16 So Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me and don’t love me!(A) You told my people the riddle, but haven’t explained it to me.”

“Look,” he said,[a] “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?”

17 She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and at last, on the seventh day, he explained it to her, because she had nagged him so much. Then she explained it to her people. 18 On the seventh day, before sunset, the men of the city said to him:

What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?

So he said to them:

If you hadn’t plowed with my young cow,
you wouldn’t know my riddle now!

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Judges 14:16 Lit said to her

16 Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me.(A) You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.”

“I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?” 17 She cried the whole seven days(B) of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people.

18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him,

“What is sweeter than honey?
    What is stronger than a lion?”(C)

Samson said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
    you would not have solved my riddle.”

Read full chapter