Berean Interlinear
Judges
Chapter 14
                                                            One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        šim·šō·wn
One day Samson
One day Samson
        
        way·yê·reḏ
went down
went down
        
        tim·nā·ṯāh
to Timnah ,
to Timnah ,
        
        way·yar
where he saw
where he saw
        
        ’iš·šāh
. . .
. . .
        
        pə·liš·tîm
a young Philistine
a young Philistine
        
        mib·bə·nō·wṯ
woman
woman
        
        bə·ṯim·nā·ṯāh
. . . .
                            . . . .
                                                            So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        way·ya·‘al
So he returned
So he returned
        
        way·yag·gêḏ
and told
and told
        
        lə·’ā·ḇîw
his father
his father
        
        ū·lə·’im·mōw
and mother
and mother
        
        way·yō·mer
-
-
        
        ’iš·šāh
- ,
- ,
        
        rā·’î·ṯî
“ I have seen
“ I have seen
        
        mib·bə·nō·wṯ
a daughter
a daughter
        
        pə·liš·tîm
of the Philistines
of the Philistines
        
        ḇə·ṯim·nā·ṯāh
in Timnah .
in Timnah .
        
        wə·‘at·tāh
Now
Now
        
        qə·ḥū-
get
get
        
        ’ō·w·ṯāh
her
her
        
        lî
for me
for me
        
        lə·’iš·šāh
as a wife . ”
                            as a wife . ”
                                                            But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        ’ā·ḇîw
But his father
But his father
        
        wə·’im·mōw
and mother
and mother
        
        way·yō·mer
replied
replied
        
        lōw
,
,
        
        ha·’ên
“ Can’t you [find]
“ Can’t you [find]
        
        biḇ·nō·wṯ
a young woman
a young woman
        
        ’a·ḥe·ḵā
among your relatives
among your relatives
        
        ū·ḇə·ḵāl
or among any
or among any
        
        ‘am·mî
of our people ?
of our people ?
        
        ’iš·šāh
-
-
        
        kî-
-
-
        
        ’at·tāh
Must you
Must you
        
        hō·w·lêḵ
go
go
        
        hā·‘ă·rê·lîm
to the uncircumcised
to the uncircumcised
        
        mip·pə·liš·tîm
Philistines
Philistines
        
        lā·qa·ḥaṯ
to get
to get
        
        ’iš·šāh
a wife ? ”
a wife ? ”
        
        šim·šō·wn
But Samson
But Samson
        
        ’el-
. . .
. . .
        
        way·yō·mer
told
told
        
        ’ā·ḇîw
his father ,
his father ,
        
        qaḥ-
“ Get
“ Get
        
        ’ō·w·ṯāh
her
her
        
        lî
for me ,
for me ,
        
        kî-
for
for
        
        hî
she
she
        
        yā·šə·rāh
is pleasing
is pleasing
        
        ḇə·‘ê·nāy
to my eyes . ”
                            to my eyes . ”
                                                            (Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        wə·’ā·ḇîw
( Now his father
( Now his father
        
        wə·’im·mōw
and mother
and mother
        
        lō
did not
did not
        
        yā·ḏə·‘ū
know
know
        
        kî
. . .
. . .
        
        hî
this
this
        
        kî-
was from
was from
        
        Yah·weh
the LORD ,
the LORD ,
        
        hū-
who
who
        
        mə·ḇaq·qêš
was seeking
was seeking
        
        ṯō·’ă·nāh
an occasion to move
an occasion to move
        
        mip·pə·liš·tîm
against the Philistines ;
against the Philistines ;
        
        ha·hî
for at that
for at that
        
        ū·ḇā·‘êṯ
time
time
        
        pə·liš·tîm
the Philistines
the Philistines
        
        mō·šə·lîm
were ruling
were ruling
        
        bə·yiś·rā·’êl
over Israel . )
                            over Israel . )
                                                            Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        šim·šō·wn
Then Samson
Then Samson
        
        way·yê·reḏ
went down
went down
        
        tim·nā·ṯāh
to Timnah
to Timnah
        
        wə·’ā·ḇîw
with his father
with his father
        
        wə·’im·mōw
and mother
and mother
        
        way·yā·ḇō·’ū
and came
and came
        
        ‘aḏ-
to
to
        
        kar·mê
the vineyards
the vineyards
        
        ṯim·nā·ṯāh
of Timnah .
of Timnah .
        
