1 Samson|strong="H8123" went|strong="H3381" down|strong="H3381" to|strong="H3381" the|strong="H7200" city of|strong="H1323" Timnah|strong="H8553". He|strong="H0802" saw|strong="H7200" a|strong="H7200" young Philistine|strong="H6430" woman|strong="H0802" there.
2 When|strong="H7200" he|strong="H0853" returned|strong="H5927" home|strong="H0001", he|strong="H0853" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" his|strong="H3947" father|strong="H0001" and|strong="H0802" mother|strong="H0517", “I|strong="H6258" saw|strong="H7200" a|strong="H3947" Philistine|strong="H6430" woman|strong="H0802" in|strong="H0802" Timnah|strong="H8553". I|strong="H6258" want you|strong="H5046" to|strong="H0559" get|strong="H3947" her|strong="H5046" for|strong="H0802" me|strong="H5046". I|strong="H6258" want to|strong="H0559" marry|strong="H3947" her|strong="H5046".”
3 His|strong="H3605" father|strong="H0001" and|strong="H1980" his|strong="H3605" mother|strong="H0517" answered|strong="H0559", “But|strong="H3588" surely|strong="H3588" there|strong="H0369" is|strong="H0369" a|strong="H3947" woman|strong="H0802" from|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3605" Israelites you|strong="H0859" can|strong="H0369" marry|strong="H3947". Do|strong="H3605" you|strong="H0859" have|strong="H0369" to|strong="H0413" marry|strong="H3947" a|strong="H3947" woman|strong="H0802" from|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3605" Philistines|strong="H6430"? Their|strong="H3605" men|strong="H5971" are|strong="H5869" not|strong="H0369" even|strong="H3588" circumcised.”
4 (Samson’s parents|strong="H0001" did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" know|strong="H3045" that|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3588" LORD|strong="H3068" wanted|strong="H1245" this|strong="H1931" to|strong="H3068" happen. He|strong="H1931" was|strong="H3068" looking|strong="H1245" for|strong="H3588" a|strong="H3588" way to|strong="H3068" do something against the|strong="H3588" Philistines|strong="H6430". They|strong="H3588" were|strong="H3478" ruling|strong="H4910" over|strong="H4910" the|strong="H3588" Israelites|strong="H3478" at|strong="H3478" that|strong="H3588" time|strong="H6256".)
5 Samson|strong="H8123" went|strong="H0935" down|strong="H3381" with|strong="H0935" his|strong="H0935" father|strong="H0001" and|strong="H0935" mother|strong="H0517" to|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0935" city of|strong="H0001" Timnah|strong="H8553". They|strong="H5704" went|strong="H0935" as|strong="H5704" far|strong="H5704" as|strong="H5704" the|strong="H0935" vineyards|strong="H3754" near|strong="H5704" that|strong="H5704" city. There|strong="H2009" a|strong="H0935" young|strong="H3715" lion|strong="H0738" suddenly|strong="H2009" roared|strong="H7580" and|strong="H0935" jumped at|strong="H0935" Samson|strong="H8123"!
6 The|strong="H0853" Spirit|strong="H7307" of|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" came|strong="H7307" on|strong="H5921" Samson with|strong="H3068" great power|strong="H3027". He|strong="H0834" tore|strong="H8156" the|strong="H0853" lion apart|strong="H7307" with|strong="H3068" his|strong="H5921" bare hands|strong="H3027". It|strong="H5921" seemed easy to|strong="H5921" him|strong="H5921". It|strong="H5921" was|strong="H0369" as|strong="H0834" easy as|strong="H0834" tearing apart|strong="H7307" a|strong="H0834" young|strong="H1423" goat|strong="H1423". But|strong="H3808" Samson did|strong="H6213" not|strong="H3808" tell|strong="H5046" his|strong="H5921" father|strong="H0001" or|strong="H3808" mother|strong="H0517" what|strong="H0834" he|strong="H0834" had|strong="H3068" done|strong="H6213".
7 So|strong="H3381" Samson|strong="H8123" went|strong="H3381" down|strong="H3381" to|strong="H1696" the|strong="H1696" city and|strong="H5869" talked|strong="H1696" to|strong="H1696" the|strong="H1696" Philistine woman|strong="H0802". She pleased|strong="H5869" him|strong="H3381".
