2 Samſon deſireth to haue a wife of the Philiſtims. 6 He killeth a lyon. 12 He propoundeth a riddle. 19 He kylleth thirtie. 20 His wife forſaketh him and taketh another.

1.NOw Samſón went downe to Timnáth, and ſawe a woman in Timnáth of the daughters of the Philiſtíms,

2.And he came vp and tolde his father and his mother, and ſaid, I haue ſene a woman in Timnáth of the daughters of the Philiſtíms: now therefore ^" giue me her to wife.

3.Thē his father and his mother ſaid vnto him, Is there ^a neuer ^a wife amōg y^e daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, that thou muſt go to take ^a wife of the vncircūciſed Philiſtíms? And Samfón ſaid vnto his father, Giue me her, for ſhe pleaſeth me wel.

4.But his father and his mother knewe not that it came of the Lord, that he ſhulde ſeke an occaſion againſt the ^b Philiſtíms: for at that time the Philiſtims reigned ouer Iſraél.

5.¶ Then went Samſón and his father and his mother downe to Timnáth, and came to y^e vineyardes at Timnáth : & beholde, a yong lyon roared vpon him.

6.And the Spirit of the Lord ^c came vpon him, and he tare him, as one ſhulde haue rent a kid, and had nothing in his hand, ne- ther tolde he his father nor his mother what he had done.

7.And he went downe, and talked with the woman which was beautiful in the eyes of Samſón.

8.¶ And within a fewe dayes, whé he returned ^" to receiue her, he went aſide to ſe the carkeis of the lyon: and beholde, there was a ſwarme of bees, and hony in the body of the lyon.

9.And he toke thereof in his hands, and went eating, and came to his father and to his mother, and gaue vnto them, and they did eat: but he tolde not them, that he had taken the hony out of the bodie of y^e lyon.

10.So his father went downe vnto the woman, and Samſón made there a ^d feaſt: for ſo vſed the yong men to do.

11.And when ^e they ſawe him, they broght thirtie companions to be with him.

12.Then Samſón ſaid vnto them, I wil now put forthe a ridle vnto you : & if you can declare it me within ſeuen dayes of the feaſt, and finde it out, I wil giue you thirtie ſhetes, and thirtie ^f change of garmēts.

13.But if you cānot declare it me, then ſhal ye giue me thirtie ſhetes and thirtie change of garments. And they anſwered him, Put forthe thy ridle, that we may heare it.

14.And he ſaid vnto them, Out of the eater came meat, and out of the ſtrong came ſwetenes : & they colde not in thre dayes expounde the ridle.

15.And when the ſeuenth day was ^g come, they ſaid vnto Samſons wife, Entiſe thyne houſband, that he may declare vs the ridle, leſt we burne thee and thy fathers houſe with fire. Haue ye called vs, ^" to poſſeſſe vs? is it not ſo?

16.And Samſons wife wept before him, and ſaid, Surely thou hateſt me and loueſt me not : for thou haſt put forthe a ridle vnto the ^h children of my people, and haſt not tolde it me. And he ſaid vnto her, Beholde, I haue not tolde it my father, nor my mother, and ſhal I tel it thee?

17.Then Samſons wife wept before him ^" ſeuen dayes, while their feaſt laſted: and when the ſeuenth day came, he tolde her, becauſe ſhe was importunate vpon him: ſo ſhe tolde the ridle to the children of her people.

18.And the men of the citie ſaid vnto him the ſeuenth day before the ſonne went downe, What is ſweter, then honie? and what is ſtronger then a lyon? Then ſaid he vnto them, ^k If ye had not plowed w^t my heiffer, ye had not founde out my ridle.

19.And the Spirit of the Lord came vpon him, and he went downe ^l to Aſhkelón, and flewe thirtie men of them & ſpoiled thē, and gaue change of garments vnto them, which expounded the ridle: & his wrath was kindled , and he went vp to his fathers houſe.

20.Thē Samſons wife was giuen to his companion, whome he had vſed as his friend.

Judges 14

Notes