14Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.H8123H3381H8553H7200H802H8553H1323H64302When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife."H5927H5046H1H517H559H7200H802H8553H1323H6430H3947H8023His 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."H1H517H559H369H802H1323H251H5971H1980H3947H802H6189H6430H8123H559H1H3947H3474H58694(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.)H1H517H3045H3068H1245H8385H6430H6256H6430H4910H34785Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him.H3381H8123H3381H1H517H8553H935H3754H8553H3715H738H7580H71256The 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.H7307H3068H6743H8156H8156H1423H3972H3027H5046H1H517H62137Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.H3381H1696H802H3474H8123H3474H58698Some 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,H3117H7725H3947H5493H7200H4658H738H5712H1682H1706H1472H7389which 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.H7287H3709H3212H398H1980H1H517H5414H398H5046H7287H1706H1472H73810Now his father went down to see the woman. And Samson made a feast there, as was customary for bridegrooms.H1H3381H802H8123H6213H4960H970H621311When he appeared, he was given thirty companions.H7200H3947H7970H482812"Let me tell you a riddle," Samson said to them. "If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.H8123H559H2330H2420H5046H5046H7651H3117H4960H4672H5414H7970H5466H7970H2487H89913If you can't tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes." "Tell us your riddle," they said. "Let's hear it."H3201H5046H5414H7970H5466H7970H2487H899H559H2330H2420H808514He replied, "Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet." For three days they could not give the answer.H559H398H3318H3978H5794H3318H4966H3201H7969H3117H5046H242015On 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?"H7637H3117H559H8123H802H6601H376H5046H2420H8313H1H1004H784H7121H342316Then 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," he replied, "so why should I explain it to you?"H8123H802H1058H559H8130H157H2330H2420H1121H5971H5046H559H5046H1H517H504617She 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.H1058H7651H3117H4960H1961H7637H3117H5046H6693H5046H2420H1121H597118Before 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."H582H5892H559H7637H3117H2775H935H4966H1706H5794H738H559H3884H2790H5697H4672H242019Then 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.H7307H3068H6743H3381H831H5221H7970H376H3947H2488H5414H2487H5046H2420H639H2734H5927H1H100420And Samson's wife was given to the friend who had attended him at his wedding.H8123H802H4828H7462