Judges 14:3

1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath 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 Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

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.

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.

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.

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
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.”
KJV
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.
WEB
Then his father and his mother said to him, “Isn’t there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”
ASV
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.
DARBY
And his father and his mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the Philistines, the uncircumcised? And Samson said to his father, Take her for me, for she pleases me well.
BLB
And his father and mother said to him, “Is there not among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, a woman, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”
ÅB
Da sa hans far og mor til ham: Er det da ikke noen kvinne blant dine frenders døtre eller i hele mitt folk siden du vil avsted og ta en hustru blant de uomskårne filistrer? Men Samson sa til sin far: Henne må du la meg få! Det er henne jeg synes om.
OTB
Hans far og mor spurte ham: "Er det ingen passende kvinne blant dine egne slektninger eller blant vårt folk, at du må gå til de uomskårne filisterne for å få en kone?" Men Samson insisterte overfor sin far: "Få henne til meg, for hun behager meg."
B1930
Da sa hans far og mor til ham: Er det da ikke nogen kvinne blandt dine frenders døtre eller i hele mitt folk siden du vil avsted og ta en hustru blandt de uomskårne filistrer? Men Samson sa til sin far: Henne må du la mig få! Det er henne jeg synes om.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Samuel 17:36

    Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

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  • Judges 15:18

    And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 7:2–3

    And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 31:4

    Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 1:20

    Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

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  • Exodus 34:12–16

    Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:

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  • 1 Samuel 17:26

    And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 14:6

    And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

    Read in context