The big picture
Samson insists on marrying a Philistine woman from Timnath. A lion, honey, a wedding feast, a riddle, threats against the bride, and Samson’s violent payment of the wager begin a cycle in which personal desire and conflict intersect with the LORD’s purpose against Philistia.
Scripture beside the summary
Judges · King James Version · 20Judges 14:1-9
Samson sees, demands, kills, and keeps a secret
Samson asks his parents to obtain a Philistine woman because she pleases him. The narrator notes an occasion against the Philistines, the Spirit empowers Samson against a lion, and Samson later takes honey from its carcass without telling his parents.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.” Naming Timnath and Philistines keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a…” Naming Timnath and Samson keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.” Naming Samson keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they…” The line’s distinctive content terms include carcase, eating, father. Its relationship to verses 8 shows what work it does in this passage.
Judges 14:1-9
King James Version1And 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.
Judges 14:10-20
A wedding riddle becomes coercion and bloodshed
Samson proposes a riddle with garments at stake. The Philistine companions threaten his wife and her father’s house, she presses Samson until he tells her, and the men answer through her. Samson kills thirty men at Ashkelon to pay the wager and leaves angry.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven…” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.” Naming Samson keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Judges 14:10-20
King James Version10So 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Judges 14:1 begins with “And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.”
Where the chapter turns
Judges 14:11 forms a natural hinge: “And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.”
The final note
Judges 14:20 leaves the reader with “But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words father, riddle, mother, told, Samson, thirty help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What contrasts the two royal encounters?
Melchizedek blesses God as the source of victory; Abram refuses a financial arrangement that would let Sodom claim credit for his wealth.
How does Abram treat Lot after their separation?
He risks resources to rescue him rather than treating earlier disagreement as a reason for abandonment.
KJV words made clear
- dominion
- responsibility or rule
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.