Judges 14 - Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

14 Shimshon went down to Timnah, and in Timnah he saw a woman who was one of the P’lishtim. 2 He came up and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the P’lishtim. Now get her for me to be my wife.” 3 His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there any woman from the daughters of your kinsmen or among all my people? Must you go to the uncircumcised P’lishtim to find a wife?” Shimshon said to his father, “Get her for me. I like her.” 4 His father and mother didn’t know that all this came from Adonai, who was seeking grounds for a quarrel with the P’lishtim. (At that time the P’lishtim were ruling Isra’el.)

5 Shimshon went down with his father and mother to Timnah. When they came to the vineyards of Timnah, a young lion roared at him. 6 The Spirit of Adonai came powerfully upon Shimshon, and barehanded he tore the lion to pieces as easily as if it had been a young goat. But he didn’t tell his father or mother what he had done. 7 Then he went down and talked with the woman and found he still liked her.

8 Awhile later, as he was returning to claim his bride, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion and saw that there was now a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. 9 He scraped the honey out into his hands and went on, eating as he went; and when he came to his father and mother, he gave them some; and they ate too. But he didn’t tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion.

10 His father went down to the woman, and there Shimshon gave a banquet — this is what the young men used to do. 11 When the P’lishtim saw him, they provided thirty companions to be with him. 12 Shimshon said to them, “Let me present you with a riddle. If you can solve it within the seven days of the banquet and tell me the solution, I will give you thirty linen shirts and thirty changes of good clothes. 13 But if you can’t solve it, you give me thirty linen shirts and thirty changes of good clothes.” They answered, “Tell us the riddle, we want to hear it.” 14 So he said to them,

“Out of the eater came food;
out of the strong came sweetness.”

Three days passed, and they couldn’t solve the riddle. 15 On the seventh day, they said to Shimshon’s wife, “Coax your husband into telling us the solution to the riddle. Otherwise we’ll burn down your father’s house and you with it. You two called us here to turn us into paupers, didn’t you?” 16 Shimshon’s wife went to him in tears and said, “You don’t love me, you hate me! You told a riddle to my fellow countrymen, and you haven’t told me the answer.” He said to her, “Look, I haven’t even told it to my father and mother! Should I tell you?” 17 But she had been crying throughout the seven days of the banquet; so on the seventh day, because she had kept pressing him, he told her the solution; and she passed it on to her people. 18 Then, before sundown on the seventh day, the men of the city said to him,

“What is sweeter than honey?
and what is stronger than a lion?”

Shimshon answered,

“If you hadn’t plowed with my young cow,
you wouldn’t have solved my riddle now.”

19 Then the Spirit of Adonai came over him powerfully. He went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their good clothes, and gave them to the men who had “solved” the riddle. He was boiling with rage, so he went straight up to his father’s house, 20 and his wife was given to the companion who had been best man at the wedding.

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Judges 14 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

14 And Samson goeth down to Timnath, and seeth a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines, 2 and cometh up and declareth to his father, and to his mother, and saith, `A woman I have seen in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines; and now, take her for me for a wife.' 3 And his fath...
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Judges 14 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

14 Therefore (And so in time, when he was a grown man,) Samson went down into Timnath, and he saw there a woman of the daughters of (the) Philistines; 2 and he went up, and he told this to his father and mother, and said, I saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of Philistines, and I beseech, that ...
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Judges 14 - World English Bible (WEB)

14 Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my wife.” 3 Then his father and his mother said...
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Judges 14 - The Voice (VOICE)

14 Samson went down from the hill country to the Philistine town of Timnah, on the coastal plain, and he saw a Philistine woman there. 2 When he came home, he told his parents,Samson: I saw this woman in Timnah who captured my attention. She’s a Philistine, but I want her for a wife. I beg you, mak...
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Judges 14 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Riddle of the Lion14 Then Samson went down to Timnah and eyed in Timnah a woman, one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he came back and told his father and mother saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. So now get her for me as a wife.” 3 Then his fa...
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Judges 14 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Samson’s Marriage14 Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 Then he came up, and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is th...
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Judges 14 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Samson’s Marriage14 Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 Then he came up, and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is th...
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Judges 14 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Samson’s Marriage14 Once Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw a Philistine woman. 2 Then he came up, and told his father and mother, “I saw a Philistine woman at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among your kin, or am...
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Judges 14 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Samson’s Marriage14 Once Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw a Philistine woman. 2 Then he came up, and told his father and mother, ‘I saw a Philistine woman at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.’ 3 But his father and mother said to him, ‘Is there not a woman among your kin, or am...
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Judges 14 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Samson’s Marriage14 Once Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw a Philistine woman. 2 Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw a Philistine woman at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”(A)3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among your kin or amon...
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Judges 14 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Samson’s Riddle14 One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. 2 When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.” 3 His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one wo...
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Judges 14 - New Life Version (NLV)

Samson’s Philistine Wife14 Samson went down to Timnah. There he saw a woman, one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 He returned and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah. She is one of the daughters of the Philistines. Now get her for me as a wife.” 3 But his father and mother s...
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Judges 14 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Samson’s Philistine Wife14 Now Samson went down (A)to Timnah, and (B)saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, (C)get her for me as a wife.” 3 ...
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Judges 14 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Samson’s marriage14 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, ‘I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.’ 3 His father and mother replied, ‘Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relati...
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Judges 14 - New International Version (NIV)

Samson’s Marriage14 Samson(A) went down to Timnah(B) and saw there a young Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”(C) 3 His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among you...
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Judges 14 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Samson Marries a Philistine Woman14 Samson went down to Timnah. There he saw a young Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he spoke to his father and mother. He said, “I’ve seen a Philistine woman in Timnah. Get her for me. I want her to be my wife.” 3 His father and mother replied, “Can’t we find ...
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Judges 14 - New English Translation (NET)

Samson’s Unconsummated Marriage14 Samson went down to Timnah, where a Philistine girl caught his eye.[a] 2 When he got home,[b] he told his father and mother, “A Philistine girl in Timnah has caught my eye.[c] Now get her for my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Certainly you can fi...
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