1
Samson went down to Timnah, and there he saw a Philistine woman.
2
He came back and told his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.”
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 Philistines, those uncircumcised people?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me.”
4
But his father and mother did not know that this was from the LORD, for he was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
5
Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah. When they came to the vineyards of Timnah, a young lion came toward Samson, roaring.
6
Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one tears a young goat—without anything in his hand. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
7
Then he went down and spoke with the woman, for Samson was pleased with her.
8
After some time he returned there to marry the woman; and when he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
9
He scraped the honey into his hands and went on eating as he walked. Then he went to his father and mother and gave some to them, and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.
10
Then his father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, for that is what young men used to do.
11
When they saw him, they chose thirty companions to be with him.
12
Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle. If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast and solve it, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
13
But if you cannot give me the answer, then you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” And they said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”
14
So he said to them:
“Out of the eater came something to eat,
out of the strong came something sweet.”
For three days they could not give the answer to the riddle.
15
On the seventh day they said to Samson’s wife, “Persuade your husband, that he may tell us the answer to the riddle; or else we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Did you invite us to make us poor? Is that not so?”
16
Then Samson’s wife wept before him and clung to him, saying, “You only hate me, and do not love me. You have put a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not told me the answer.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or my mother; and shall I tell it to you?”
17
Yet she wept beside him the seven days while their feast lasted. On the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard; then she told the answer of the riddle to the sons of her people.
18
So on the seventh day, before the sun went down, the men of the city said to him:
“What is sweeter than honey?
And 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.”
19
Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men there. He took their garments and gave the festal garments to those who had told the answer to the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.
20
And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.
💪🔥👀 Summary of Judges 14 – Samson, Desire, and God’s Hidden Purpose
Judges 14 is the beginning of the story of Samson acting on his own, not as a military leader of Israel like the others. Yet behind his weakness toward women, God still used the situation to strike the Philistines — Israel’s main enemy at that time.
📌 1. Samson Wants a Philistine Woman (verses 1–4)
- Samson saw a Philistine woman in Timnah and said to his parents:
“Get her for me as my wife, for she pleases me.”
- His parents objected because she was not from God’s people, but Samson still insisted.
- The Bible notes that this was from the LORD, because He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines.
🎯 God can use human weakness for His purpose — but that does not mean He approves of sin.
📌 2. Samson Kills a Lion (verses 5–6)
- On the way to Timnah, a young lion attacked Samson, but the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and Samson killed the lion with his bare hands.
- Samson did not tell anyone, including his parents.
🎯 True strength comes from the Spirit of God — not from muscles or one’s own resolve.
📌 3. Honey in the Lion’s Carcass (verses 7–9)
- When he returned to the place where the lion had died, he saw bees and honey in the carcass.
- He ate the honey and gave some to his parents — without telling them where it came from.
📛 As a Nazirite, Samson should not have touched a dead body — this marks an early small breach of his vow.
📌 4. The Wedding Feast and the Riddle (verses 10–18)
- Samson held a seven-day feast — this was according to Philistine custom.
- He gave a riddle to 30 Philistine young men:
“Out of the eater came food, and out of the strong came sweetness.”
(referring to the honey in the lion’s carcass)
- They could not solve it, so they threatened his wife to persuade Samson.
- His wife wept for seven days, and at last Samson gave in and told her.
🎯 Samson’s weakness with women would become a destructive pattern — tenderness of heart can become a weakness if it is not guided by truth.
📌 5. Samson Kills and Pays the Wager (verses 19–20)
- Because his wife revealed the answer, Samson became very angry, and the Spirit of God came upon him again.
- He killed 30 men of Ashkelon and took their garments to pay the wager.
- Then he went down to his father’s house, and his wife was given to another man (one of the companions at the feast).
🎯 Samson’s anger produced revenge — not an act of divine leadership.
📖 Main Lessons
- The desire of the eyes can draw us away from God’s will.
- The Lord can still use bad situations for His plan.
- True strength comes when the Spirit of the Lord rules our lives.
- A small weakness left unchecked will become a great ruin.
- A misused secret can betray trust.
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“For all that is in the world… the desire of the eyes… is not from the Father.”
“God works in all things for good…”
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.”
🎯 Though we may fail in our own will, God remains sovereign and works through all things — even through wrong choices.
“Get her for me, for she pleases me.” – Judges 14:3
“The Spirit of the Lord came upon him…” – verses 6 and 19
“Out of the eater came food, and out of the strong came sweetness.” – verse 14
