Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Judges Chapter 14 mean?

Samson was set apart, even before birth, as a Nazirite (Judges 13:5, 24–25). His unique mission as a judge (Judges 2:16–19) is not to achieve Israel’s redemption, but to “begin to save Israel from the hand from the Philistines.” The nature of Samson’s early life might look like one deeply connected to God. Immediately, however, that image falls apart. The Samson we meet in his adulthood does not seem interested in this mission. Nor does he seem committed to maintaining a godly character.

Samson travels the short distance from his parents’ home in Zorah to the Philistine city of Timnah. There he sees and likes a young Philistine woman. He returns home and demands that his parents get her for his wife. They object and ask him if there isn’t any Israelite woman he could marry. Philistines were not among the explicitly-forbidden nations, from which Israel was never to take wives (Deuteronomy 7:1–4). Yet they are just as idolatrous, opposed to God, and currently oppressing the nation. Samson’s parents seem to object more out of distaste than piety. Samson blatantly rejects any reasons other than personal preference: this is what he wants, so this is what he intends to get (Judges 14:1–3).

What follows is a statement which is key to understanding the entire story of Samson. Despite being irresponsible, impulsive, violent, and blatantly sinful, God empowers Samson in his conflicts with the Philistines (Judges 14:19; 15:14–15; 16:3). Here, God allows this designated man to insist on marriage into a pagan culture. That paradox is resolved by noting that God plans to use Samson as an instigator. The Lord’s intent is for Samson to disrupt the Philistine’s sense of control over Israel. Samson’s poor choices will result in his own misery, but God will also arrange events so that they help Israel, in the end (Judges 14:4).

On his way to Timnah to make wedding arrangements, Samson is attacked by a young lion. The Lord’s Spirit supernaturally empowers him. He tears the lion apart with his bare hands. He tells no one—perhaps because this is the first time such a thing has happened. He proceeds to Timnah to meet the young woman and talk with her. This affirms his infatuation; he resolves that marrying her is the right thing to do (Judges 14:5–7).

Once the wedding arrangements are made, Samson once again returns to Timnah for the wedding feast. Scripture does not say how much time passed between visits, but it might have been many weeks. On the way, he stops to see the lion’s carcass. He discovers something extremely unusual: a beehive inside the remains. Whether this means a hive in the lion’s skull, or the dried remnants of skin and bone, no details are given. Samson scoops out honey and eats some—a ritually unclean act. He even shares the honey with his parents without telling them what happened (Judges 14:8–9).

Samson hosts a traditional week-long wedding feast. This may have involved copious amounts of alcohol. Thirty Philistine companions are assigned to him for the week. He challenges them to a bet. If they can solve his “riddle” within the seven-day celebration, he will give each of them a set of clothes. If they cannot solve it, each of them will give him a set of clothes. True riddles can be solved by clever thinking; the guests might have thought Samson was adding entertainment to a gift. They agree, not realizing that what Samson has in mind is a blatantly unfair trick (Judges 14:10–13).

Samson’s challenge is not a true “riddle,” but a poetic reference to a secret only he knows: the lion carcass with a beehive in it. After three days, the Philistine men seem to suspect this is not a fair challenge. Frustrated, they threaten to kill Samson’s bride and her family if she does not get the answer. Likely terrified, she manipulates Samson to tell her the secret. When he finally gives in, she tells her fellow townspeople, and they declare the answer to the puzzle on the last day of the feast. Samson immediately realizes that he’s been betrayed, reacting with a crude insult of his bride (Judges 14:14–18).

In a rage, Samson heads to the fortified Philistine city of Ashkelon, about a full day’s travel away. Once again empowered by the Spirit to spark rebellion against the Philistines (Judges 14:4), he attacks thirty men there. He takes their clothes and returns to Timnah to pay off his wager. He then leaves, without the bride, and likely without even consummating the marriage. Thinking that Samson will not return, his bride’s father gives her to one of the groomsmen (Judges 14:19–20).

Samson will return after some time, while assuming he still has marital rights with the Philistine woman. When he realizes she’s been given to someone else, his rage will again boil over (Judges 15:1–3).