        wə·hin·nêh
Suddenly
Suddenly
        
        kə·p̄îr
a young lion
a young lion
        
        ’ă·rā·yō·wṯ
. . .
. . .
        
        šō·’êḡ
came roaring
came roaring
        
        liq·rā·ṯōw
at him ,
                            at him ,
                                                            and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        rū·aḥ
and the Spirit
and the Spirit
        
        Yah·weh
of the LORD
of the LORD
        
        wat·tiṣ·laḥ
came powerfully
came powerfully
        
        ‘ā·lāw
upon him ,
upon him ,
        
        way·šas·sə·‘ê·hū
and he tore the lion apart
and he tore the lion apart
        
        ū·mə·’ū·māh
with his bare
with his bare
        
        ’ên
. . .
. . .
        
        bə·yā·ḏōw
hands
hands
        
        kə·šas·sa‘
as one would tear
as one would tear
        
        hag·gə·ḏî
a young goat .
a young goat .
        
        wə·lō
But he did not
But he did not
        
        hig·gîḏ
tell
tell
        
        lə·’ā·ḇîw
his father
his father
        
        ū·lə·’im·mōw
or mother
or mother
        
        ’êṯ
-
-
        
        ’ă·šer
what
what
        
        ‘ā·śāh
he had done .
                            he had done .
                                                            Then Samson continued on his way down and spoke to the woman, because she was pleasing to his eyes.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        way·yê·reḏ
Then [Samson] continued on his way down
Then [Samson] continued on his way down
        
        way·ḏab·bêr
and spoke
and spoke
        
        lā·’iš·šāh
to the woman ,
to the woman ,
        
        šim·šō·wn
because
because
        
        wat·tî·šar
she was pleasing
she was pleasing
        
        bə·‘ê·nê
to his eyes .
                            to his eyes .
                                                            When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        way·yā·šāḇ
When [Samson] returned
When [Samson] returned
        
        mî·yā·mîm
later
later
        
        lə·qaḥ·tāh
to take her ,
to take her ,
        
        way·yā·sar
he left
he left
        
        lir·’ō·wṯ
the road to see
the road to see
        
        ’êṯ
-
-
        
        hā·’ar·yêh
the lion’s
the lion’s
        
        map·pe·leṯ
carcass ,
carcass ,
        
        biḡ·wî·yaṯ
and in [it]
and in [it]
        
        hā·’ar·yêh
. . .
. . .
        
        wə·hin·nêh
was
was
        
        ‘ă·ḏaṯ
a swarm
a swarm
        
        də·ḇō·w·rîm
of bees ,
of bees ,
        
        ū·ḏə·ḇāš
along with their honey .
                            along with their honey .
                                                            So he scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. And when he returned to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        way·yir·dê·hū
So he scooped
So he scooped
        
        ’el-
some honey into
some honey into
        
        kap·pāw
his hands
his hands
        
        wə·’ā·ḵōl
and ate it
and ate it
        
        way·yê·leḵ
as he went along
as he went along
        
        hā·lō·wḵ
. . . .
. . . .
        
        way·yê·leḵ
And when he returned
And when he returned
        
        ’el-
to
to
        
        ’ā·ḇîw
his father
his father
        
        wə·’el-
. . .
. . .
        
