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1. One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye.
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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 told his father and mother, "A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me."
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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 mother objected. "Isn't there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?" they asked. "Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?" But Samson told his father, "Get her for me! She looks good to me."
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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. His father and mother didn't realize the LORD was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel 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. As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah.
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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. At that moment the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion's jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn't tell his father or mother about it.
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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. When Samson arrived in Timnah, he talked with the woman and was very pleased with her.
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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. Later, when he returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to look at the carcass of the lion. And he found that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass.
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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. He scooped some of the honey into his hands and ate it along the way. He also gave some to his father and mother, and they ate it. But he didn't tell them he had taken the honey from the carcass of the 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. As his father was making final arrangements for the marriage, Samson threw a party at Timnah, as was the custom for elite young men.
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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 bride's parents saw him, they selected thirty young men from the town to be his companions.
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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. Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle. If you solve my riddle during these seven days of the celebration, I will give you thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing.
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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 can't solve it, then you must give me thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing." "All right," they agreed, "let's hear your riddle."
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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. So he said: "Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong came something sweet." Three days later they were still trying to figure it out.
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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 they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to explain the riddle for us, or we will burn down your father's house with you in it. Did you invite us to this party just to make us poor?"
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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 came to him in tears and said, "You don't love me; you hate me! You have given my people a riddle, but you haven't told me the answer." "I haven't even given the answer to my father or mother," he replied. "Why should I tell you?"
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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. So she cried whenever she was with him and kept it up for the rest of the celebration. At last, on the seventh day he told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging. Then she explained the riddle to the young men.
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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 sunset of the seventh day, the men of the town came to Samson with their answer: "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson replied, "If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, you wouldn't 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. Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. He went down to the town of Ashkelon, killed thirty men, took their belongings, and gave their clothing to the men who had solved his riddle. But Samson was furious about what had happened, and he went back home to live with his father and mother.
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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 his wife was given in marriage to the man who had been Samson's best man at the wedding.
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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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