Chapter Context
This chapter leaps forward from Samson’s birth (Judges 13:5, 24–25) to somewhere in his adulthood. He demands a Philistine woman for a wife. At the wedding feast, he proposes a bet with thirty Philistine men. They learn the answer to his trick question by threatening to kill the bride. Samson attacks thirty Philistines in another town to secure the payment for the wager. His bride is given to one of the men who threatened her. Samson will return, expecting marital rights, only to be told she has been given to someone else (Judges 15:1–2).

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines.

The prior verses indicated that Samson experienced the stirring of the Lord’s Spirit in him as a young man. No details are given about how long has passed, but in this passage, he is at least of marrying age. Given his consecration even before birth (Judges 13:4), one would hope his life would be marked by holiness. This is not what happens. Almost immediately we see that Samson is not especially committed to God’s commands.

Timnah was located not far from Samson’s hometown of Zorah. Modern-day Tel Batash in the Sorek Valley of Israel sits above the ancient town of Timnah. Archaeologists have uncovered the Philistine layer of the fortified town that existed during the time of Samson and Judges in the early Iron Age. Samson is said to have gone “down” to Timnah in the sense that it sat at a lower elevation than Zorah.

Timnah was originally given to the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:43), though it was on or near the border of Judah’s territory (Joshua 15:10). During this time, the Philistines controlled the entire area, and occupied Timnah. The text does not reveal why Samson went to Timnah in the first place. While there, a young Philistine woman catches his eye, and he is captivated by her and impulsively decides he must marry her. This is only the first example of what seems to be Samson’s most profound weakness: women (Judges 16:1, 4).

Context Summary
Judges 14:1–4 finds Samson deeply infatuated with a Philistine woman. Despite being set apart before he was even born and blessed by God at a young age (Judges 13:24–25), his life seems to have drifted away from careful devotion to God. Marrying those who worship other gods violates the Law of Moses (Exodus 34:15–16). His parents object, but Samson insists. None of them realize that God is beginning to use Samson to disrupt Philistine control over Israel.

Verse 2. Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.”

Common practice throughout much of ancient history has been for parents to arrange the marriages of their children. Often, marriages were composed to build alliances or financial advantage. Samson’s story illustrates how marriages could also be arranged at the request of the children. If the heads of the households agreed, they would still handle the details.

Samson has gone to the Philistine-occupied town of Timnah, not far from his home in Zorah. There he saw a young Philistine woman who captivated him. He returns home, up out of the valley, and immediately demands that his parents get this woman for him as a wife. Throughout Samson’s life, he will show a marked lack of self-control when it comes to women (Judges 16:1, 4).

This marriage would be a violation of Israel’s God-given laws (Exodus 34:15–16). Though the Philistines were not as explicitly forbidden as other groups, intermarrying with idol-worshippers was a sin. It was also a major source of the nation’s misery in the book of Judges (Deuteronomy 7:3–4; Judges 2:16–19). Samson’s parents will object to his request, though not strongly enough to deny it (Judges 14:3).

Verse 3. But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”

Samson wants to take a Philistine woman as his wife. In that era this required his parents to make the arrangements. He demanded they do so almost immediately after seeing the woman (Judges 14:1–2). This impulsive desire is a problem for several reasons. First and foremost, God had forbidden His people from marrying non-Israelites in and around the land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 7:1–5). This restriction named specific cultures but was not a matter of ethnicity. Rather, it was a question of faith: to avoid being drawn into idol worship and the depravity that came with it (Exodus 34:15–16).

Second, Samson had been specially chosen by God to begin rescuing Israel from their Philistine oppressors (Judges 13:5). Marrying a Philistine woman was like making an alliance with the enemy instead of resisting them. Choosing to marry an enemy of Israel was direct rebellion against God’s will, including God’s presumed plans for Samson. As it happens, God plans to use this rebellious streak to weaken Philistine control (Judges 14:4).

Instead of refusing this request outright, Samson’s parents appeal to him. They only hint at the real problem by suggesting he find a wife from his own people. Referring to “uncircumcised Philistines” hints at the spiritual distinction between the two groups. At God’s decree, male Israelite babies were to be circumcised as infants in acknowledgement of the covenant between God and Israel (Genesis 17:9–14). Other nations of the region practiced circumcision, as well. The Philistines, though, did not circumcise their boys. At the same time, Samson’s parents seem to suggest that Philistines were lower class people because they did not practice circumcision. They’d prefer their son not take a woman from an unworthy group. As phrased, their complaint is less about God’s law, or Samson’s mission, and more about disdain for the Philistine people in general.

