Judges 14
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
2And 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.
3Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
4But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
6And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
7And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
9And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
10So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
13But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
16And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
17And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
20But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- נָגַדnâgadH504614× in this chapter
properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise
- אָבʼâbH111× in this chapter
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
- אָמַרʼâmarH55911× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- אֵתʼêthH85311× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- לֹאlôʼH380810× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- אִשָּׁהʼishshâhH80210× in this chapter
a woman
- שִׁמְשׁוֹןShimshôwnH81239× in this chapter
Shimshon, an Israelite
- חִידָהchîydâhH24208× in this chapter
a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maxim
- יוֹםyôwmH31177× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- כִּיkîyH35887× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- אֵםʼêmH5177× in this chapter
a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))
- הָיָהhâyâhH19616× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- לָקַחlâqachH39476× in this chapter
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
- שְׁלוֹשִׁיםshᵉlôwshîymH79706× in this chapter
thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth
- יָרַדyâradH33815× in this chapter
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)
- אֵלʼêlH4135× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- פְּלִשְׁתִּיPᵉlishtîyH64305× in this chapter
a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth
- אֲרִיʼărîyH7385× in this chapter
a lion
- תִּמְנָהTimnâhH85535× in this chapter
Timnah, the name of two places in Palestine
- הוּאhûwʼH19314× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- הָלַךְhâlakH19804× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- נָתַןnâthanH54144× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- עַלʻalH59214× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72004× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- בַּתbathH13233× in this chapter
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
- דְּבַשׁdᵉbashH17063× in this chapter
honey (from its stickiness); by analogy, syrup
- הִנֵּהhinnêhH20093× in this chapter
lo!
- חוּדchûwdH23303× in this chapter
properly, to tie a knot, i.e. (figuratively) to propound a riddle
- חֲלִיפָהchălîyphâhH24873× in this chapter
alternation
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH30683× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- אָכַלʼâkalH3983× in this chapter
to eat (literally or figuratively)
- מִשְׁתֶּהmishtehH49603× in this chapter
drink, by implication, drinking (the act); also (by implication) a banquet or (generally) feast
- עַםʻamH59713× in this chapter
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62133× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- שְׁבִיעִיshᵉbîyʻîyH76373× in this chapter
seventh
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8343× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- בַּיִתbayithH10042× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- בָּכָהbâkâhH10582× in this chapter
to weep; generally to bemoan
- בֵּןbênH11212× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- גְּוִיָּהgᵉvîyâhH14722× in this chapter
a body, whether alive or dead