        ’im·mōw
and mother ,
and mother ,
        
        way·yit·tên
he gave
he gave
        
        lā·hem
some to them
some to them
        
        way·yō·ḵê·lū
and they ate it .
and they ate it .
        
        wə·lō-
But he did not
But he did not
        
        hig·gîḏ
tell
tell
        
        lā·hem
them
them
        
        kî
that
that
        
        rā·ḏāh
he had taken
he had taken
        
        had·də·ḇāš
the honey
the honey
        
        hā·’ar·yêh
from the lion’s
from the lion’s
        
        mig·gə·wî·yaṯ
carcass .
                            carcass .
                                                            Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        ’ā·ḇî·hū
Then his father
Then his father
        
        way·yê·reḏ
went
went
        
        ’el-
to
to
        
        hā·’iš·šāh
visit the woman ,
visit the woman ,
        
        šim·šō·wn
and Samson
and Samson
        
        way·ya·‘aś
prepared
prepared
        
        miš·teh
a feast
a feast
        
        šām
there ,
there ,
        
        kî
as
as
        
        kên
. . .
. . .
        
        ya·‘ă·śū
was customary
was customary
        
        hab·ba·ḥū·rîm
for the bridegroom .
                            for the bridegroom .
                                                            And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        way·hî
And when
And when
        
        kir·’ō·w·ṯām
[the Philistines] saw him ,
[the Philistines] saw him ,
        
        ’ō·w·ṯōw
-
-
        
        way·yiq·ḥū
they selected
they selected
        
        šə·lō·šîm
thirty
thirty
        
        mê·rê·‘îm
men to accompany him
men to accompany him
        
        way·yih·yū
. . .
. . .
        
        ’it·tōw
. . . .
                            . . . .
                                                            “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        ’ā·ḥū·ḏāh-
“ Let me tell
“ Let me tell
        
        nā
. . .
. . .
        
        lā·ḵem
you
you
        
        ḥî·ḏāh
a riddle , ”
a riddle , ”
        
        šim·šō·wn
Samson
Samson
        
        way·yō·mer
said
said
        
        lā·hem
to them .
to them .
        
        ’im-
“ If
“ If
        
        hag·gêḏ
you can solve
you can solve
        
        tag·gî·ḏū
. . .
. . .
        
        ’ō·w·ṯāh
it
it
        
        lî
for me
for me
        
        šiḇ·‘aṯ
[within the] seven
[within the] seven
        
        yə·mê
days
days
        
        ham·miš·teh
of the feast
of the feast
        
        ū·mə·ṣā·ṯem
- ,
- ,
        
        wə·nā·ṯat·tî
I will give
I will give
        
        lā·ḵem
you
you
        
        šə·lō·šîm
thirty
thirty
        
        sə·ḏî·nîm
linen garments
linen garments
        
        ū·šə·lō·šîm
and thirty
and thirty
        
        ḥă·li·p̄ōṯ
sets
sets
        
        bə·ḡā·ḏîm
of clothes .
                            of clothes .
                                                            But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        sə·ḏî·nîm
linen garments
linen garments
        
        ū·šə·lō·šîm
and thirty
and thirty
        
        ḥă·lî·p̄ō·wṯ
sets
sets
        
        bə·ḡā·ḏîm
of clothes . ”
of clothes . ”
        
        ḥū·ḏāh
“ Tell us
“ Tell us
        
        ḥî·ḏā·ṯə·ḵā
your riddle , ”
your riddle , ”
        
        way·yō·mə·rū
they replied
they replied
        
        lōw
.
.
        
        wə·niš·mā·‘en·nāh
“ Let us hear it . ”
“ Let us hear it . ”
        
        wə·’im-
But if
But if
        
        lō
you cannot
you cannot
        
        ṯū·ḵə·lū
. . .
. . .
        