Scripture gives almost no details about Samson’s upbringing. His attitude here—what I want is what I will get—is tragically flawed for someone supposedly set apart for service to God. For all their early obedience (Judges 13), Samson’s parents take a careless approach to this issue. It’s possible—but not certain—that this style of upbringing contributed to Samson’s unspiritual nature and lack of self-control (Judges 14:9, 19; 16:1, 4). The only direct explanation given is that God is using Samson’s own flaws to weaken Philistine control over the people (Judges 14:4).

Verse 4. His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.

This is arguably the most important statement in Samson’s entire story. It is both confusing and comforting—it also helps to explain why someone designated for service to God so often acted in ungodly ways. God’s plan to make use of Samson for His purposes included leveraging Samson’s own rebellion and foolishness. Samson could not escape God’s will for his life even by directly disobeying God’s commands. This does not mean God blessed him “for” his sin—Samson will live a chaotic and scandalous life, eventually suffering greatly for his mistakes (Judges 16:21).

During these times of unrest, however, neither Samson nor his parents knew God’s plan. They did not see how Samson’s stubborn rebellious foolishness would create opportunity for victory over the Philistines oppressing Israel. God finds what He seeks—always (Job 42:2)—even when His people make wrong choices. He will use Samson’s rebellion to begin to end the era of the Philistines. Samuel, a judge-turned-prophet, will be the one to complete this task (1 Samuel 7:12–14).

Samson has demanded his parents arrange his marriage to a specific Philistine woman. They have objected, saying he should marry an Israelite woman instead of allying with the uncircumcised Philistines (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; Judges 14:1–3). He stubbornly refused, and they will comply (Judges 14:5).

Verse 5. Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring.

Timnah is where Samson saw a Philistine woman, with whom he demanded his parents arrange his marriage. They objected, preferring he marry an Israelite, but Samson insisted that “she is right in my eyes” (Judges 14:1–4). Samson’s parents have agreed to his request and travelled to Timnah to do as their son demanded. They are not with him when the last line of this verse takes place. As with Samson’s defiant insistence on marrying the Philistine woman, this incident will prove to be part of God’s plan: beginning the process of saving Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13:5).

Samson is attacked by a young lion. In the modern era, Asiatic lions are only found in India. In Samson’s day, and for centuries after the time of Christ, native lions lived in the Promised Land. Adult male Asiatic lions weigh around 330 pounds, or 150 kilograms. These could threaten livestock and even people in those territories (1 Samuel 17:34–35). Even with modern weapons such as rifles, lions are considered dangerous prey. To face a lion with spears or arrows is intimidating enough; Samson will literally tear this one apart with his bare hands (Judges 14:6).

Context Summary
Judges 14:5–9 is the first example of Samson’s supernatural strength, as empowered by the Holy Spirit. While travelling to meet his future wife, he is attacked by a young lion. Samson rips the animal apart with his bare hands. Later, he finds a beehive growing in the lion’s carcass. He takes honeycomb and eats it, sharing this with his parents.

Verse 6. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

Samson is alone near the Philistine town of Timnah. There, he is attacked by a young lion. It was not uncommon to encounter lions in and around the forests of Palestine during this time in Israel’s history (1 Samuel 17:34–35). It has always been relatively rare for a lion to attack a man unprovoked. Still, this incident will play an important role in God’s plan for Samson.

As the lion charges, God’s Spirit rushes on Samson. In this case, it means Samson was quickly and fully filled with the supernatural power of God—giving him abilities otherwise impossible. God’s power in Samson resulted in supernatural physical strength. Not only does an unarmed Samson kill the lion, but he literally tears it apart with his bare hands. The text compares this to ripping the limbs from a small animal during the butchering process. Samson does this to an animal which is at least the size of an adult man.

