- 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.
- 5 Then 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.
- 8 And 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.
- 10 So 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.
- 12 And 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.
- 19 And 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.
KING JAMES VERSION
JUDGES 14
Read the chapter, follow a linked verse, and continue into related Watchman 33 teaching.
CHAPTER VISUAL
Judges 14 — Samson’s journey, lion, honey, and riddle turn a Philistine wedding feast toward betrayal and conflict.
About this illustration
The lion and honey provide the chapter’s central visual riddle, with the feast held in the distance. Violence at Ashkelon and threats against the bride’s household are not shown.
Scripture basis: Judges 14:1–20King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom
EXPLORE THE MESSAGE
Related Watchman 33 Resources
Archaeological Evidence
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEDaily life
Tenth–ninth centuries BC
Tel Rehov Iron Age Apiary
An industrial apiary of cylindrical clay hives at Tel Rehov provides the earliest securely excavated evidence for large-scale beekeeping in the ancient Near East.
Exodus 3:8 · Judges 14:8–9 · 1 Samuel 14:25–27
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArchaeological site
Iron Age I-II, approximately twelfth-seventh centuries BC
Tel Batash and the Border City of Timnah
Tel Batash preserves a fortified Sorek Valley town whose changing Philistine and Judahite material culture makes it the leading identification for biblical Timnah and its contested borderland.
Judges 14:1–20 · Judges 15:1–6 · Joshua 15:10
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