        lə·hag·gîḏ
solve it
solve it
        
        lî
,
,
        
        ’at·tem
you
you
        
        ū·nə·ṯat·tem
must give
must give
        
        lî
me
me
        
        šə·lō·šîm
thirty
                            thirty
                                                            So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” For three days they were unable to explain the riddle.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        way·yō·mer
So he said
So he said
        
        lā·hem
to them :
to them :
        
        mê·hā·’ō·ḵêl
“ Out of the eater
“ Out of the eater
        
        yā·ṣā
came
came
        
        ma·’ă·ḵāl
something to eat ,
something to eat ,
        
        ū·mê·‘az
and out of the strong
and out of the strong
        
        yā·ṣā
came
came
        
        mā·ṯō·wq
something sweet . ”
something sweet . ”
        
        šə·lō·šeṯ
For three
For three
        
        yā·mîm
days
days
        
        wə·lō
they were unable
they were unable
        
        yā·ḵə·lū
. . .
. . .
        
        lə·hag·gîḏ
to explain
to explain
        
        ha·ḥî·ḏāh
the riddle .
                            the riddle .
                                                            So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        way·hî
So
So
        
        haš·šə·ḇî·‘î
on the fourth
on the fourth
        
        bay·yō·wm
day
day
        
        way·yō·mə·rū
they said
they said
        
        šim·šō·wn
to Samson’s
to Samson’s
        
        lə·’ê·šeṯ-
wife ,
wife ,
        
        pat·tî
“ Entice
“ Entice
        
        ’eṯ-
-
-
        
        ’î·šêḵ
your husband
your husband
        
        wə·yag·geḏ-
to explain
to explain
        
        ha·ḥî·ḏāh
the riddle
the riddle
        
        lā·nū
to us ,
to us ,
        
        ’eṯ-
-
-
        
        pen-
or
or
        
        niś·rōp̄
we will burn
we will burn
        
        ’ō·w·ṯāḵ
you
you
        
        wə·’eṯ-
-
-
        
        ’ā·ḇîḵ
and your father’s
and your father’s
        
        bêṯ
household
household
        
        bā·’êš
to death .
to death .
        
        qə·rā·ṯem
Did you invite us
Did you invite us
        
        lā·nū
here
here
        
        hă·lō
. . .
. . .
        
        hal·yā·rə·šê·nū
to rob us ? ”
                            to rob us ? ”
                                                            Then Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me! You do not really love me! You have posed to my people a riddle, but have not explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I have not even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        šim·šō·wn
Then Samson’s
Then Samson’s
        
        ’ê·šeṯ
wife
wife
        
        ‘ā·lāw
came to him ,
came to him ,
        
        wat·tê·ḇək
weeping ,
weeping ,
        
        wat·tō·mer
and said ,
and said ,
        
        raq-
. . .
. . .
        
        śə·nê·ṯa·nî
“ You hate me !
“ You hate me !
        
        wə·lō
You do not really
You do not really
        
        ’ă·haḇ·tā·nî
love me !
love me !
        
        ḥaḏ·tā
You have posed
You have posed
        
        liḇ·nê
to my people
to my people
        
        ‘am·mî
. . .
. . .
        
        wə·lî
. . .
. . .
        
        ha·ḥî·ḏāh
a riddle ,
a riddle ,
        
        lō
but have not
but have not
        
        hig·gaḏ·tāh
explained it to me . ”
explained it to me . ”
        
        hin·nêh
“ Look , ”
“ Look , ”
        
        way·yō·mer
he said
he said
        
        lāh
,
,
        
        lō
“ I have not
“ I have not
        
        hig·gaḏ·tî
even explained
even explained
        
        lə·’ā·ḇî
it to my father
it to my father
        
        ū·lə·’im·mî
or mother ,
or mother ,
        
        ’ag·gîḏ
so why should I explain it
so why should I explain it
        
        wə·lāḵ
to you ? ”
                            to you ? ”
                                                            She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        wat·tê·ḇək
She wept
She wept
        
        ‘ā·lāw
. . .
. . .
        