Egyptian and Assyrian paintings from this era show warriors and kings killing fierce lions with swords, spears, and bows. Only heroes of myth and legend were said to have killed attacking lions with their hands. Skeptics sometimes relate Samson’s feat to the Greek hero, Heracles—or Hercules—who famously killed a near-invincible monster, the Nemean lion. In Heracles case, he trapped the animal, stunned it with a club, and then strangled it. That act was a defining moment in Heracles’ life. Samson accomplishes his task without warning, without weapons, and without much fanfare. The results of his act are indirect—he does not even tell his parents what happened.

Samson may have kept this event a secret to hide the fact that he was now ritually unclean. According to custom and law, he may have been obligated to endure ritual cleansing before he could proceed with the wedding. Some commentators suggest this was the first time Samson had been supernaturally empowered. If so, he may have been unsure how or if to tell others what had happened. Scripture gives no direct explanation.

Verse 7. Then he went down and talked with the woman, and she was right in Samson ‘s eyes.

Samson has not told anyone about his eventful trip into Timnah. His parents had apparently gone ahead of him when he was attacked by a young lion. Empowered by the sudden indwelling of the Lord’s Spirit, Samson tore the lion apart with his bare hands (Judges 14:5–6).

Now he arrives in Timnah to talk to the object of his desire: the Philistine woman he asked his parents to arrange for him to marry. It’s possible this is the first time Samson has spoken to her, having only seen her on his previous trip to the city. This encounter reinforces his initial infatuation. Whether it is right, in the eyes of God, for him to marry a woman from the idol-worshipping, oppressive Philistines (Judges 14:1–4), he seems not to care. Samson’s only concern is that she is what he wants: she is “right in [his] eyes.” This pattern of ignoring God’s will in favor of preferences is a tragic theme of the book of Judges (Judges 14:3; 17:6; 21:25).

Verse 8. After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.

In prior verses, Samson travelled to Timnah to see a Philistine woman. This was the person he demanded his parents obtain as his bride (Judges 14:1–4). On the way there, he was attacked by a lion, which he supernaturally killed with his bare hands (Judges 14:5–7). Samson’s parents have agreed to his demand to marry the woman and have arranged with her family for the wedding to take place. In this verse, he is returning from his hometown to take his Philistine bride. This is to be the beginning of a traditional, week-long wedding celebration.

The phrase “some days later” suggests a relatively long period. In ancient Israel, there was a betrothal period before a wedding, which could last months. It might have been many weeks since Samson killed the lion. Samson stops to see the carcass of the lion he had previously killed. A mass of bees has made a honey-producing hive in the body. Although the text simply states these facts, this is a remarkable event, perhaps also brought about through God’s intervention.

Honeybees don’t normally take up residence in animal carcasses. However, they will make hives in almost any properly sized space. It’s possible that whatever skin and bones were left by scavengers dried to create a suitable cavity. Or the bees might have made their home in the lion’s skull. Scripture offers few details, as they aren’t relevant to the story. Something unusual is going on here, without any question, and the strangeness of the incident will be important in the next part of Samson’s story.

Verse 9. He scraped it out into his hands and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother and gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.

On his way to Timnah to claim his Philistine wife, Samson has stopped to see the body of the lion he killed (Judges 13:1–6). In an extraordinary moment, the Lord’s Spirit rushed upon Samson just as the lion was attacking him. With God’s power, Samson fatally wounded the lion with his bare hands. Upon his return, Samson has discovered something unusual inside the remains: a hive of bees producing honey.

This would not have been a normal sight. Bees will make hives in almost anywhere they can find room, but animal carcasses don’t normally make good foundations. In this case, the lion’s leftover bones and skin may have helped create a suitable space. Or the bees made their home in the skull. It’s also possible this was simply a bizarre, supernaturally driven moment decreed by God. Such details are absent, but irrelevant to the story. The bizarre nature of what Samson sees is, itself, an important part of what happens next.

One possible reason God might have engineered this discovery was to test Samson, or to make use of his lack of self-control (Judges 13:4). Samson had been set aside as a Nazirite by “the angel of the LORD” (Judges 13:5). This vow (Numbers 6:1–21) came with certain restrictions and was tied to his special mission. Careful readers will note that a normal Nazirite vow involved having no contact with a dead body. At the same time, the only aspect of a Nazirite vow explicitly given to Samson, himself, involved not cutting his hair.

