Bible Language

Judges 14:7 (NET) New English Translation

1 Samson went down to Timnah, where a Philistine girl caught his eye.
2 When he got home, he told his father and mother, "A Philistine girl in Timnah has caught my eye. Now get her for my wife."
3 But his father and mother said to him, "Certainly you can find a wife among your relatives or among all our people! You should not have to go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines." But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, because she is the right one for me."
4 Now his father and mother did not realize this was the LORD's doing, because he was looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble with the Philistines (for at that time the Philistines were ruling Israel).
5 Samson went down to Timnah. When he approached the vineyards of Timnah, he saw a roaring young lion attacking him.
6 The LORD's spirit empowered him and he tore the lion in two with his bare hands as easily as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
7 Samson continued on down to Timnah and spoke to the girl. In his opinion, she was just the right one.
8 Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to see the lion's remains. He saw a swarm of bees in the lion's carcass, as well as some honey.
9 He scooped it up with his hands and ate it as he walked along. When he returned to his father and mother, he offered them some and they ate it. But he did not tell them he had scooped the honey out of the lion's carcass.
10 Then Samson's father accompanied him to Timnah for the marriage. Samson hosted a party there, for this was customary for bridegrooms to do.
11 When the Philistines saw he had no attendants, they gave him thirty groomsmen who kept him company.
12 Samson said to them, "I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.
13 But if you cannot solve it, you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes." They said to him, "Let us hear your riddle."
14 He said to them, "Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong one came something sweet." They could not solve the riddle for three days.
15 On the fourth day they said to Samson's bride, "Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle. If you refuse, we will burn up you and your father's family. Did you invite us here to make us poor?"
16 So Samson's bride cried on his shoulder and said, "You must hate me; you do not love me! You told the young men a riddle, but you have not told me the solution." He said to her, "Look, I have not even told my father or mother. Do you really expect me to tell you?"
17 She cried on his shoulder until the party was almost over. Finally, on the seventh day, he told her because she had nagged him so much. Then she told the young men the solution to the riddle.
18 On the seventh day, before the sun set, the men of the city said to him, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" He said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!"
19 The LORD's spirit empowered him. He went down to Ashkelon and murdered thirty men. He took their clothes and gave them to the men who had solved the riddle. He was furious as he went back home.
20 Samson's bride was then given to his best man.
1 And Samson H8123 went down H3381 W-VQY3MS to Timnath H8553 , and saw H7200 W-VIY3MS a woman H802 NFS in Timnath H8553 of the daughters H1323 of the Philistines H6430 .
2 And he came up H5927 W-VHY3MS , and told H5046 W-VHY3MS his father H1 and his mother H517 , and said H559 W-VQY3MS , I have seen H7200 VQQ1MS a woman H802 NFS in Timnath H8553 of the daughters H1323 of the Philistines H6430 TMS : now H6258 W-ADV therefore get H3947 her for me to wife H802 .
3 Then his father H1 CMS-3MS and his mother H517 said H559 W-VQY3MS unto him , Is there never H369 a woman H802 NFS among the daughters H1323 of thy brethren H251 CMP-2MS , or among all H3605 WB-CMS my people H5971 , that H3588 CONJ thou H859 PPRO-2MS goest H1980 VQPMS to take H3947 L-VQFC a wife H802 NFS of the uncircumcised H6189 Philistines H6430 ? And Samson H8123 said H559 W-VQY3MS unto H413 PREP his father H1 CMS-3MS , Get H3947 VQI2MS her for me ; for H3588 CONJ she H1931 PPRO-3FS pleaseth me well H3474 .
4 But his father H1 and his mother H517 knew H3045 VQQ3MP not H3808 NADV that H3588 CONJ it H1931 PPRO-3FS was of the LORD H3068 , that H3588 CONJ he H1931 PPRO-3FS sought H1245 an occasion H8385 against the Philistines H6430 : for at that H1931 PPRO-3FS time H6256 the Philistines H6430 TMS had dominion H4910 over Israel H3478 .
5 Then went Samson down H3381 W-VQY3MS , and his father H1 and his mother H517 , to Timnath H8553 , and came H935 W-VQY3MP to H5704 PREP the vineyards H3754 of Timnath H8553 : and , behold H2009 IJEC , a young H3715 lion H738 roared H7580 against H7125 him .
6 And the Spirit H7307 NFS of the LORD H3068 EDS came mightily H6743 upon H5921 PREP-3MS him , and he rent H8156 him as he would have rent H8156 a kid H1423 , and he had nothing H3972 in his hand H3027 B-CFS-3MS : but he told H5046 VHQ3MS not H3808 W-NPAR his father H1 or his mother H517 what H834 RPRO he had done H6213 VQQ3MS .
7 And he went down H3381 W-VQY3MS , and talked H1696 W-VPY3MS with the woman H802 L-NFS ; and she pleased Samson well H3474 .
8 And after a time H3117 he returned H7725 to take H3947 her , and he turned aside H5493 W-VHY3MS to see H7200 L-VQFC the carcass H4658 of the lion H738 : and , behold H2009 IJEC , there was a swarm H5712 CFS of bees H1682 and honey H1706 in the carcass H1472 of the lion H738 .
