Samson desireth a wife of the Philistines.

1 ¶ And Samsonº went downºª to Timnath,º and sawºª a womanº in Timnathº of the daughtersº² of the Philistines.º 2 And he came up,ºª and toldºª his fatherº and his mother,º and said,ºª I have seenºª a womanº in Timnathº of the daughtersº² of the Philistines:º now² therefore getºª her for me to wife.º 3 Then his fatherº and his motherº saidºª unto him, [Is there] neverº a womanº among the daughtersº of thy brethren,º or among all² my people,º that² thou² goestºª to takeºª a wifeº of the uncircumcisedº Philistines?º² And Samsonº saidºª unto² his father,º Getºª her for me; for² she² pleaseth me well.ººª 4 But his fatherº and his motherº knewºª not² that² it² [was] of the LORD,º² that² he² soughtºª an occasionº against the Philistines:º² for at that² timeº the Philistinesº had dominionºª over Israel.º

In his journey he killeth a lion.

5 ¶ Then went¹ª Samson¹ down,ºª² and his fatherº and his mother,º to Timnath,º and cameºª to² the vineyardsº of Timnath:º and, behold,² a youngº lionº roaredºª againstºª him. 6 And the Spiritº of the LORDº came mightilyºª upon² him, and he rentºª him as he would have rentºª a kid,º and [he had] nothingº² in his hand:º but he toldºª not² his fatherº or his motherº² what² he had done.ºª 7 And he went down,ºª and talkedºª with the woman;º and she pleased¹ª Samson¹ well.ººª²

In a second journey he findeth honey in the carcase.

8 ¶ And after a timeº² he returnedºª to takeºª her, and he turned asideºª to seeºª² the carcaseº of the lion:º and, behold,² [there was] a swarmº of beesº and honeyº in the carcaseº of the lion.º 9 And he tookºª thereof in² his hands,º and went onº¹ª eating,ºª and cameºª to² his fatherº and mother,º and he gaveºª them, and they did eat:ºª but he toldºª not² them that² he had takenºª the honeyº out of the carcaseº² of the lion.º

Samson's marriage feast.

10 ¶ So his fatherº went downºª unto² the woman:º and Samsonº madeºª there² a feast;º for² so² used the young menº to do.ºª 11 And it came to pass,² when they sawºª him, that they broughtºª thirtyº companionsº to be² with² him.

His riddle by his wife is made known.

12 ¶ And Samsonº saidºª unto them, I will now² put forthºª a riddleº unto you: if² ye can certainly¹ª declareºª it me within the sevenº daysº of the feast,º and find [it] out,ºª then I will giveºª you thirtyº sheetsº and thirtyº changeº of garments:º 13 But if² ye cannotºª² declareºª [it] me, then shall ye² giveºª me thirtyº sheetsº and thirtyº changeº of garments.º And they saidºª unto him, Put forthºª thy riddle,º that we may hearºª it. 14 And he saidºª unto them, Out of the eaterºª² came forthºª meat,º and out of the strongº² came forthºª sweetness.º And they couldºª not² in threeº daysº expoundºª the riddle.º 15 And it came to pass² on the seventhº day,º that they saidºª unto Samson'sº wife,º Enticeºª² thy husband,º that he may declareºª unto us² the riddle,º lest² we burnºª thee and thy father'sº houseº with fire:º have ye calledºª us to take that we have?ºª [is it] not² [so]? 16 And Samson'sº wifeº weptºª before² him, and said,ºª Thou dost but² hateºª me, and lovestºª me not:² thou hast put forthºª a riddleº unto the childrenº of my people,º and hast not² toldºª [it] me. And he saidºª unto her, Behold,² I have not² toldºª [it] my fatherº nor my mother,º and shall I tellºª [it] thee? 17 And she weptºª before² him the sevenº days,º while² their feastº lasted:ºª and it came to pass² on the seventhº day,º that he toldºª her, because² she lay soreºª upon him: and she toldºª the riddleº to the childrenº of her people.º 18 And the men¹² of the cityº saidºª unto him on the seventhº dayº before² the sunº went down,ºª What² [is] sweeterº than honey?º² and what² [is] strongerº than a lion?º² And he saidºª unto them, Ifº ye had not plowedºª with my heifer,º ye had not² found outºª my riddle.º

He spoileth thirty Philistines.

19 ¶ And the Spiritº of the LORDº cameºª upon² him, and he went downºª to Ashkelon,º and slewºª thirtyº menº of² them, and tookºª² their spoil,º and gaveºª change¹ of garments² unto them which expoundedºª the riddle.º And his angerº was kindled,ºª and he went upºª to his father'sº house.º

His wife is married to another.

20 But Samson'sº wifeº was² [given] to his companion,º whom² he had used as his friend.ºª