Since touching dead bodies wasn’t directly mentioned by “the angel of the LORD” to Samson’s parents, it’s unclear whether this was part of his special designation. Even so, all Israelites were prohibited from eating unclean food (Leviticus 11). One way or another, Samson’s choice to eat honey from an animal carcass body was a direct violation of God’s law for Israel. Worse, he gave it to his parents without telling them where he got it, making them unclean, as well.

If the honey in the lion’s carcass was meant as a test for Samson, he failed miserably. Adding to his errors, Samson will use this unusual experience as the basis of a bet with his Philistine groomsmen (Judges 14:12–14).

Verse 10. His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do.

Samson and his father have returned to the Philistine city of Timnah. They are there to finalize the marriage between Samson and his Philistine bride (Judges 14:1–3). With his father’s help, Samson has prepared the week-long wedding feast, customarily hosted by the groom. Such wedding feasts often became an extended drinking party involving large amounts of wine and alcohol.

If Samson participated in drinking wine, this would have been another violation of the Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1–21). Before Samson’s birth, he was designated as a Nazirite by “the angel of the LORD” (Judges 13:5), though the only restriction explicitly named was for him to never cut his hair. Whether he was violating an aspect of his God-given vows, here, is a relatively minor point. Samson seems to have paid little attention to any requirements of a Nazirite vow, other than leaving his hair long. Nor did he seem especially worried about the laws given to citizens of Israel. He has already violated God’s law by seeking to marrying a woman from an idol-worshipping culture (Exodus 34:15–16). He’s broken it by scraping honey from the carcass of an animal (Leviticus 5:2).

Rather than embracing his mission of opposing the oppressive Philistines, it seems, Samsons would rather make an alliance with them. Of course, God doesn’t need Samson’s obedience to accomplish His plans. In fact, Samson’s obstinate and reckless nature will be the means God uses to disrupt Philistine control (Judges 14:4).

Context Summary
Judges 14:10–20 explains the disastrous outcome of Samson’s attempted marriage to a Philistine woman. As was the custom, a weeklong wedding feast is held. Thirty Philistines companions are assigned to Samson. He makes an exorbitant bet with them, making a riddle about his killing of the young lion (Judges 14:5–6). The men threaten the future bride, who pesters Samson until he tells her the secret, which she gives to the groomsmen. Enraged at her betrayal, and empowered by the Lord’s Spirit, Samson assaults thirty Philistine men in another town (Judges 14:4). He takes their clothes as the payment for the wager. Because Samson angrily abandons the wedding feast, his bride is given to another man.

Verse 11. As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

With the help of his father, Samson is hosting a week-long wedding feast in Timnah. In that culture, the wedding feast would follow a betrothal period, after which the groom would officially take the bride and the relationship would be consummated. He has taken a Philistine bride out of sheer impulse: he saw her, and she looked good to him (Judges 14:1–3). He seems unconcerned about God’s laws for Israel (Exodus 34:15–16) or for those under a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1–21; Judges 13:5; 14:8).

Thirty men have been assigned as Samson’s companions—roughly the equivalent of modern groomsmen. Commentators speculate about exactly what was expected of these men. It may be that Philistine custom required that many men from the bride’s people to participate as guests. Other scholars suggest these thirty men were assigned to protect the bride’s interests, ensuring fair treatment. Still others speculate Samson already had a reputation for chaos, and these men were called in to provide security. The men are said to have been brought when “the people saw [Samson],” though this might simply refer to custom, and not something alarming about Samson, himself.

Whatever their official reason for being there, these men will soon come into vicious conflict with Samson.

Verse 12. And Samson said to them, “Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes,

Samson is hosting a week-long wedding feast in the Philistine town of Timnah. It is part of his marriage to a Philistine bride (Judges 14:1–3). Thirty men from the town have been assigned as Samson’s companions during the feast. Scholars speculate about whether they were to serve as informal “drinking buddies,” customary attendants, or even security guards.

Riddles and mysteries were popular in the ancient world, but Samson enhances this one with a wager. If his thirty Philistine companions can solve it within the seven days of the feast, he will give each man a linen garment and a change of clothes. In other words, Samson would give them each a complete outfit, consisting of the long undergarment and the shorter tunic worn over it. This would have been an extremely expensive provision. For someone so directly assigned by God (Judges 13:5), Samson’s life is remarkably plagued by impulsiveness and poor decision making (Judges 16:1, 4). In this case, his personality flaws might have been aggravated by large quantities of alcohol (Judges 14:10–11).

