Book 07 : NEVIIM - JUDGES - Chapter 014
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And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah
of the daughters of the Philistines
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And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and
said: 'I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now
therefore get her for me to wife.
14:003
Then his father and his mother said unto him: 'Is there
never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that
thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?' And Samson said
unto his father: 'Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
14:004
But his father and his mother knew not that it was of
HaShem; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the
Philistines had rule over Israel
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Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to
Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and, behold, a young lion roared
against him
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And the spirit of HaShem came mightily upon him, and he
rent him as one would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand; but he
told not his father or his mother what he had done
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And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she
pleased Samson well
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And after a while 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
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And he scraped it out into his hands, and went on, eating
as he went, and he came to his father and mother, and gave unto them, and they
did eat; but he told them not that he had scraped the honey out of the body of
the lion
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And his father went down unto the woman; and Samson made
there a feast; for so used the young men to do
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And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought
thirty companions to be with him
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And Samson said unto them: 'Let me now put forth a riddle
unto you; if ye can declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find
it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of
raiment
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but if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me
thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment.' And they said unto him:
'Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14:014
And he said unto them: Out of the eater came forth food,
and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days
declare the riddle
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And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said
unto Samson's wife: 'Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle,
lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire; have ye called us hither to
impoverish us?
14:016
And Samson's wife wept before him, and said: 'Thou dost
but hate me, and lovest me not; thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children
of my people, and wilt thou not tell it me?' And he said unto her: 'Behold, I
have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell thee?
14:017
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast
lasted; and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she
pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people
14:018
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
14:019
And the spirit of HaShem came mightily upon him, and he
went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and
gave the changes of raiment unto them that declared the riddle. And his anger
was kindled, and he went up to his father's house
14:020
But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had
had for his friend
Book 07 : NEVIIM - JUDGES - Chapter 014
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