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Chapter 14
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Verse 1

And Samson{H8123} went down{H3381} to Timnah,{H8553} and saw{H7200} a woman{H802} in Timnah{H8553} of the daughters{H1323} of the Philistines.{H6430}

Verse 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 Timnah{H8553} of the daughters{H1323} of the Philistines:{H6430} now therefore get{H3947} her for me to wife.{H802}

Verse 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 my people,{H5971} that thou goest{H1980} to take{H3947} a wife{H802} of the uncircumcised{H6189} Philistines?{H6430} And Samson{H8123} said{H559} unto his father,{H1} Get{H3947} her for me; for she pleaseth me well.{H3474}

Verse 4

But his father{H1} and his mother{H517} knew{H3045} not that it was of Jehovah;{H3068} for he sought{H1245} an occasion{H8385} against the Philistines.{H6430} Now at that time{H6256} the Philistines{H6430} had rule{H4910} over Israel.{H3478}

Verse 5

Then went{H3381} Samson{H8123} down,{H3381} and his father{H1} and his mother,{H517} to Timnah,{H8553} and came{H935} to the vineyards{H3754} of Timnah:{H8553} and, behold, a young{H3715} lion{H738} roared{H7580} against{H7125} him.

Verse 6

And the Spirit{H7307} of Jehovah{H3068} came mightily{H6743} upon him, and he rent{H8156} him as he would have rent{H8156} a kid;{H1423} and he had nothing{H3972} in his hand:{H3027} but he told{H5046} not his father{H1} or his mother{H517} what he had done.{H6213}

Verse 7

And he went down,{H3381} and talked{H1696} with the woman,{H802} and she pleased{H3474} Samson{H8123} well.{H3474}

Verse 8

And after a while{H3117} he returned{H7725} to take{H3947} her; and he turned aside{H5493} to see{H7200} the carcass{H4658} of the lion:{H738} and, behold, there was a swarm{H5712} of bees{H1682} in the body{H1472} of the lion,{H738} and honey.{H1706}

Verse 9

And he took{H7287} it into his hands,{H3709} and went on,{H3212} eating{H398} as he went; and he came{H1980} to his father{H1} and mother,{H517} and gave{H5414} unto them, and they did eat:{H398} but he told{H5046} them not that he had taken{H7287} the honey{H1706} out of the body{H1472} of the lion.{H738}

Verse 10

And his father{H1} went down{H3381} unto the woman:{H802} and Samson{H8123} made{H6213} there a feast;{H4960} for so used the young men{H970} to do.{H6213}

Verse 11

And it came to pass, when they saw{H7200} him, that they brought{H3947} thirty{H7970} companions{H4828} to be with him.

Verse 12

And Samson{H8123} said{H559} unto them, Let me now put forth{H2330} a riddle{H2420} unto you: if ye can{H5046} declare{H5046} it unto me within the seven{H7651} days{H3117} of the feast,{H4960} and find it out,{H4672} then I will give{H5414} you thirty{H7970} linen garments{H5466} and thirty{H7970} changes{H2487} of raiment;{H899}

Verse 13

but if ye cannot{H3201} declare{H5046} it unto me, then shall ye give{H5414} me thirty{H7970} linen garments{H5466} and thirty{H7970} changes{H2487} of raiment.{H899} And they said{H559} unto him, Put forth{H2330} thy riddle,{H2420} that we may hear{H8085} it.

Verse 14

And he said{H559} unto them, Out of the eater{H398} came forth{H3318} food,{H3978} And out of the strong{H5794} came forth{H3318} sweetness.{H4966} And they could{H3201} not in three{H7969} days{H3117} declare{H5046} the riddle.{H2420}

Verse 15

And it came to pass on the seventh{H7637} day,{H3117} that they said{H559} unto Samson's{H8123} wife,{H802} Entice{H6601} thy husband,{H376} that he may declare{H5046} unto us the riddle,{H2420} lest we burn{H8313} thee and thy father's{H1} house{H1004} with fire:{H784} have ye called{H7121} us to impoverish{H3423} us? is it not [so]?

Verse 16

And Samson's{H8123} wife{H802} wept{H1058} before him, and said,{H559} Thou dost but hate{H8130} me, and lovest{H157} me not: thou hast put forth{H2330} a riddle{H2420} unto the children{H1121} of my people,{H5971} and hast not told{H5046} it me. And he said{H559} unto her, Behold, I have not told{H5046} it my father{H1} nor my mother,{H517} and shall I tell{H5046} thee?

Verse 17

And she wept{H1058} before him the seven{H7651} days,{H3117} while their feast{H4960} lasted:{H1961} and it came to pass on the seventh{H7637} day,{H3117} that he told{H5046} her, because she pressed him sore;{H6693} and she told{H5046} the riddle{H2420} to the children{H1121} of her people.{H5971}

Verse 18

And the men{H582} of the city{H5892} said{H559} unto him on the seventh{H7637} day{H3117} before the sun{H2775} went down,{H935} What is sweeter{H4966} than honey?{H1706} and what is stronger{H5794} than a lion?{H738} And he said{H559} unto them, If{H3884} ye had not plowed{H2790} with my heifer,{H5697} Ye had not found out{H4672} my riddle.{H2420}

Verse 19

And the Spirit{H7307} of Jehovah{H3068} came{H6743} mightily upon him, and he went down{H3381} to Ashkelon,{H831} and smote{H5221} thirty{H7970} men{H376} of them, and took{H3947} their spoil,{H2488} and gave{H5414} the changes{H2487} [of raiment] unto them that declared{H5046} the riddle.{H2420} And his anger{H639} was kindled,{H2734} and he went up{H5927} to his father's{H1} house.{H1004}

Verse 20

But Samson's{H8123} wife{H802} was [given] to his companion,{H4828} whom he had used as his friend.{H7462}

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