The following verse reveals the stakes for the Philistine men if they cannot solve the riddle: the same handsome payment but split among thirty men (Judges 14:13).

Verse 13. but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Put your riddle, that we may hear it.”

Samson has been assigned thirty Philistine men as companions for his week-long marriage wedding feast (Judges 14:1–3, 10–11). It’s unclear whether these men are meant as drinking companions, security, or simply traditional guests. At some point on the first day of the celebration, Samson has challenged them with a wager (Judges 14:12). He has offered to provide each man a linen garment and a change of outer clothes, if they can solve his riddle—and they have seven days to solve it.

If they cannot solve his riddle, they will each give him one linen garment and change of clothes. If Samson loses, he will be obligated to provide thirty sets of clothes, which would be an expensive penalty. Clothing was much costlier in the ancient world than in most modern cultures. The Philistine men eagerly agree; at first, this seems like moderate stakes for the Philistines. Even if they lose, each man only needs to come up with one change of clothes. That’s not cheap, but neither is it outrageous. Further, the men likely assume that between the thirty of them, they should be able to resolve the mystery within in the week. It’s possible the men believe Samson is being extravagant: that he’s offering them gifts with the added entertainment of figuring out a clever riddle.

Brash Samson doesn’t plan on losing. What he will present is not so much a “riddle” as a poetic explanation of a secret event (Judges 14:14)—so he has no reason to think anyone could ever guess the answer.

Verse 14. And he said to them, “Out of the eater came something to eat.Out of the strong came something sweet.” And in three days they could not solve the riddle.

Samson has proposed a bet to the thirty Philistine men assigned to be his wedding feast companions. If they solve his riddle before the end of the festivities, he will give each a full change of clothes. If they cannot solve it before the feast ends, each man will owe him a change of clothes. It begins as a seemingly friendly wager, though it will not end that way.

Riddles show up occasionally in Scripture; they were common in the literature of Samson’s era. The queen of Sheba travelled a long way to bring “hard questions,” likely riddles, as tests for wise Solomon (1 Kings 10:1), and Daniel was said to have the ability to explain riddles, among other talents (Daniel 5:12). Samson’s challenge may be the most classic “so-called riddle” in the Bible.

However, this is not a true “riddle.” It’s just a “secret.” Samson’s challenge is for these men to interpret his poetic description of an obscure, bizarre occurrence. This is not a minor difference. In the classic novel The Hobbit, two characters engage in a battle of riddles, which can be solved by clever thinking or wisdom. One character absentmindedly asks himself out loud, “what have I got in my pocket?” The opponent thinks this meant as part of the challenge—he’s enraged by the obviously unfair question. Samson’s deception is worse: it’s deliberate and his rivals don’t realize it’s an impossible situation.

The answer to Samson’s mystery is only apparent for those who have read Samson’s story to this point. Samson had recently seen a hive of bees inside the carcass of a lion—one which he’d killed with his bare hands (Judges 14:5–7). From that “strong eater” came sweet honey. Of course, without having read that passage, there is no possible way to interpret this correctly. Samson had not even told his parents about the lion or the source of the honey he shared with them (Judges 11:8–9). Later, Samson will seem to acknowledge that this was an immoral trick (Judges 15:3).

Scholars speculate that riddles given in drunken wedding feasts often had crude or sexual answers. At first, the men likely thought the answer was something along those lines. After three days of guessing, they had no clue what the solution was. Their irritation comes across in the following verse: the men are so frustrated that they threaten Samson’s betrothed to find out the answer (Judges 14:15).

Verse 15. On the fourth day they said to Samson ‘s wife, “Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father ‘s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?”

When Samson proposed a wager to his thirty Philistine groomsmen, they probably thought it was an entertaining gesture of generosity. He’d offered them seven days to resolve a riddle. Most likely, they thought the answer would be something clever, possibly crude or bawdy, but not impossible. The bet might have seemed like a whimsical way of offering them gifts (Judges 14:11–13). What Samson offers, however, is not a “riddle” at all. It’s just a fancy statement of a personal secret—something no one could ever know or learn (Judges 14:5–9, 14).