9 And he took H7287 thereof in H413 PREP his hands H3709 , and went on W-VQY3MS eating H398 , and came H1980 W-VQY3MS to H413 PREP his father H1 CMS-3MS and mother H517 GFS-3MS , and he gave H5414 W-VQQ3MS them , and they did eat H398 : but he told H5046 VHQ3MS not H3808 W-NPAR them that H3588 CONJ he had taken H7287 the honey H1706 out of the carcass H1472 of the lion H738 .
10 So his father H1 went down H3381 W-VQY3MS unto H413 PREP the woman H802 D-NFS : and Samson H8123 made H6213 W-VQY3MS there H8033 ADV a feast H4960 NMS ; for H3588 CONJ so H3651 ADV used the young men H970 to do H6213 W-VQY3MS .
11 And it came to pass H1961 W-VQY3MS , when they saw H7200 him , that they brought H3947 W-VQY3MP thirty H7970 MMP companions H4828 to be H1961 W-VQY3MP with H854 PREP-3MS him .
12 And Samson H8123 said H559 W-VQY3MS unto them , I will now H4994 IJEC put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto you : if H518 PART ye can certainly declare H5046 VHI2MS it me within the seven H7651 RMS days H3117 CMP of the feast H4960 D-NMS , and find it out H4672 , then I will give H5414 you thirty H7970 MMP sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 W-MMP change H2487 of garments H899 :
13 But if H518 W-PART ye cannot H3201 declare H5046 L-VHFC it me , then shall ye H859 PPRO-2MS give H5414 me thirty H7970 MMP sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 W-MMP change H2487 NFP of garments H899 . And they said H559 W-VQY3MP unto him , Put forth H2330 thy riddle H2420 , that we may hear H8085 it .
14 And he said H559 W-VQY3MS unto them , Out of the eater H398 came forth H3318 VQQ3MS meat H3978 , and out of the strong H5794 came forth H3318 VQQ3MS sweetness H4966 . And they could H3201 not H3808 W-NPAR in three H7969 BMS days H3117 NMP expound H5046 L-VHFC the riddle H2420 .
15 And it came to pass H1961 W-VQY3MS on the seventh H7637 D-ONUM day H3117 B-AMS , that they said H559 W-VQY3MP unto Samson H8123 \'s wife H802 , Entice H6601 thy husband H376 CMS-2FS , that he may declare H5046 W-VHI3MS unto us the riddle H2420 , lest H6435 CONJ we burn H8313 thee and thy father H1 \'s house H1004 CMS with fire H784 : have ye called H7121 us to take that we have H3423 ? is it not H3808 I-NPAR so ?
16 And Samson H8123 \'s wife H802 CFS wept H1058 before H5921 PREP-3MS him , and said H559 W-VQY3MS , Thou dost but H7535 ADV hate H8130 me , and lovest H157 me not H3808 W-NPAR : thou hast put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto the children H1121 L-CMP of my people H5971 , and hast not H3808 W-NPAR told H5046 it me . And he said H559 W-VQY3MS unto her , Behold H2009 IJEC , I have not H3808 W-NPAR told H5046 VHQ1MS it my father H1 nor my mother H517 , and shall I tell H5046 it thee ?
17 And she wept H1058 before H5921 PREP-3MS him the seven H7651 RMS days H3117 D-NMP , while H834 RPRO their feast H4960 D-NMS lasted H1961 VQQ3MS : and it came to pass H1961 W-VQY3MS on the seventh H7637 D-ONUM day H3117 B-AMS , that he told H5046 her , because H3588 CONJ she lay sore H6693 upon him : and she told H5046 the riddle H2420 to the children H1121 L-CMP of her people H5971 .
18 And the men H376 CMP of the city H5892 D-GFS said H559 W-VQY3MS unto him on the seventh H7637 D-ONUM day H3117 B-AMS before H2962 B-ADV the sun H2775 went down H935 VQY3MS , What H4100 IPRO is sweeter H4966 than honey H1706 ? and what H4100 IPRO is stronger H5794 than a lion H738 ? And he said H559 W-VQY3MS unto them , If H3884 ye had not plowed H2790 with my heifer H5697 , ye had not H3808 NADV found out H4672 my riddle H2420 .
19 And the Spirit H7307 NFS of the LORD H3068 EDS came H6743 upon H5921 PREP-3MS him , and he went down H3381 W-VQY3MS to Ashkelon H831 , and slew H5221 W-VHY3MS thirty H7970 MMP men H376 NMS of H4480 them , and took H3947 W-VQY3MS their spoil H2488 , and gave H5414 W-VQQ3MS change of garments H2487 unto them which expounded H5046 the riddle H2420 . And his anger H639 CMS-3MS was kindled H2734 W-VQY3MS , and he went up H5927 W-VHY3MS to his father H1 \'s house H1004 CMS .
20 But Samson H8123 \'s wife H802 CFS was H1961 W-VQY3FS given to his companion H4828 , whom H834 RPRO he had used as his friend H7462 .