RIDDLE (חִידָה, H2648; αἰνίγμα; meaning a hidden saying, a conundrum).

Throughout the Biblical world the use of riddles was common. One may somewhat arbitrarily distinguish a riddle from a fable or enigma, the primary point in a riddle being its intention to puzzle the hearer. Enigmas may be conceived of as mystical utterances which, though difficult to understand, are not difficult by design. It may be a lack of information on the part of the interpreter which makes it a puzzle. A fable is simply a fictitious story (often involving members of the plant and animal kingdoms), told to convey a certain spiritual idea. A fable is not necessarily difficult of understanding though it may be so.

The principal word to be treated is חִידָה, H2648, which is tr. “riddle” nine times in the OT (KJV). Eight of these are in Judges 14:12-19, while the other is in Ezekiel 17:2. In other places however, the same word is tr. “dark speech” (Num 12:8); “hard questions” (1 Kings 10:1); “dark sayings” (Ps 49:4); and “dark sentences” (Dan 8:23). The root is חוד, meaning “to twist,” “decline,” “avoid.” The point may be that a riddle is “indirect” or “obscure.” Moses is stated to have communed with God פֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה (face to face), and this is contrasted with “dark speech” (Num 12:8). The latter is something put indirectly, requiring an interpreter. The same word is used of a fable (?) in Ezekiel 17:2. Sometimes it is parallel to מָשָׁל֒, H5442, “proverb” (Ps 49:4; 5 in Heb.). Samson’s riddle (Judg 14:12ff.) is the most notable example of a riddle in the OT. In alluding to experiences of killing a lion and later finding honey in its carcass, Samson said, “Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet” (Judg 14:14). The queen of Sheba came to Solomon “to test” (נָסָה, H5814), him with “hard questions” (LXX, αἰνίγμα, 1 Kings 10:1). According to Josephus, Solomon and Hiram engaged in a contest of riddles and the latter with some help came out victor. Ecclesiasticus 47:15 refers to Solomon as a maker of riddles. In view of this it is surprising that the Heb. word for riddle is found only once in the Book of Proverbs (Prov 1:6), but there are sections of the book that might well qualify for that designation. The passage in Ezekiel 17 is prob. more of a fable than a riddle, since it involves members of the animal and vegetable kingdom to represent other things, but it is sometimes called a “parabolic fable” (Mickelsen), or “allegory.” Instances of cryptic cipher in Jeremiah 25:26 and 51:1 are mentioned only in passing.

A true riddle is found in Revelation 13:18, where the number 666 is apparently an obscure reference to some individual. The attempts to interpret it are legion and no consensus reigns. We know from the Sibylline Oracles that such numerical references were common. The Gr. word αἰνίγμα, appears in 1 Corinthians 13:12 in the phrase “now we see through a glass darkly” (KJV). It has been suggested that the tr. “by means of an enigmatic word,” might be better (Terry). Some of Jesus’ sayings qualify as enigmas (Luke 22:36; John 3:1-3; 4:10-15; 6:53-59). Great caution needs to be exercised in interpreting the “dark sayings” of the Scripture. Special care should be given to understand exactly what the words in the original language meant. Due regard to context, always important, is esp. so in such instances.

Bibliography W. Smith, A Dictionary of the Bible, III (1863), 1042, 1043; M. S. Terry, Principles of Biblical Hermeneutics, 265-275; J. Orr (ed.) ISBE, II (1936), article “Games” by W. T. Smith, 1168-1173; A. B. Mickelsen, Interpreting the Bible (1963), 199-211.