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Texts -- Judges 14:4-20 (NET)

Context
14:4 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 ). 14:5 Samson went down to Timnah . When he approached the vineyards of Timnah , he saw a roaring young lion attacking him. 14:6 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 . 14:7 Samson continued on down to Timnah and spoke to the girl . In his opinion, she was just the right one . 14:8 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 . 14:9 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 . 14:10 Then Samson’s father accompanied him to Timnah for the marriage . Samson hosted a party there , for this was customary for bridegrooms to do . 14:11 When the Philistines saw he had no attendants, they gave him thirty groomsmen who kept him company . 14:12 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 . 14:13 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 .” 14:14 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 . 14:15 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 ?” 14:16 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?” 14:17 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 . 14:18 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 !” 14:19 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 . 14:20 Samson’s bride was then given to his best man .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Samson

    [ebd] of the sun, the son of Manoah, born at Zorah. The narrative of his life is given in Judg. 13-16. He was a "Nazarite unto God" from his birth, the first Nazarite mentioned in Scripture (Judg. 13:3-5; comp. Num. 6:1-21). The f...
    [isbe] SAMSON - sam'-sun (shimshon. 1. Name: Derived probably from shemesh, "sun" with the diminutive ending -on, meaning "little sun" or "sunny," or perhaps "sun-man"; Sampson; Latin and English, Samson): His home was near Bethshe...
    [smith] (like the sun), son of Manoah, a man of the town of Zorah in the tribe of Dan, on the border of Judah. (Joshua 15:33; 19:41) (B.C. 1161). The miraculous circumstances of his birth are recorded in Judges 13; and the three foll...
    [nave] SAMSON A judge of Israel, Judg. 16:31. A Danite, son of Manoah; miraculous birth of; a Nazirite from his mother's womb; the mother forbidden to drink wine or strong drink, or to eat any unclean thing during gestation, Judg....

  • Lion

    [isbe] LION - li'-un: (1) Occurring most often in the Old Testament is 'aryeh, plural 'ardyoth. Another form, 'ari, plural 'arayim, is found less often. 1. Names: Compare 'ari'el, "Ariel" (Ezr 8:16; Isa 29:1,2,7); char'el, "upper a...
    [nave] LION King of beasts, Mic. 5:8. Fierceness of, Job 4:10; 28:8; Psa. 7:2; Prov. 22:13; Jer. 2:15; 49:19; 50:44; Hos. 13:8. The roaring of, Psa. 22:13; Prov. 20:2. Strength of, Prov. 30:30; Isa. 38:13; Joel 1:6. Instincts o...

  • Riddle

    [ebd] (Heb. hodah). The oldest and, strictly speaking, the only example of a riddle was that propounded by Samson (Judg. 14:12-18). The parabolic prophecy in Ezek. 17:2-18 is there called a "riddle." It was rather, however, an all...
    [smith] It is known that all ancient nations, and especially Orientals, were fond of riddles. The riddles which the queen of Sheba came to ask of Solomon, (1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chronicles 9:1) were rather "hard questions" referring ...
    [nave] RIDDLE Used as a test of wit at Samson's feast, Judg. 14:12-18. By Agur, Prov. 30:15, 16, 18-31. See: Parable; Proverbs.

  • Marriage

    [isbe] MARRIAGE - mar'-ij: Introduction Scope and Viewpoint of the Present Article 1. Marriage among the Hebrews 2. Betrothal the First Formal Part 3. Wedding Ceremonies 4. Jesus' Sanction of the Institution 5. His Teaching concern...
    [smith] Its origin and history . --The institution of marriage dates from the time of man?s original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied i...
    [nave] MARRIAGE In family blood lines, Abraham and Sarah, Gen. 11:29; 12:13; 20:3, 9-16. Isaac and Rebekah, Gen. 24:3, 4, 67; 28:2. Jacob and his wives, Gen. 29:15-30; see below, in the elaborated text. Levirate (the brother requ...

  • DARK SAYINGS

    [isbe] DARK SAYINGS - (Prov 1:6; Ps 78:2; singular, Ps 49:4(5); chidhoth, singular chidhah, elsewhere rendered "riddle," "proverb"): In the heading to the canonical Book of Proverbs, the general term "proverbs" is made to include "...

  • Judge

    [nave] JUDGE Appointed by Persians, Ezra 7:25. Kings and other rulers as, 2 Sam. 8:15; 15:2; 1 Kin. 3:16-28; 10:9; 2 Kin. 8:1-6; Psa. 72:1-4; Matt. 27:11-26; Acts 23:34, 35; 24; 25:11, 12. Priests and Levites as, Deut. 17:9; 2 Ch...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • SHEPHELAH

    [isbe] SHEPHELAH - shef-e'-la (ha-shephelah; sephela, saphela): 1. Name and References: The word denotes "lowland," and is variously rendered in the King James Version. It is "vale" in Dt 1:7; Josh 10:40; 1 Ki 10:27; 2 Ch 1:15; Jer...

