Judges 14:18
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?
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.
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.
20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
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
- 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!”
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He said to them, “If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have found out my riddle.”
- ASV
- 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.
- DARBY
- 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 stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.
- BLB
- 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 you⁺ had not plowed with my heifer, You⁺ would not have solved my riddle.”
- ÅB
- Og på den syvende dag, før solen gikk ned, sa mennene i byen til ham: Hva er søtere enn honning, og hva er sterkere enn en løve? Men han svarte dem: Hadde dere ikke pløyd med min kalv, så hadde dere ikke gjettet min gåte.
- OTB
- Før solnedgang på den syvende dagen sa mennene i byen til ham,
"Hva er søtere enn honning?
Hva er sterkere enn en løve?"
Samson svarte,
"Hadde dere ikke pløyd med min kvige,
ville dere ikke ha løst min gåte." - B1930
- Og på den syvende dag, før solen gikk ned, sa mennene i byen til ham: Hvad er søtere enn honning, og hvad er sterkere enn en løve? Men han svarte dem: Hadde I ikke pløid med min kalv, så hadde I ikke gjettet min gåte.