1 Samson desires a wife of the Philistines.
6 In his journey he kills a lion
8 In a second journey he finds honey in the carcase
10 Samson's marriage feast
12 His riddle by his wife is made known
19 He spoils thirty Philistines
20 His wife is married to another.

Timnath Ge 38:12,13 Jos 15:10 19:43

saw Ge 6:2 34:1,2 2Sa 11:2 Job 31:11 Ps 119:37 1Jo 2:16

2 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.

get her Ge 21:21 24:2,3 34:4 38:6 2Ki 14:9

3 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.

thy brethren Ge 13:8 21:3,4,27

uncircumcised Jud 15:18 Ge 34:14 Ex 34:12-16 De 7:2,3 1Sa 14:6 17:26,36 31:4 2Sa 1:20

she pleaseth me well. Heb. she is right in mine eyes

4 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.

It was of the Lord. That is, God permitted it, that it might be a means of bringing about the deliverance of Israel. Such marriages were forbidden to the Israelites, to keep them separate from the idolatrous nations. Jos 11:20 1Ki 12:15 2Ki 6:33 2Ch 10:15 22:7 25:20 Ps 115:3

had dominion Jud 13:1 15:11 De 28:48

5 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.

against him. Heb. in meeting him.

6 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.

the Spirit Jud 3:10 11:29 13:25 1Sa 11:6

rent him. Now it is not intimated that he did this by his own natural strength; but by the supernatural strength communicated by the Spirit of the Lord coming mightily upon him; which strength was not at his own command, but was, by the will of God, attached to his hair and nazarite. Jud 15:8,15 16:30 1Sa 17:34-37,46 Zec 4:6 1Jo 3:8

he told Isa 42:2 Mt 11:29

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

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

to take her Ge 29:21 Mt 1:20

a swarm. It is probable, that the flesh had been entirely consumed off the bones, which had become dry; and the body having been throw into some private place, (for Samson turned aside to visit it,) a swarm of bees had formed their combs in the cavity of the dry ribs, or region of the thorax; nor was it a more improper place than a hollow rock.

9 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 carcass of the lion.

1Sa 14:25-30 Pr 25:15

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

made there Ge 29:22 Es 1:7 Ec 10:19 Mt 22:2-4 Joh 2:9 Re 19:9

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

saw him 1Sa 10:23 16:6

thirty Mt 9:15 Joh 3:29

12 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:

a riddle 1Ki 10:1 Ps 49:4 Pr 1:6 Eze 17:2 20:49 Mt 13:13,34 Lu 14:7 Joh 16:29 1Co 13:12

the seven Ge 29:27,28 2Ch 7:8

sheets. or shirts. This will receive illustration from Mr. Jackson's description of the Moorish dress:--It resembles that of the ancient patriarchs, as represented in paintings; (but the paintings are taken from Asiatic models:) that of the men consists of a red cap and turban, a kumja shirt, which hangs outside of the drawers, and comes below the knee; a caftan coat, which buttons close before, and down to the bottom with large open sleeves; over which, when they go out of doors, they throw carelessly, and sometimes elegantly, a hayk, or garment of white cotton, silk, or wool, five or six yards long, and five feet wide. The arabs often dispense with the caftan, and even with the shirt, wearing nothing but the hayk. Mt 27:28 Mr 14:51,52

change Ge 45:22 2Ki 5:5,22 Mt 6:19 Jas 5:2

13 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 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.

out of the eater Ge 3:15 De 8:15,16 1Ki 17:6 2Ch 20:2,25 Isa 53:10-12 Ro 5:3-5 8:37 2Co 4:17 12:9,10 Php 1:12-20 Heb 2:14,15 12:10,11 Jas 1:2-4 1Pe 2:24

they could Pr 24:7 Mt 13:11 Ac 8:31

15 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?

on the seventh day. The LXX reads 'on the fourth day;' with which the Syriac and Arabic agree. This, as Dr. Wall observes, is certainly right; for it appears from ver. 17, that she wept the remainder of the seven days; for which there could have been no time, if they did not threaten her till the seventh. Entice Jud 16:5 Ge 3:1-6 Pr 1:11 5:3 6:26 Mic 7:5

lest we burn Jud 12:1 15:6

take that we have. Heb. possess us, or impoverish us.

16 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?

thou dost Jud 16:15

I have not Ge 2:24

17 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.

the seven, or, the rest of the seven days. she lay Jud 16:6,13,16 Ge 3:6 Job 2:9 Pr 7:21 Lu 11:8 18:4,5

and she told Pr 2:16,17

18 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 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.

the Spirit Jud 14:6 3:10 13:25 15:14 1Sa 11:6

spoil, or, apparel

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

given to Jud 15:2

his friend Ps 55:12,13 Jer 9:5 Mic 7:5 Mt 26:49,50 Joh 3:29 13:18