  • Philistines

    [nave] PHILISTINES Descendants of Mizraim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Called Cherethites, 1 Sam. 30:14-16; Ezek. 25:16; Zeph. 2:5; Casluhim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Caphtorim, Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Territory of...

  • DAN (1); DAN, TRIBE OF

    [isbe] DAN (1); DAN, TRIBE OF - (dan, "judge"; Dan). 1. Name: The fifth of Jacob's sons, the first borne to him by Bilhah, the maid of Rachel, to whom, as the child of her slave, he legally belonged. At his birth Rachel, whose barr...

  • Timnath

    [ebd] Gen. 38:12,14. (1.) Heb. Timnathah, which is appropriately rendered in the Revised Version, Timnah, a town in Judah. (2.) The town where Samson sojourned, probably identical with "Timnah" (1) (Judg. 14:1-18).
    [nave] TIMNATH 1. A city given by some authorities as identical with Timnah, 2, Gen. 38:12-14. 2. Home of Samson's wife, Judg. 14:1, 2, 5; 15:6. Believed by some authorities to be identical with the preceding.

  • Betting

    [nave] BETTING, by Samson, Judg. 14:12-19.

  • Honey

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. ya'ar, occurs only 1 Sam. 14:25, 27, 29; Cant. 5:1, where it denotes the honey of bees. Properly the word signifies a forest or copse, and refers to honey found in woods. (2.) Nopheth, honey that drops (Ps. 19:10; ...
    [isbe] HONEY - hun'-i (debhash; meli): One familiar with life in Palestine will recognize in debhash the Arabic dibs, which is the usual term for a sweet syrup made by boiling down the juice of grapes, raisins, carob beans, or date...
    [nave] HONEY. Ex. 16:31; 2 Sam. 17:29; Prov. 25:27; Song 4:11; Isa. 7:15; Matt. 3:4; Luke 24:42. Not to be offered with sacrifices, Lev. 2:11. Found in rocks, Deut. 32:13; Psa. 81:16; upon the ground, 1 Sam. 14:25. Samson's rid...

  • LINEN

    [ebd] (1.) Heb., pishet, pishtah, denotes "flax," of which linen is made (Isa. 19:9); wrought flax, i.e., "linen cloth", Lev. 13:47, 48, 52, 59; Deut. 22:11. Flax was early cultivated in Egypt (Ex. 9:31), and also in Palestine (Jo...
    [isbe] LINEN - lin'-en (badh, "white linen," used chiefly for priestly robes, buts, "byssus," a fine white Egyptian linen, called in the earlier writings shesh; pesheth, "flax," cadhin; bussos, othonion, linon, sindon): Thread or c...

  • Bee

    [ebd] First mentioned in Deut. 1:44. Swarms of bees, and the danger of their attacks, are mentioned in Ps. 118:12. Samson found a "swarm of bees" in the carcass of a lion he had slain (Judg. 14:8). Wild bees are described as layin...
    [isbe] BEE - be (debhorah; compare Arabic dabr, "a swarm of bees," also Arabic debbur, "a wasp," said to be a corruption of zunbur, "a wasp"; all are apparently from the Hebrew dabhar, "to speak," "arrange," "lead," "follow," or fr...
    [smith] (deborah). (1:44; Judges 14:8; Psalms 118:12; Isaiah 7:18) Bees abounded in Palestine, honey being a common article of food (Psalms 81:16) and was often found in the clefts of rocks and in hollow trees. (1 Samuel 14:25,27)...
    [nave] BEE In Palestine, Deut. 1:44; Judg. 14:8; Psa. 118:12; Isa. 7:18. Called by whistling, Isa. 7:18. See: Honey.

  • CHANGE

    [isbe] CHANGE - chanj: A word which seeks to express the many shades of meaning contained in 13 variations of 9 Hebrew words and 5 Greek. These signify, in turn, "to change" "to exchange," "to turn," "to put or place," "to make oth...

  • Feasts

    [nave] FEASTS Ancient customs at: Men alone present at, Gen. 40:20; 43:32, 34; 1 Sam. 9:22; Esth. 1:8; Mark 6:21; Luke 14:24; women alone, Esth. 1:9. Men and women attend, Ex. 32:6, with vs. 2,3;Dan. 5:1-3. Riddles propounded at,...

  • Lintel

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. mashkoph, a projecting cover (Ex. 12:22, 23; ver. 7, "upper door post," but R.V. "lintel"); the head-piece of a door, which the Israelites were commanded to mark with the blood of the paschal lamb. (2.) Heb. kaphta...

