Judges 14 שׁוֹפְטִים פרק י״ד

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Judges 14 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   וַיֵּרֶדand he descendedשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonתִּמְנָתָהto Timnahוַיַּרְאand sawאִשָּׁהa womanבְּתִמְנָתָהin Timnahמִבְּנוֹתof the daughters ofפְּלִשְׁתִּים׃Philistines

   And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

2. 2

   וַיַּעַלand went upוַיַּגֵּדand he toldלְאָבִיוunto his fatherוּלְאִמּוֹand to his motherוַיֹּאמֶרand saidאִשָּׁהa womanרָאִיתִיI sawבְתִמְנָתָהin Timnahמִבְּנוֹתof the daughters ofפְּלִשְׁתִּיםPhilistinesוְעַתָּהand nowקְחוּ־אוֹתָהּtake herלִיto meלְאִשָּׁה׃for wife

   And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

3. 3

   וַיֹּאמֶרand saidלוֹto himאָבִיוhis fatherוְאִמּוֹand his motherהַאֵיןis there notבִּבְנוֹתin the daughters ofאַחֶיךָyour brothersוּבְכׇל־עַמִּיand in all my peopleאִשָּׁהa womanכִּי־אַתָּהthat youהוֹלֵךְgoingלָקַחַתto takeאִשָּׁהa womanמִפְּלִשְׁתִּיםfrom the Philistinesהָעֲרֵלִיםthe uncircumcisedוַיֹּאמֶרand saidשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonאֶל־אָבִיוto his fatherאוֹתָהּherקַח־לִיtake to meכִּי־הִיאbecause sheיׇשְׁרָהshe is pleasingבְעֵינָי׃in my eyes

   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.

4. 4

   וְאָבִיוand his fatherוְאִמּוֹand his motherלֹאnotיָדְעוּthey knewכִּיforמֵיְהֹוָהfrom the LORDהִיאitכִּי־תֹאֲנָהbecause an occasionהוּא־מְבַקֵּשׁhe was seekingמִפְּלִשְׁתִּיםfrom the Philistinesוּבָעֵתand at that timeהַהִיאthatפְּלִשְׁתִּיםPhilistinesמֹשְׁלִיםhad dominionבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃over Israel

   But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5. 5

   וַיֵּרֶדand he descendedשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonוְאָבִיוand his fatherוְאִמּוֹand his motherתִּמְנָתָהto Timnahוַיָּבֹאוּand they cameעַד־כַּרְמֵיuntil the vineyards ofתִמְנָתָהTimnahוְהִנֵּהand beholdכְּפִירa young lion ofאֲרָיוֹתlionsשֹׁאֵגwas roaringלִקְרָאתוֹ׃to meet him

   Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

6. 6

   וַתִּצְלַחand it rushedעָלָיוupon himרוּחַthe Spirit ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDוַיְשַׁסְּעֵהוּand he tore apart itכְּשַׁסַּעas tears apartהַגְּדִיthe kidוּמְאוּמָהand anythingאֵיןthere is noבְּיָדוֹin his handוְלֹאand notהִגִּידdeclaredלְאָבִיוunto his fatherוּלְאִמּוֹand to his motherאֵת־אֲשֶׁרwhichעָשָׂה׃he did

   And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he 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.

7. 7

   וַיֵּרֶדand he descendedוַיְדַבֵּרand spokeלָאִשָּׁהto the womanוַתִּישַׁרand she was pleasingבְּעֵינֵיin the eyes ofשִׁמְשׁוֹן׃Samson

   And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

8. 8

   וַיָּשׇׁבand he returnedמִיָּמִיםfrom daysלְקַחְתָּהּto take herוַיָּסַרand he turned asideלִרְאוֹתto seeאֵת־מַפֶּלֶתthe carcass ofהָאַרְיֵהthe lionוְהִנֵּהand beholdעֲדַתswarm ofדְּבוֹרִיםbeesבִּגְוִיַּתin the carcass ofהָאַרְיֵהthe lionוּדְבָשׁ׃and honey

   And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

9. 9

   וַיִּרְדֵּהוּand he took it outאֶל־כַּפָּיוto his palmsוַיֵּלֶךְand wentהָלוֹךְgoing onוְאָכֹלand eatingוַיֵּלֶךְand wentאֶל־אָבִיוto his fatherוְאֶל־אִמּוֹand to his motherוַיִּתֵּןand gaveלָהֶםto themוַיֹּאכֵלוּand they ateוְלֹא־הִגִּידand not declaredלָהֶםto themכִּיthatמִגְּוִיַּתfrom the carcass ofהָאַרְיֵהthe lionרָדָהhe had takenהַדְּבָשׁ׃the honey

   And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

10. 10

    וַיֵּרֶדand he descendedאָבִיהוּhis fatherאֶל־הָאִשָּׁהto the womanוַיַּעַשׂand he madeשָׁםthereשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonמִשְׁתֶּהfeastכִּיforכֵּןthusיַעֲשׂוּthey shall doהַבַּחוּרִים׃the young men

    So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

11. 11

    וַיְהִיand it came to passכִּרְאוֹתָםwhen they sawאוֹתוֹhimוַיִּקְחוּand they tookשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyמֵרֵעִיםcompanionsוַיִּהְיוּand they wereאִתּוֹ׃with him

