Judges 14:1-13 ▼

1 AND Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore get her for me to wife.

3 Then his father and mother said to him, Is there not a woman here among the daughters of the kinsmen of your father, or among all your people, that you are going to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me; for she pleased me well.

4 But his father and his mother did not know that it was of the LORD, that he might seek vengeance against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5 Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnath, and they came to the vineyards of Timnath; and, behold, a young lion roared at him.

6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion as one tears a kid, and he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

7 And they went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion; and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the carcass of the lion, and the honey ran out on his hands as he walked.

9 And he went to his father and mother, and gave some honey to them, and they did eat; but he did not tell them that the honey came from the carcass of the lion.

10 So his father went down to the woman; and Samson made there a wedding feast for seven days; for so the young men used to do.

11 And when they saw him, there came thirty men and became his groomsmen.

12 And Samson said to them, I will now put forth a riddle to you; if you can interpret it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out, then I will give you thirty overcoats made of felt and thirty changes of garments;

13 But if you cannot interpret it to me, then you shall give me thirty overcoats made of felt and thirty changes of garments. And they said to him, Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it.