1 Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he came 1Lit upback and told his father and 2Lit mother, saying,mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.” 3 Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your 1Lit brothersAGen 24:3, 4relatives, or among all 2Lit myour people, that you go to BEx 34:16; Deut 7:3take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she 3Lit is right in my eyeslooks good to me.” 4 However, his father and mother did not know that AJosh 11:20it was of the Loʀᴅ, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 AJudg 3:10The Spirit of the Loʀᴅ 1Lit rushed uponcame upon him mightily, so that B1 Sam 17:34-36he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. 7 So he went down and talked to the woman; and she 1Lit was right in Samson’s eyeslooked good to Samson. 8 When he returned later to take her, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion. 9 So he scraped 1Lit itthe honey into his 2Lit palmshands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it; but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion.

10 Then his father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men customarily did this. 11 When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12 Then Samson said to them, “Let me now AEzek 17:2propound a riddle to you; if you will indeed tell it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen wraps and thirty BGen 45:22; 2 Kin 5:22changes of clothes. 13  “But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Propound your riddle, that we may hear it.” 14 So he said to them,

But they could not tell the riddle in three days.

15 Then it came about on the 1So with some ancient versions; Heb seventhfourth day that they said to Samson’s wife, “AJudg 16:5Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, BJudg 15:6or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?” 16 Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “AJudg 16:15You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have propounded a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?” 17 However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people. 18 So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

And he said to them,