  • TIMNAH

    [ebd] a portion. (1.) A town of Judah (Josh. 15:10). The Philistines took possession of it in the days of Ahaz (2 Chr. 28:18). It was about 20 miles west of Jerusalem. It has been identified with Timnatha of Dan (Josh. 19:43), and...
    [isbe] TIMNAH - tim'-na (timnah, timnathah (Josh 19:43; Jdg 14:1,2,5), "allotted portion; Codex Vaticanus Thamnatha; also several Greek variations; King James Version has Timnath in Gen 38:12,13,14; Jdg 14:1,2,5; and Thimnathah in ...
    [smith] (portion). A place which formed one of the landmarks on the north boundary of the allotment of Judah. (Joshua 15:10) It is probably identical with the Thimnathah of (Joshua 19:43) and that again with the Timnath, or, more ac...

  • Heifer

    [ebd] Heb. 'eglah, (Deut. 21:4, 6; Jer. 46:20). Untrained to the yoke (Hos. 10:11); giving milk (Isa. 7:21); ploughing (Judg. 14:18); treading out grain (Jer. 50:11); unsubdued to the yoke an emblem of Judah (Isa. 15:5; Jer. 48:34...
    [isbe] HEIFER - hef'-er (parah, in Nu 19(see following article) and Hos 4:16; `eghlah, elsewhere in the Old Testament; damalis, in Heb 9:13):For the "heifer of three years old" in the King James Version, the Revised Version margin ...
    [nave] HEIFER When used as sacrifice, must be without blemish and must not have come under the yoke, Num. 19:2; Deut. 21:3. An atonement for murder, Deut. 21:1-9. The red heifer used for the water of separation, Num. 19; Heb. 9:1...
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  • [Jdg 14:14] The Lion That On Sampson Roared

