oh samson went down to timnah and saw there a young philistine woman when he returned he said to his father and mother i have seen a philistine woman in timna now get her for me as my wife his father and mother replied isn't there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people must you go to the uncircumcised philistines to get a wife but samson said to his father get her for me she's the right one for me his parents did not know that this was from the lord who was seeking an occasion
to confront the philistines for at that time they were ruling over israel samson went down to timnah together with his father and mother as they approached the vineyards of timna suddenly a young lying came roaring toward him the spirit of the lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat but he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done then he went down and talked with the woman and he liked her some time later when he went
back to marry her he turned aside to look at the lion's carcass in it was a swarm of bees and some honey which he scooped out with his hands and ate as he went along when he rejoined his parents he gave them some and they too ate it but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion's carcass now his father went down to see the woman and samson made a feast there as was customary for bridegrooms when he appeared he was given 30 companions let me tell you a riddle
if you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast i will give you 30 linen garments and 30 sets of clothes if you can't tell me the answer you must give me 30 linen garments and 30 sets of clothes tell us your riddle let's hear it he replied out of the eater something to eat out of the straw something sweet for three days they could not give the answer on the fourth day they said to samson's wife coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us or we will burn you and
your father's household to death did you invite us here to rob us then samson's wife threw herself on him sobbing you hate me you don't really love me you've given my people a riddle but you haven't told me the answer i haven't even explained it to my father or mother so why should i explain it to you she cried the whole seven days of the feast so on the seventh day he finally told her because she continued to press him she in turn explained the riddle to her people before sunset on the seventh day the
men of the town said to him what is sweeter than honey what is stronger than a lion samson said to them if you had not plowed with my heifer you would not have solved my riddle then the spirit of the lord came upon him in power he went down to ashkelon struck down thirty of their men stripped them of their belongings and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle burning with anger he went up to his father's house and samson's wife was given to the friend who had attended him at his wedding
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