Stories of Samson
1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw a Philistine woman.
2 He came up and said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman at Timnah; get her for me that she may be my wife.”
3 His father and mother said to him, “Is there no one among the daughters of your brothers and among all your people that you should go and take a wife from among those uncircumcised Philis tines?”
Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for I like her.”
4 His father and mother did not know that this came from Yahweh who was seeking a quarrel with the Philistines; for at that time, the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5 Samson then went down to Timnah, and when he reached the vineyards at Timnah, a young lion came up roaring toward him.
6 The Spirit of Yahweh then seized Samson. With bare hands he tore the lion to pieces as he would have done with a young goat.
7 But he told neither his father or mother what he had done.
8 Then he went down and talked to the woman who pleased him. After some time, he returned to take her. He went out of his way to look at the carcass of the lion. He found a swarm of bees and honey in the lion’s carcass.
9 Sam son scraped the honey into his hands and ate it as he walked.
When he reached his parents, he gave them honey and they ate it, too. But he did not tell them he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.
10 Then, Sam son’s father went down to the woman and Samson offered a banquet as was the custom among the young.
11 When he appeared, the Philistines assigned thirty men to go with him as his wedding companions.
12 Samson said to them, “I am going to give you a riddle. If you can give me the right solution within seven days of the feast, I shall give you thirty tunics and thirty linen garments.
13 But if you can’t tell me the solution, you will give me thirty tunics and thirty linen garments.” They answered, “Tell your riddle; we are listening.”
14 He said to them, “From him who eats came what is eaten, and from the strong, sweetness came.”
15 After three days, they had not guessed the riddle. So on the fourth day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Convince your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s family. Did you invite us to rob us?”
16 Samson’s wife began to weep and she threw herself upon her husband saying, “You do not like me or love me anymore. You have given a riddle to the young men of my people, but you have not explained it to me.” He said to her, “I have not explained it even to my parents, why should I explain it to you?”
17 She cried before him for seven days while the feast lasted. On the seventh day, he explained it to her for he was bored with her crying. She then related it to her countrymen.
18 On the seventh day, before the married couple were to enter the wedding chamber, the people of the city said to Sam son, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He said to them, “If you had not plowed with my young cow, you would not have guessed my riddle.”
19 Then the Spirit of Yahweh seized him. He went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty men, took their plunder and gave the linen garments to those who had guessed the riddle. Then, in great anger, he came up to his father’s house.
20 So Samson’s wife was given to one of his wedding companions.