H8130 me , and lovest H157 me not H3808 : thou hast put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto the children H1121 of my people H5971 , and hast not H3808 told H5046 it me . And he said H559 unto her, Behold H2009 , I have not H3808 told H5046 it my father H1 nor my mother H517 , and shall I tell H5046 it thee?
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17. Samson's wife cried for the rest of the seven days of the party. So he finally gave her the answer to the riddle on the seventh day. He told her because she kept bothering him. Then she went to her people and told them the answer to the riddle.
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17. And she wept H1058 before H5921 him the seven H7651 days H3117 , while H834 their feast H4960 lasted H1961 : and it came to pass H1961 on the seventh H7637 day H3117 , that he told H5046 her, because H3588 she lay sore H6693 upon him : and she told H5046 the riddle H2420 to the children H1121 of her people H5971 .
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18. So before the sun went down on the seventh day of the party, the Philistine men had the answer. They came to Samson and said, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Then Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my cow, you would not have solved my riddle!"
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18. And the men H376 of the city H5892 said H559 unto him on the seventh H7637 day H3117 before H2962 the sun H2775 went down H935 , What H4100 is sweeter H4966 than honey H4480 H1706 ? and what H4100 is stronger H5794 than a lion H4480 H738 ? And he said H559 unto them, If H3884 ye had not plowed H2790 with my heifer H5697 , ye had not H3808 found out H4672 my riddle H2420 .
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19. Samson was very angry. The Spirit of the Lord came on Samson with great power. He went down to the city of Ashkelon and killed 30 Philistine men. He took all of the clothes and property from the dead bodies and gave them to the men who had answered his riddle. Then he went to his father's house.
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19. And the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 came H6743 upon H5921 him , and he went down H3381 to Ashkelon H831 , and slew H5221 thirty H7970 men H376 of H4480 them , and took H3947 H853 their spoil H2488 , and gave H5414 change of garments H2487 unto them which expounded H5046 the riddle H2420 . And his anger H639 was kindled H2734 , and he went up H5927 to his father H1 's house H1004 .
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20. So Samson's wife was given to his best man.
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20. But Samson H8123 's wife H802 was H1961 given to his companion H4828 , whom H834 he had used as his friend H7462 .
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