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The long account of Jacob's relationship with Laban (chs. 29-31) is the centerpiece of the Jacob story (chs. 25-35). It is a story within a story, and it too has a chiastic structure. At its center is the account of the birth...
  • After receiving the reminder of his death and as one of his final official acts as Israel's leader, Moses pronounced a prophetic blessing on the tribes of Israel (cf. Gen. 49)."In the ancient Near East, a dying father's final...
  • I. The reason for Israel's apostasy 1:1-3:6A. Hostilities between the Israelites and the Canaanites after Joshua's death 1:1-2:51. Initial successes and failures ch. 12. The announcement of God's discipline 2:1-5B. Israel's c...
  • The first major section in the book (1:1-3:6) explains very clearly why the period of the judges was a dark chapter in Israel's history. God revealed the reasons for Israel's apostasy and consequent national problems in terms...
  • Israel's JudgesJudgeScriptureIsrael's OppressorsLength in YearsNation(s)King(s)OppressionJudgeshipPeaceOthniel3:7-11MesopotamiaCushan-rishathaim8(ca. 1358-1350 B.C.)40(ca. 1350-1310 B.C.)Ehud3:12-30Moab (with Ammon & Amal...
  • The writer of Judges structured this book so the story of Gideon would be its focal center."Within the main body of the book, seven major narrative blocks can be noted. Moreover, there are certain parallel features between th...
  • The Israelites' return to apostasy brought discipline from two different directions at the same time. In the east the Ammonites oppressed Israel while in the west God raised up the Philistines."The acuter pressure at this sta...
  • God's Spirit then clothed Jephthah guaranteeing divine enablement and victory in the approaching encounter with the Ammonite army (v. 29; cf. 3:10; 6:34; 14:6, 19; 1 Sam. 10:10). He travelled through Gilead in the tribal terr...
  • Chapter 13 describes Samson's potential: his godly heritage, supernatural birth, calling in life, and divine enablement. The Israelites enjoyed each of these privileges, as does every Christian. Chapter 14 reveals Samson's pr...
  • Timnah was only about four miles southwest of Zorah. The word "woman"in verse 2 is in the emphatic position in the Hebrew text. Samson described her to his parents as the ideal woman from his viewpoint. Dating was unknown in ...
  • The first recorded indication of Samson's superhuman strength is his ability to tear the lion apart with his bare hands (v. 6). A young lion tried to leap on Samson (v. 5), but instead the Spirit of the Lord leaped upon him (...
  • It was customary among the Philistines for a seven-day feast to precede the actual wedding ceremony (v. 10). In Samson's case the groom provided this feast, and it took place at the bride's home. It is most probable that duri...
  • The writer called the Timnite Samson's wife even though the engaged couple had not yet consummated their marriage (v. 15)."The usual length of a [wedding] celebration was seven days and the marriage was not consummated until ...
  • Samson's weaknesses dominate chapter 14, but his strengths shine forth in chapter 15.
  • Wheat harvest took place in late May or early June in this part of Palestine.266Samson's anger had cooled, and he decided to return to Timnah and arrange for the completion of his marriage. Instead of flowers or candy he took...
  • The Philistines pursued Samson into the territory of Judah that they controlled (v. 9; cf. 14:4). The exact location of Lehi is still uncertain.We get a glimpse into the spiritual condition in Judah at this time from how the ...
  • Gaza lay on the sunny Mediterranean coast in the heart of Philistine territory. It was probably a popular vacation site for compromising Israelites as well as the Philistines. Perhaps Samson went there to enjoy the amusements...
  • The first three verses present Samson sowing "wild oats."Verses 4-21 picture him reaping a bitter harvest (cf. Gal. 6:7).Samson allowed a woman to seduce him again. She lived in the Sorek Valley between Samson's home area of ...
  • A spark of hope flickered in the darkness of Samson's prison cell. His hair continued to grow (v. 22). In grace God permitted Samson's hair to return symbolizing the possibility of his renewed commitment to Yahweh. However, G...
  • The following two extended incidents (ch. 17-21) differ from the records of the judges just completed (chs. 3-16). They are not accounts of the activities of any of Israel's judges. They are the record of events that took pla...
  • God undoubtedly included the story of Micah and the Danites in the sacred record because it relates the establishment of image worship in Israel. This was a new and catastrophic departure from Yahweh for the Israelites. Image...
  • The Danites' defeat of the inhabitants of Laish appears cruel and unjustified (cf. 9:45-49). The town that seemed so desirable to the spies was really vulnerable and isolated. Its advantages proved to be weaknesses. Since God...
  • The Book of Joshua recorded Israel's victory over her enemies through trust in and obedience to God. The Book of Judges shows the defeat of the nation by its enemies from without and within due to refusal to trust and obey Go...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan. Land of the Bible. Phildelphia: Westminster Press, 1962.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The...
  • The Philistines, as we have already seen in Judges, were Israel's primary enemy to the west at this time. Samson, too, fought the Philistines (Judg. 13-16).52There are about 150 references to the Philistines in 1 and 2 Samuel...
  • Saul's improper view of his role as Israel's king comes through clearly in verse 24. The Philistines were not Saul's enemies as much as God's enemies. This was holy war (cf. Judg. 16:28), but Saul viewed the battle too person...
  • The writer seems to have included this event here to support his claim that Solomon's reign was so glorious that rulers came from all over the world to meet him (4:34; cf. 3:16-18). It also shows that some of Solomon's wealth...
  • God blessed David and his kingdom because David had honored God by seeking to bring the ark into Jerusalem. The Chronicler recorded three instances of divine blessing in this chapter.First, God gave David favor in the eyes of...
  • "The Book of Proverbs has two purposes: to give moral skillfulness and to give mental discernment. The first purpose is developed in vv. 3-4; then, after a parenthetical exhortation in v. 5, the second purpose is developed in...
  • Messiah would meet certain qualifications (vv. 2-3a) and would rule with absolute justice (vv. 3b-5) with the result that people would live in peace (vv. 6-9)11:1 The prophet had just described Assyria cut down like a forest ...
  • 12:1-2 The Lord came to Ezekiel with another message.190He told His servant that the people among whom he lived, the house of Israel, were rebellious against Him (cf. 2:3-8). Their blindness to the things that they saw and th...
  • 17:1-2 The Lord directed Ezekiel to present a riddle (Heb. hidah, allegory, enigmatic saying) and a parable (Heb. mashal, proverb, comparison) to his audience of Jewish exiles."It is a riddle in that its meaning needs to be e...
  • 25:15-16 The Philistines to Judah's west had also scorned the Israelites and had sought to destroy them (cf. Judg. 13-16; 1 Sam. 4; 13; 31; 2 Sam. 5; 2 Kings 18:8; 2 Chron. 21:16-17; 28:18). Therefore the Lord would stretch o...
  • 4:6 The angel announced a word of explanation from Yahweh that Zechariah was to pass on to Zerubbabel, the descendant of David who was the leader of the first group of returnees from exile.88He was to tell him, "not by might ...
  • 14:53 The high priest in view here was Caiaphas. Interestingly Mark never mentioned him by name. He was the high priest that the Romans had appointed in 18 A.D., and he served in this capacity until 36 A.D.This was an unoffic...
  • All the Gospels contain instances of Jesus giving the Great Commission to His disciples, but evidently He did not just give it once. The contexts are different suggesting that He repeated these instructions on at least four s...
  • 11:32 The Old Testament is full of good examples of persevering, living faith. The writer selected these few for brief mention along with what such faith accomplished.372Each individual that the writer mentioned was less than...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • We have two sections in the context dealing with this, each introduced by that terrible phrase, which recurs so often in the subsequent parts of the book, The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.' That phrase is no s...
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