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Judges 14

Judges 14:1

Samson’s Marriage · Judges 14:1–7
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Translations

Modern
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.
Traditional
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
Literal
And Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.
Latin
Descendit ergo Samson in Thamnatha: vidensque ibi mulierem de filiabus Philisthiim,

Original

Hebrew
English
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.

Notes

Judges 14:1

Timnah was likely about four miles down the Sorek Valley from Mahaneh-dan, where Israelite and Philistine territories met.

Judges 14:1–15:20

Samson's decision to marry a Philistine woman was the Lord's way (Judges 14:4) of starting to address the Philistine threat (see 13:5). One event led to another, marked by three times when the Spirit came strongly upon him (Judges 14:6, 19; 15:14). During these events, Samson was a strong but imperfect hero.

Judges 13:1–16:31

Samson, who gets more attention in the book of Judges than any other judge, is more mysterious than Jephthah. Samson shows great inspiration as a leader. He also represents the unstoppable move toward chaos, which shows the need for a more organized society under a godly ruler.

People

Samson: Israelite judge with great strength from God

Places

Philistia: An ancient people and region in Canaan Timnah: Canaanite city associated with Judah and Dan

Glossary

Delilah Judges, Book of Philistia, Philistines Riddle Timnah (Place) Timnath Tribe of Dan

Topics

Israel: Under the Judges: Led by Samson for Twenty Years Judge: Samson Philistines for Their History During the Leadership of Samson See Samson: Desires a Philistine Woman for his Wife; Kills a Lion The Philistines: Samson: Intermarried With Timnath: Home of Samson's Wife