After three days, what probably started off in laughter turns vicious. Samson’s challenge is simply a description of his own recent experience: eating honey out of the carcass of a lion. When days of guesses fall apart, the men may have begun to suspect they were being tricked. That may have led them to decide that if Samson’s cheating, they will cheat.

The Philistine men approach the woman Samson has come to marry. This passage refers to her as his “wife;” that term is accurate, in the ancient context, though she is currently only “betrothed” to Samson. Only when the wedding feast is over, and the relationship is consummated, will they be fully wed. The angry guests threaten to murder her if she doesn’t find out Samson’s secret. The implication behind their threat—the reference to her “fathers’ house”— is that they will kill both her and her entire family.

Their complaint is an exaggeration. Buying a single set of clothes wouldn’t likely cost any of these guests all they have. Though a set of clothes could be expensive, it’s more likely the men are angry at the idea that being guests at a wedding feast could cost them money. For an Israelite to insult them and trick them into losing a bet would be unthinkable. This verse also reveals that these men have now become enemies of the bride’s family because of Samson.

Verse 16. And Samson ‘s wife wept over him and said, “You only hate me; you do not love me. You have put a riddle to my people, and you have not told me what it is.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?”

Samson’s new Philistine bride will be fully wed to him at the end of a seven-day feast (Judges 14:1–3; 10). When Samson makes an unfair wager with his thirty assigned bridegrooms, they become frustrated and threaten the bride with death if she doesn’t bring them the answer to Samson’s challenge (Judges 14:11–15).

As one might expect, the woman agrees to betray Samson to her fellow Philistines. She probably felt she had no choice. To get the answer, she employs a technique which proves extremely effective (Judges 16:15–16) against a man like Samson: she cries. That brief description does not mean she “merely” sheds tears. As her words here suggest, the new bride is applying a great deal of emotion and manipulation. She accuses Samson of mistreating her and her family.

At first, Samson refuses to be controlled. He hasn’t even told his own parents the answer to the riddle—so why would he tell her? This is a logical answer, but not necessarily a flattering one. Nor does it speak well of Samson’s attitude towards this marriage. Samson is declaring more love and loyalty for his parents than for her. Naturally, he has only recently met her, and they are not fully wed. Yet it also reveals that Samson’s desire for his wife is not based in a godly understanding of marriage (Genesis 2:24). This union is not about cooperation and partnership, at least for Samson.

Verse 17. She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her people.

The Philistine woman to whom Samson is betrothed finally breaks him down, convincing him to share his secret. Samson’s thirty Philistine groomsmen accepted his wager to solve his “riddle,” not knowing at first that it was no riddle at all, but an impossible secret (Judges 14:11–16). After three days, they seemed to realize it was a trick, and so the men decided to play dirty. They threatened to kill the woman and her family if she did not get the answer out of Samson. Rather than telling Samson about the danger, she works to get the solution from him.

Samson resisted her tearful, emotional manipulation for several days. Winning the bet depended on keeping his secret. He did not give up the answer even when she accused him of hating her. Either her consistent nagging wore Samson down, or she applied exceptional pressure on the seventh day. This statement indicates that she applied tremendous emotional manipulation—a tactic to which Samson will always be vulnerable (Judges 16:16).

As soon as he submits to her demand, she gives the answer to the thirty groomsmen.

Verse 18. And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey?What is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer,you would not have found out my riddle.”

Under a death threat from her fellow Philistines, Samson’s new wife has betrayed him. She has manipulated, wept, and nagged him, demanding he share a secret with her. As soon as he gave in, she passed that secret on to her murderous townspeople (Judges 14:15–17).

Samson had presented a wager to his thirty Philistine groomsmen. The stakes are thirty sets of clothes, and the challenge is to explain a “riddle.” Unlike true riddles, however, Samson’s mystery is just a personal secret; it’s something no one could know and is therefore an unfair trick. His poetic phrasing described the discovery of a hive of bees in the carcass of a lion, a lion which Samson killed through the power of the Lord’s Spirit (Judges 14:5–8, 12–14).

The Philistines confront Samson with the answer with little time to spare. The sun is going down on the final day of the feast. They frame their solution in poetic language which mirrors the original challenge. Samson immediately knows how they determined the answer. He posed the wager knowing that there was absolutely no way it could be solved—and only his new Philistine wife was told the secret.