8 Several days|strong="H3117" later, Samson came|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H7725" marry|strong="H3947" her|strong="H3947". On|strong="H3117" his|strong="H3947" way, he|strong="H3117" went|strong="H7725" over|strong="H0853" to|strong="H7725" look|strong="H2009" at|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0853" dead lion|strong="H0738". He|strong="H3117" found a|strong="H3947" swarm|strong="H5712" of|strong="H3117" bees|strong="H1682" in|strong="H3117" its|strong="H0853" body. They|strong="H3117" had|strong="H0853" made|strong="H7725" some|strong="H2009" honey|strong="H1706".
9 Samson got|strong="H1980" some of|strong="H0001" the|strong="H3588" honey|strong="H1706" with|strong="H1980" his|strong="H5414" hands|strong="H3709". He|strong="H3588" walked|strong="H1980" along|strong="H1980" eating|strong="H0398" the|strong="H3588" honey|strong="H1706". When|strong="H3588" he|strong="H3588" came|strong="H1980" to|strong="H0413" his|strong="H5414" parents|strong="H0001", he|strong="H3588" gave|strong="H5414" them|strong="H0413" some of|strong="H0001" the|strong="H3588" honey|strong="H1706", and|strong="H1980" they|strong="H3588" ate|strong="H0398" it|strong="H5414" too|strong="H3808". But|strong="H3588" Samson did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" tell|strong="H5046" his|strong="H5414" parents|strong="H0001" that|strong="H3588" he|strong="H3588" had|strong="H0001" taken|strong="H5414" the|strong="H3588" honey|strong="H1706" from|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3588" body of|strong="H0001" the|strong="H3588" dead lion|strong="H0738".
10 Samson’s|strong="H8123" father|strong="H0001" went|strong="H3381" down|strong="H3381" to|strong="H0413" see the|strong="H3588" Philistine woman|strong="H0802". The|strong="H3588" custom|strong="H3651" was|strong="H0802" for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3588" bridegroom to|strong="H0413" give a|strong="H3588" party. So|strong="H3651" Samson|strong="H8123" gave|strong="H6213" a|strong="H3588" party.
11 When|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" Philistines saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H7200" he|strong="H0853" was|strong="H1961" having|strong="H1961" a|strong="H1961" party, they|strong="H7200" sent|strong="H3947" 30 men|strong="H3947" to|strong="H1961" be|strong="H1961" with|strong="H0854" him|strong="H0853".
12 Then|strong="H0853" Samson|strong="H8123" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0853" 30 men|strong="H0559", “I|strong="H0518" want to|strong="H0559" tell|strong="H5046" you|strong="H5414" a|strong="H5414" story. This|strong="H3117" party will|strong="H5414" last for|strong="H3117" seven|strong="H7651" days|strong="H3117". Try to|strong="H0559" find|strong="H4672" the|strong="H0853" answer|strong="H0559" during|strong="H3117" that|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117". If|strong="H0518" you|strong="H5414" can|strong="H0518" answer|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0853" riddle|strong="H2420" in|strong="H3117" that|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117", I|strong="H0518" will|strong="H5414" give|strong="H5414" you|strong="H5414" 30 linen|strong="H5466" shirts and|strong="H3117" 30 changes|strong="H2487" of|strong="H3117" clothes|strong="H0899".
13 But|strong="H0518" if|strong="H0518" you|strong="H0859" cannot|strong="H3808" find|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0559" answer|strong="H0559", you|strong="H0859" must|strong="H0518" give|strong="H5414" me|strong="H5414" 30 linen|strong="H5466" shirts and|strong="H8085" 30 changes|strong="H2487" of|strong="H0559" clothes|strong="H0899".” So|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0559" 30 men|strong="H0559" said|strong="H0559", “Tell|strong="H5046" us|strong="H5414" your|strong="H5414" riddle|strong="H2420", we|strong="H0518" want to|strong="H0559" hear|strong="H8085" it|strong="H5414".”
