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

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

3 Then his father and his mother said to him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brothers, or among all my people, that thou go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she pleases me well.

4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of Jehovah, for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.

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

6 And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he tore him apart as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

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

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

9 And he took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother, and gave to them, and they ate, but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.

10 And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, for so the young men used to do.

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

12 And Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you. If ye can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment,

13 but if ye cannot declare it to me, then ye shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said to him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14 And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.

15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to impoverish us? Is it not so?

16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou do but hate me, and not love me. Thou have put forth a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor my mother, and shall I tell thee?

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 pressed him greatly. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people.

18 And the men of the city said to 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 to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my riddle.

19 And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of raiment to those who declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

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