1 And Samson|strong="H8123" went down|strong="H3381" to Timnath|strong="H8553", and saw|strong="H7200" a woman|strong="H0802" in Timnath|strong="H8553" of the daughters|strong="H1323" of the Philistines|strong="H6430".
2 And he came up|strong="H5927", and told|strong="H5046" his father|strong="H0001" and his mother|strong="H0517", and said|strong="H0559", I have seen|strong="H7200" a woman|strong="H0802" in Timnath|strong="H8553" of the daughters|strong="H1323" of the Philistines|strong="H6430": now therefore get|strong="H3947" her for me to wife|strong="H0802".
3 Then his father|strong="H0001" and his mother|strong="H0517" said|strong="H0559" unto him, Is there never|strong="H0369" a woman|strong="H0802" among the daughters|strong="H1323" of thy brethren|strong="H0251", or among all my people|strong="H5971", that thou goest|strong="H1980" to take|strong="H3947" a wife|strong="H0802" of the uncircumcised|strong="H6189" Philistines|strong="H6430"? And Samson|strong="H8123" said|strong="H0559" unto his father|strong="H0001", Get|strong="H3947" her for me; for she pleaseth me well|strong="H3474".
4 But his father|strong="H0001" and his mother|strong="H0517" knew|strong="H3045" not that it was of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, that he sought|strong="H1245" an occasion|strong="H8385" against the Philistines|strong="H6430": for at that time|strong="H6256" the Philistines|strong="H6430" had dominion|strong="H4910" over Israel|strong="H3478".
5 Then went|strong="H3381" Samson|strong="H8123" down|strong="H3381", and his father|strong="H0001" and his mother|strong="H0517", to Timnath|strong="H8553", and came|strong="H0935" to the vineyards|strong="H3754" of Timnath|strong="H8553": and, behold, a young|strong="H3715" lion|strong="H0738" roared|strong="H7580" against|strong="H7125" him.
6 And the Spirit|strong="H7307" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* came mightily|strong="H6743" upon him, and he rent|strong="H8156" him as he would have rent|strong="H8156" a kid|strong="H1423", and he had nothing|strong="H3972" in his hand|strong="H3027": but he told|strong="H5046" not his father|strong="H0001" or his mother|strong="H0517" what he had done|strong="H6213".
7 And he went down|strong="H3381", and talked|strong="H1696" with the woman|strong="H0802"; and she pleased|strong="H3474" Samson|strong="H8123" well|strong="H3474".
8 And after a time|strong="H3117" he returned|strong="H7725" to take|strong="H3947" her, and he turned aside|strong="H5493" to see|strong="H7200" the carcase|strong="H4658" of the lion|strong="H0738": and, behold, there was a swarm|strong="H5712" of bees|strong="H1682" and honey|strong="H1706" in the carcase|strong="H1472" of the lion|strong="H0738".
9 And he took|strong="H7287" thereof in his hands|strong="H3709", and went on|strong="H3212" eating|strong="H0398", and came|strong="H1980" to his father|strong="H0001" and mother|strong="H0517", and he gave|strong="H5414" them, and they did eat|strong="H0398": but he told|strong="H5046" not them that he had taken|strong="H7287" the honey|strong="H1706" out of the carcase|strong="H1472" of the lion|strong="H0738".
10 So his father|strong="H0001" went down|strong="H3381" unto the woman|strong="H0802": and Samson|strong="H8123" made|strong="H6213" there a feast|strong="H4960"; for so used the young men|strong="H0970" to do|strong="H6213".
11 And it came to pass, when they saw|strong="H7200" him, that they brought|strong="H3947" thirty|strong="H7970" companions|strong="H4828" to be with him.
12 And Samson|strong="H8123" said|strong="H0559" unto them, I will now put forth|strong="H2330" a riddle|strong="H2420" unto you: if ye can certainly|strong="H5046" declare|strong="H5046" it me within the seven|strong="H7651" days|strong="H3117" of the feast|strong="H4960", and find it out|strong="H4672", then I will give|strong="H5414" you thirty|strong="H7970" sheets|strong="H5466" and thirty|strong="H7970" change|strong="H2487" of garments|strong="H0899":
13 But if ye cannot|strong="H3201" declare|strong="H5046" it me, then shall ye give|strong="H5414" me thirty|strong="H7970" sheets|strong="H5466" and thirty|strong="H7970" change|strong="H2487" of garments|strong="H0899". And they said|strong="H0559" unto him, Put forth|strong="H2330" thy riddle|strong="H2420", that we may hear|strong="H8085" it.
14 And he said|strong="H0559" unto them, Out of the eater|strong="H0398" came forth|strong="H3318" meat|strong="H3978", and out of the strong|strong="H5794" came forth|strong="H3318" sweetness|strong="H4966". And they could|strong="H3201" not in three|strong="H7969" days|strong="H3117" expound|strong="H5046" the riddle|strong="H2420".
15 And it came to pass on the seventh|strong="H7637" day|strong="H3117", that they said|strong="H0559" unto Samson’s|strong="H8123" wife|strong="H0802", Entice|strong="H6601" thy husband|strong="H0376", that he may declare|strong="H5046" unto us the riddle|strong="H2420", lest we burn|strong="H8313" thee and thy father’s|strong="H0001" house|strong="H1004" with fire|strong="H0784": have ye called|strong="H7121" us to take that we have|strong="H3423"? is it not so?
16 And Samson’s|strong="H8123" wife|strong="H0802" wept|strong="H1058" before him, and said|strong="H0559", Thou dost but hate|strong="H8130" me, and lovest|strong="H0157" me not: thou hast put forth|strong="H2330" a riddle|strong="H2420" unto the children|strong="H1121" of my people|strong="H5971", and hast not told|strong="H5046" it me. And he said|strong="H0559" unto her, Behold, I have not told|strong="H5046" it my father|strong="H0001" nor my mother|strong="H0517", and shall I tell|strong="H5046" it thee?
17 And she wept|strong="H1058" before him the seven|strong="H7651" days|strong="H3117", while their feast|strong="H4960" lasted|strong="H1961": and it came to pass on the seventh|strong="H7637" day|strong="H3117", that he told|strong="H5046" her, because she lay sore|strong="H6693" upon him: and she told|strong="H5046" the riddle|strong="H2420" to the children|strong="H1121" of her people|strong="H5971".
18 And the men|strong="H0582" of the city|strong="H5892" said|strong="H0559" unto him on the seventh|strong="H7637" day|strong="H3117" before the sun|strong="H2775" went down|strong="H0935", What is sweeter|strong="H4966" than honey|strong="H1706"? and what is stronger|strong="H5794" than a lion|strong="H0738"? And he said|strong="H0559" unto them, If|strong="H3884" ye had not plowed|strong="H2790" with my heifer|strong="H5697", ye had not found out|strong="H4672" my riddle|strong="H2420".
19 And the Spirit|strong="H7307" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* came|strong="H6743" upon him, and he went down|strong="H3381" to Ashkelon|strong="H0831", and slew|strong="H5221" thirty|strong="H7970" men|strong="H0376" of them, and took|strong="H3947" their spoil|strong="H2488", and gave|strong="H5414" change|strong="H2487" of garments unto them which expounded|strong="H5046" the riddle|strong="H2420". And his anger|strong="H0639" was kindled|strong="H2734", and he went up|strong="H5927" to his father’s|strong="H0001" house|strong="H1004".
20 But Samson’s|strong="H8123" wife|strong="H0802" was given to his companion|strong="H4828", whom he had used as his friend|strong="H7462".