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 during this seven-day feast Samson drank wine. Drinking was a standard activity at this type of celebration, especially among the pagans. Since he had previously disregarded the Nazirite prohibition against touching a corpse, it is likely that he also broke the prohibition against drinking wine (Num. 6:4). If this is true, Samson indulged his desire for drink as well as food (v. 9) even though that affected his separated relationship with God.
The bride's family invited 30 guests to the feast (v. 11). They were evidently proud of their prospective son-in-law. He fit into Philistine society quite comfortably. It was also common in ancient times for people to propound riddles as entertainment (v. 12).259
The "linen wraps"(v. 12) were "large rectangular pieces of fine linen which were worn next to the body by day or by night."260The Hebrew word translated "clothes"means festal garments, namely, garments for very special occasions that were quite expensive and very beautiful. We now discover that Samson not only lusted after women and food and drink but clothing as well. Fancy clothes were items that connoted wealth and status in the ancient world (cf. Gen. 45:22; 2 Kings 5:22). If Samson owned 30 fine changes of clothing, he would have been wealthy indeed.