    And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12. 12

    וַיֹּאמֶרand saidלָהֶםto themשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonאָחוּדָה־נָּאlet me ask a riddle nowלָכֶםto youחִידָהa riddleאִם־הַגֵּדif will tellתַּגִּידוּyou will tellאוֹתָהּitלִיto meשִׁבְעַתsevenיְמֵיthe days ofהַמִּשְׁתֶּהthe feastוּמְצָאתֶםand you will find it outוְנָתַתִּיand I will giveלָכֶםto youשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyסְדִינִיםlinen garmentsוּשְׁלֹשִׁיםand thirtyחֲלִפֹתchanges ofבְּגָדִים׃garments

    And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:

13. 13

    וְאִם־לֹאand if notתוּכְלוּyou mayלְהַגִּידto declareלִיto meוּנְתַתֶּםand you will giveאַתֶּםyouלִיto meשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyסְדִינִיםlinen garmentsוּשְׁלֹשִׁיםand thirtyחֲלִיפוֹתchanges ofבְּגָדִיםgarmentsוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלוֹto himחוּדָהask the riddleחִידָתְךָyour riddleוְנִשְׁמָעֶנָּה׃so we may hear it

    But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14. 14

    וַיֹּאמֶרand saidלָהֶםto themמֵהָאֹכֵלfrom the eaterיָצָאhe went forthמַאֲכׇלfoodוּמֵעַזand from a strong oneיָצָאhe went forthמָתוֹקsweetוְלֹאand notיָכְלוּcould theyלְהַגִּידto declareהַחִידָהthe riddleשְׁלֹשֶׁתthreeיָמִים׃days

    And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

15. 15

    וַיְהִיand it came to passבַּיּוֹםin the dayהַשְּׁבִיעִיthe seventhוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלְאֵשֶׁת־שִׁמְשׁוֹןto the wife of Samsonפַּתִּיenticeאֶת־אִישֵׁךְyour husbandוְיַגֶּד־לָנוּso may he tell usאֶת־הַחִידָהthe riddleפֶּן־נִשְׂרֹףlest we will burnאוֹתָךְyouוְאֶת־בֵּיתand house ofאָבִיךְyour fatherבָּאֵשׁby fireהַלְיׇרְשֵׁנוּto dispossess usקְרָאתֶםhave you calledלָנוּto usהֲלֹא׃is it not

    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 to take that we have? is it not so?

16. 16

    וַתֵּבְךְּand she weptאֵשֶׁתthe wife ofשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonעָלָיוupon himוַתֹּאמֶרand saidרַק־שְׂנֵאתַנִיonly you hate meוְלֹאand notאֲהַבְתָּנִיyou love meהַחִידָהthe riddleחַדְתָּyou have asked the riddleלִבְנֵיunto the sons ofעַמִּיmy peopleוְלִיand to meלֹאnotהִגַּדְתָּהyou have toldוַיֹּאמֶרand saidלָהּto herהִנֵּהbeholdלְאָבִיfor my fatherוּלְאִמִּיand to my motherלֹאnotהִגַּדְתִּיI have toldוְלָךְand to youאַגִּיד׃I tell

    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 hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

17. 17

    וַתֵּבְךְּand she weptעָלָיוupon himשִׁבְעַתsevenהַיָּמִיםthe daysאֲשֶׁר־הָיָהwhich wasלָהֶםto themהַמִּשְׁתֶּהthe feastוַיְהִיand it came to passבַּיּוֹםin the dayהַשְּׁבִיעִיthe seventhוַיַּגֶּד־לָהּand he told herכִּיbecauseהֱצִיקַתְהוּshe pressed himוַתַּגֵּדand declaredהַחִידָהthe riddleלִבְנֵיunto the sons ofעַמָּהּ׃her people

    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 lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

18. 18

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלוֹto himאַנְשֵׁיthe men ofהָעִירthe cityבַּיּוֹםin the dayהַשְּׁבִיעִיthe seventhבְּטֶרֶםbeforeיָבֹאshall comeהַחַרְסָהthe sunמַה־מָּתוֹקwhat is sweetמִדְּבַשׁmore than honeyוּמֶהand whatעַזstrongמֵאֲרִיmore than a lionוַיֹּאמֶרand saidלָהֶםto themלוּלֵאhad notחֲרַשְׁתֶּםyou had plowedבְּעֶגְלָתִיwith my heiferלֹאnotמְצָאתֶםyou had foundחִידָתִי׃my riddle

    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.

19. 19

    וַתִּצְלַחand it rushedעָלָיוupon himרוּחַthe Spirit ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDוַיֵּרֶדand he descendedאַשְׁקְלוֹןAshkelonוַיַּךְand he smoteמֵהֶםof themשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyאִישׁmenוַיִּקַּחand tookאֶת־חֲלִיצוֹתָםtheir spoilsוַיִּתֵּןand gaveהַחֲלִיפוֹתthe changesלְמַגִּידֵיto those who toldהַחִידָהthe riddleוַיִּחַרand burnedאַפּוֹhis angerוַיַּעַלand went upבֵּיתthe house ofאָבִיהוּ׃his father

    And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

20. 20

    וַתְּהִיand wasאֵשֶׁתthe wife ofשִׁמְשׁוֹןSamsonלְמֵרֵעֵהוּto his companionאֲשֶׁרwhichרֵעָהwas friendלוֹ׃to him

    But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.