Judges 14:12
10 Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
11 And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.
“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.
13 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.”
14 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.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- “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.
- KJV
- 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:
- WEB
- Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
- ASV
- And Samson said unto them, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can declare it unto 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;
- DARBY
- And Samson said to them, Let me now propound a riddle to you; if ye clearly explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it] out, then I will give you thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments.
- BLB
- And Samson said to them, “Please let me pose a riddle to you⁺. If you⁺ surely declare it to me [in] the seven days of the feast, and have found [it] out, then I will give to you⁺ thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.
- ÅB
- En dag sa Samson til dem: La meg fremsette en gåte for dere! Dersom dere i løpet av de syv gjestebudsdager kan si meg løsningen på den, og dere gjetter riktig, så vil jeg gi dere tretti fine skjorter og tretti festkledninger;
- OTB
- Samson sa til dem: "La meg foreslå en gåte for dere. Hvis dere kan løse den innen de syv dagene av gjestebudet, vil jeg gi dere tretti linklær og tretti sett med klær.
- B1930
- En dag sa Samson til dem: La mig fremsette en gåte for eder! Dersom I i løpet av de syv gjestebudsdager kan si mig løsningen på den, og I gjetter riktig, så vil jeg gi eder tretti fine skjorter og tretti festklædninger;
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Kings 10:1
Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
Read in contextEzekiel 17:2
“Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
Read in contextGenesis 45:22
He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
Read in context2 Kings 5:22
“Everything is all right,” Gehazi replied. “My master has sent me to say, ‘I have just now discovered that two young men from the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”
Read in contextProverbs 1:6
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
Read in context2 Kings 5:5
“Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
Read in contextEzekiel 20:49
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”
Read in contextMatthew 13:34
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.
Read in context