Using yet another turn of phrase, Samson points out exactly how they came to the right answer. His retort is meant as an insult, both to the thirty men for cheating as well as a crude dismissal of his wife. She was nothing but a tool for these men to “dig up” a secret like livestock pulling a plow. Still, referring to her as a “heifer” in this context is as derogatory as calling a modern woman a “cow.” It makes crude implications about intellect and ownership. A literal “heifer” is a young female cow, which in Samson’s culture was associated with childish stubbornness (Jeremiah 50:11). The phrasing might also be taken as a crude accusation towards the woman’s sexual faithfulness.

Thwarted in his attempt to swindle the Philistines, and betrayed by his own betrothed wife, Samson will lash out in rage (Judges 14:19).

Verse 19. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father ‘s house.

For the second time in this chapter, the Spirit of the Lord rushes on Samson. He has lost a bet to thirty men from Timnah because they used his wife to betray him. Despite their unfairness—which was in response to his own deceptive attempts—he now owes them each a set of clothes (Judges 14:11–18).

Samson travels to the fortified Philistine city of Ashkelon. The choice of a city which was likely a full day’s travel away from Timnah might have been to avoid being recognized. He does this without staying to consummate the marriage to his new bride; he will not return to her for some time. This leads to further misunderstanding and scandal (Judges 14:20).

Scripture uses the Hebrew root word nakah to describe Samson’s act. This word literally means to “strike” or to “beat.” It is usually interpreted to mean “killing.” However, the Bible sometimes needs to specify that it has caused death (Numbers 35:16; 2 Samuel 1:15; 11:15). The same root word will be used later to describe Samson’s retaliation against the Philistines, implying death without explicitly counting casualties. Most likely, this verse means Samson killed thirty men and took their clothes to pay his debt. It’s possible, but less likely, that he attacked the men and robbed them of their garments, instead.

Samson has behaved defiantly and foolishly throughout this passage. That began with deciding to marry a Philistine woman in the first place (Exodus 34:15–16). It likely continued by breaking aspects of the Nazirite vow (Judges 13:5; 14:10). What he does here is only briefly described, but it’s certainly not self-defense. It’s an act of aggression and violence. That raises the question which lingers over Samson’s entire life: why does the Spirit of the Lord empower Samson at all, let alone in moments such as this?

The answer comes earlier, when explaining why God allowed Samson to pursue his marriage to a Philistine bride (Judges 14:4). God’s overall plan for Samson is to disrupt the Philistines’ comfortable control over Israel (Judges 13:1, 5). After forty years, Israel has grown complacent in captivity. They seem resigned to living under the rule of the Philistines. Unlike previous times, Israel has not called out for rescue from their condition (Judges 2:16–19). Samson’s willingness to marry a pagan, idol-worshipping Philistine and his parents’ weak resistance are evidence of this lack of conviction. Samson’s sins are just that—sins—and he will suffer for them throughout his life. And yet, the Lord intends to use Samson’s lack of character and self-control to ignite a spark of resistance within Israel.

Even after such a violent act, Samson, is still boiling over with rage. That seems to include anger at his betrothed wife. Rather than returning to her and consummating the marriage, he returns to his parents’ home in Zorah.

Verse 20. And Samson ‘s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

Scholars differ about whether Samson ever consummated the wedding to his Philistine wife (Judges 14:1–3). Some suggest the consummation would have happened after the first night of the feast, while others say it would be reserved for the final night. Most likely, Samson left Timnah in a rage (Judges 14:16–19) without completing his marriage to the woman.

What is clear is that the woman’s father interprets Samson’s angry departure as a divorce (Deuteronomy 24:3). What appears to be abandonment leaves the woman in a state of dishonor. If Samson did, in fact, consummate the marriage before leaving, this would have made her even more socially shamed. Seemingly to protect her interests, the father instead gave her as a wife to one of the thirty men who made a wager with Samson (Judges 14:10–15). Scripture does not say how soon this decision was made. However, the next verse (Judges 15:1) indicates that Samson will come back “after some days,” so the father might have only acted after taking time to be convinced Samson was not coming back.

End of Judges 14

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