        šiḇ·‘aṯ
the whole seven
the whole seven
        
        hay·yā·mîm
days
days
        
        ’ă·šer-
-
-
        
        hā·yāh
-
-
        
        lā·hem
         
    
        
        ham·miš·teh
of the feast ,
of the feast ,
        
        way·hî
and finally
and finally
        
        haš·šə·ḇî·‘î
on the seventh
on the seventh
        
        bay·yō·wm
day ,
day ,
        
        kî
because
because
        
        hĕ·ṣî·qaṯ·hū
she had pressed him so much ,
she had pressed him so much ,
        
        way·yag·geḏ-
he told
he told
        
        lāh
her [the answer] .
her [the answer] .
        
        wat·tag·gêḏ
And in turn she explained
And in turn she explained
        
        ha·ḥî·ḏāh
the riddle
the riddle
        
        liḇ·nê
to her people
to her people
        
        ‘am·māh
. . . .
                            . . . .
                                                            Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        bə·ṭe·rem
Before
Before
        
        yā·ḇō
sunset
sunset
        
        ha·ḥar·sāh
. . .
. . .
        
        haš·šə·ḇî·‘î
on the seventh
on the seventh
        
        bay·yō·wm
day ,
day ,
        
        ’an·šê
the men
the men
        
        hā·‘îr
of the city
of the city
        
        way·yō·mə·rū
said
said
        
        lōw
to [Samson] :
to [Samson] :
        
        mah-
“ What
“ What
        
        mā·ṯō·wq
is sweeter
is sweeter
        
        mid·də·ḇaš
than honey ?
than honey ?
        
        ū·meh
And what [is]
And what [is]
        
        ‘az
stronger
stronger
        
        mê·’ă·rî
than a lion ? ”
than a lion ? ”
        
        way·yō·mer
So he said
So he said
        
        lā·hem
to them :
to them :
        
        lū·lê
“ If you had not
“ If you had not
        
        ḥă·raš·tem
plowed
plowed
        
        bə·‘eḡ·lā·ṯî
with my heifer ,
with my heifer ,
        
        lō
you would not
you would not
        
        mə·ṣā·ṯem
have solved
have solved
        
        ḥî·ḏā·ṯî
my riddle ! ”
                            my riddle ! ”
                                                            Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        rū·aḥ
Then the Spirit
Then the Spirit
        
        Yah·weh
of the LORD
of the LORD
        
        wat·tiṣ·laḥ
came mightily
came mightily
        
        ‘ā·lāw
upon him ,
upon him ,
        
        way·yê·reḏ
and he went down
and he went down
        
        ’aš·qə·lō·wn
to Ashkelon ,
to Ashkelon ,
        
        way·yaḵ
killed
killed
        
        mê·hem
. . .
. . .
        
        šə·lō·šîm
thirty
thirty
        
        ’îš
of their men ,
of their men ,
        
        way·yiq·qaḥ
took
took
        
        ’eṯ-
-
-
        
        ḥă·lî·ṣō·w·ṯām
their apparel ,
their apparel ,
        
        way·yit·tên
and gave
and gave
        
        ha·ḥă·lî·p̄ō·wṯ
their clothes
their clothes
        
        lə·mag·gî·ḏê
to those who had solved
to those who had solved
        
        ha·ḥî·ḏāh
the riddle .
the riddle .
        
        way·yi·ḥar
And burning
And burning
        
        ’ap·pōw
with anger ,
with anger ,
        
        way·ya·‘al
Samson returned
Samson returned
        
        ’ā·ḇî·hū
to his father’s
to his father’s
        
        bêṯ
house ,
                            house ,
                                                            and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        šim·šō·wn
and his
and his
        
        lə·mê·rê·‘ê·hū
. . .
. . .
        
        ’ê·šeṯ
wife
wife
        
        wat·tə·hî
was given
was given
        
        ’ă·šer
to one of the men who
to one of the men who
        
        rê·‘āh
had accompanied
had accompanied
        
        lōw
him .
                            him .