Keraia
Judges 14

Judges 14:18

Samson’s Riddle · Judges 14:8–20
Read Judges 14

Translations

Modern
Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”
Traditional
And 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.
Literal
And the men of the city said to 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 to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have solved my riddle.”
Latin
Et illi dixerunt ei die septimo ante solis occubitum: Quid dulcius melle, et quid fortius leone? Qui ait ad eos: Si non arassetis in vitula mea, non invenissetis propositionem meam.

Original

Hebrew
English
Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”

Notes

Judges 14:18

People often answered a riddle with another riddle. In this case, the Philistines used a similar poetic couplet. They did not reveal everything they knew; they just wanted to win the contest.

Judges 14:14–19

Israel's hero, like Sisera, was defeated by a woman (Judges 4:21; see study note on Judges 8:20–21).

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.

Theme notes and profiles

Samson The Philistines

Glossary

Agriculture Honey Judges, Book of Marriage, Marriage Customs Philistia, Philistines Riddle Tribe of Dan

Topics

Betting by Samson Heifer used for Pulling Honey: Sweetness of Lion: Samson's Riddle Concerning Riddle used As a Test of Wit: At Samson's Feast Samson: His Marriage Feast and the Riddle Propounded Sarcasm by Samson The Lion: Superior in Strength The Ox: Heifer of a Beloved Wife