14 Samson told|strong="H5046" them|strong="H3318" this|strong="H3117" riddle|strong="H2420":
15 On|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0853" fourth|strong="H7637" day|strong="H3117", the|strong="H0853" men|strong="H0376" came|strong="H1961" to|strong="H0559" Samson’s|strong="H8123" wife|strong="H0802". They|strong="H3117" said|strong="H0559", “Did|strong="H3808" you|strong="H3117" invite|strong="H7121" us|strong="H5046" here just to|strong="H0559" make|strong="H5046" us|strong="H5046" poor|strong="H3423"? You|strong="H3117" must|strong="H0853" trick your|strong="H3808" husband|strong="H0376" into|strong="H0376" telling|strong="H5046" us|strong="H5046" the|strong="H0853" answer|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0853" riddle|strong="H2420". If|strong="H0376" you|strong="H3117" don’t|strong="H3808" get the|strong="H0853" answer|strong="H0559" for|strong="H7121" us|strong="H5046", we|strong="H3117" will|strong="H1961" burn|strong="H8313" you|strong="H3117" and|strong="H1004" everyone|strong="H0376" in|strong="H1004" your|strong="H3808" father’s|strong="H0001" house|strong="H1004" to|strong="H0559" death.”
16 So|strong="H3808" Samson’s|strong="H8123" wife|strong="H0802" went to|strong="H0559" him|strong="H5921" and|strong="H1121" began crying|strong="H1058". She|strong="H0517" said|strong="H0559", “You|strong="H5921" just hate|strong="H8130" me|strong="H5046"! You|strong="H5921" don’t|strong="H3808" really|strong="H0559" love|strong="H0157" me|strong="H5046"! You|strong="H5921" told|strong="H5046" my|strong="H5921" people|strong="H5971" a|strong="H5921" riddle|strong="H2420", and|strong="H1121" you|strong="H5921" will|strong="H1121" not|strong="H3808" tell|strong="H5046" me|strong="H5046" the|strong="H0559" answer|strong="H0559".”
17 Samson’s wife cried|strong="H1058" for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0834" rest|strong="H1961" of|strong="H1121" the|strong="H0834" seven|strong="H7651" days|strong="H3117" of|strong="H1121" the|strong="H0834" party. So|strong="H1961" he|strong="H0834" finally gave|strong="H1961" her|strong="H5046" the|strong="H0834" answer to|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0834" riddle|strong="H2420" on|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0834" seventh|strong="H7637" day|strong="H3117". He|strong="H0834" told|strong="H5046" her|strong="H5046" because|strong="H3588" she|strong="H0834" kept bothering him|strong="H5921". Then|strong="H1961" she|strong="H0834" went|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" her|strong="H5046" people|strong="H5971" and|strong="H1121" told|strong="H5046" them|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0834" answer to|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0834" riddle|strong="H2420".
18 So|strong="H3808" before|strong="H2962" the|strong="H0559" sun went|strong="H0935" down on|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0559" seventh|strong="H7637" day|strong="H3117" of|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0559" party, the|strong="H0559" Philistine men|strong="H0376" had|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0559" answer|strong="H0559". They|strong="H3117" came|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0559" Samson and|strong="H0935" said|strong="H0559",
19 Samson was|strong="H3068" very|strong="H2734" angry|strong="H2734". The|strong="H0853" Spirit|strong="H7307" of|strong="H1004" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" came|strong="H5927" on|strong="H5921" Samson with|strong="H1004" great power. He|strong="H3068" went|strong="H5927" down|strong="H3381" to|strong="H3381" the|strong="H0853" city of|strong="H1004" Ashkelon|strong="H0831" and|strong="H3068" killed|strong="H5221" 30 Philistine men|strong="H0376". He|strong="H3068" took|strong="H3947" all|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0853" clothes and|strong="H3068" property from|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0853" dead bodies and|strong="H3068" gave|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" to|strong="H3381" the|strong="H0853" men|strong="H0376" who|strong="H0376" had|strong="H3068" answered|strong="H5046" his|strong="H5414" riddle|strong="H2420". Then|strong="H3947" he|strong="H3068" went|strong="H5927" to|strong="H3381" his|strong="H5414" father’s|strong="H0001" house|strong="H1004".
20 So|strong="H1961" Samson’s|strong="H8123" wife|strong="H0802" was|strong="H1961" given to|strong="H1961" his|strong="H1961" best man.