Judges 15:1
New International Version
Later on, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. He said, “I’m going to my wife’s room.” But her father would not let him go in.

New Living Translation
Later on, during the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat as a present to his wife. He said, “I’m going into my wife’s room to sleep with her,” but her father wouldn’t let him in.

English Standard Version
After some days, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife with a young goat. And he said, “I will go in to my wife in the chamber.” But her father would not allow him to go in.

Berean Standard Bible
Later on, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. “I want to go to my wife in her room,” he said. But her father would not let him enter.

King James Bible
But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

New King James Version
After a while, in the time of wheat harvest, it happened that Samson visited his wife with a young goat. And he said, “Let me go in to my wife, into her room.” But her father would not permit him to go in.

New American Standard Bible
But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat, and said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.” But her father did not let him enter.

NASB 1995
But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat, and said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.” But her father did not let him enter.

NASB 1977
But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, it came about that Samson visited his wife with a young goat, and said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.” But her father did not let him enter.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that after a while, in the time of the wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat and said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.” But her father did not let him enter.

Amplified Bible
But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife with a young goat [as a gift of reconciliation]; and he said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.” But her father would not allow him to go in.

Christian Standard Bible
Later on, during the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat as a gift and visited his wife. “I want to go to my wife in her room,” he said. But her father would not let him enter.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Later on, during the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat as a gift and visited his wife. “I want to go to my wife in her room,” he said. But her father would not let him enter.”

American Standard Version
But it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

Contemporary English Version
Later, during the wheat harvest, Samson went to visit the young woman he thought was still his wife. He brought along a young goat as a gift and said to her father, "I want to go into my wife's bedroom." "You can't do that," he replied.

English Revised Version
But it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Later, during the wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife. He took a young goat along for her. He said, "I'm going to sleep with my wife in her bedroom." But her father would not let him go in.

Good News Translation
Some time later Samson went to visit his wife during the wheat harvest and took her a young goat. He told her father, "I want to go to my wife's room." But he wouldn't let him go in.

International Standard Version
A while later during the wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife, bringing along a young goat, and told his father-in-law, "I'm going into my wife's room." But her father wouldn't give permission for him to go.

Majority Standard Bible
Later on, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. ?I want to go to my wife in her room,? he said. But her father would not let him enter.

NET Bible
Sometime later, during the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat as a gift and went to visit his bride. He said to her father, "I want to have sex with my bride in her bedroom!" But her father would not let him enter.

New Heart English Bible
But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a young goat; and he said, "I will go in to my wife into the room." But her father wouldn't allow him to go in.

Webster's Bible Translation
But it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat-harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

World English Bible
But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat. He said, “I will go in to my wife’s room.” But her father wouldn’t allow him to go in.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass after [some] days, in the days of wheat-harvest, that Samson looks after his wife, with a kid of the goats, and says, “I go in to my wife, to the inner chamber”; and her father has not permitted him to go in,

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, after some days, in the days of wheat-harvest, that Samson looketh after his wife, with a kid of the goats, and saith, 'I go in unto my wife, to the inner chamber;' and her father hath not permitted him to go in,

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be after days in days of the wheat harvest, and Samson will look after his wife with a kid of the goats; and he will say, I will go to my wife to the chamber. And her father gave him not to go in.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And a while after, when the days of the wheat harvest were at hand, Samson came, meaning to visit his wife, and he brought her a kid of the flock. And when he would have gone into her chamber as usual, her father would not suffer him, saying:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then, after some time, when the days of the wheat harvest were near, Samson arrived, intending to visit his wife, and he brought her a kid from the goats. And when he wanted to enter her bedroom, as usual, her father prohibited him, saying:

New American Bible
After some time, in the season of the wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife, bringing a young goat. But when he said, “Let me go into my wife’s room,” her father would not let him go in.

New Revised Standard Version
After a while, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife, bringing along a kid. He said, “I want to go into my wife’s room.” But her father would not allow him to go in.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
BUT it came to pass after a while, in the time of the wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a kid as a present; and he said, I will go in to my wife in the chamber. But her father would not let him go in.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And it was after the days in the time of harvest of wheat, Samson commemorated his wife with a kid of the goats, and he said: “I will go to my wife to the bedroom”, and her father did not allow him to enter
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said: 'I will go in to my wife into the chamber.' But her father would not suffer him to go in.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass after a time, in the days of wheat harvest, that Sampson visited his wife with a kid, and said, I will go in to my wife even into the chamber: but her father did not suffer him to go in.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Samson's Revenge
1Later on, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. “I want to go to my wife in her room,” he said. But her father would not let him enter. 2“I was sure that you thoroughly hated her,” said her father, “so I gave her to one of the men who accompanied you. Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her instead.”…

Cross References
Judges 14:19-20
Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house, / and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.

Judges 16:1-3
One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute and went in to spend the night with her. / When the Gazites heard that Samson was there, they surrounded that place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They were quiet throughout the night, saying, “Let us wait until dawn; then we will kill him.” / But Samson lay there only until midnight, when he got up, took hold of the doors of the city gate and both gateposts, and pulled them out, bar and all. Then he put them on his shoulders and took them to the top of the mountain overlooking Hebron.

Judges 14:15-18
So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?” / Then Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me! You do not really love me! You have posed to my people a riddle, but have not explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I have not even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?” / She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people. ...

Judges 16:4-5
Some time later, Samson fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. / The lords of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice him and find out the source of his great strength and how we can overpower him to tie him up and subdue him. Then each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.”

Judges 14:1-3
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman. / So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.” / 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.”

Judges 16:6-9
So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me the source of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” / Samson told her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become as weak as any other man.” / So the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him up with them. ...

Judges 14:10-11
Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom. / And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.

Judges 16:10-12
Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and lied to me! Now please tell me how you can be tied up.” / He replied, “If they tie me up with new ropes that have never been used, I will become as weak as any other man.” / So Delilah took new ropes, tied him up with them, and called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But while the men were hidden in her room, he snapped the ropes off his arms like they were threads.

Judges 14:4
(Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)

Judges 16:13-14
Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and lied to me all along! Tell me how you can be tied up.” He told her, “If you weave the seven braids of my head into the web of a loom and tighten it with a pin, I will become as weak as any other man.” / So while he slept, Delilah took the seven braids of his hair and wove them into the web. Then she tightened it with a pin and called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin with the loom and the web.

Judges 14:6
and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

Judges 16:15-17
“How can you say, ‘I love you,’” she asked, “when your heart is not with me? This is the third time you have mocked me and failed to reveal to me the source of your great strength!” / Finally, after she had pressed him daily with her words and pleaded until he was sick to death, / Samson told her all that was in his heart: “My hair has never been cut, because I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I will become as weak as any other man.”

Judges 14:8-9
When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey. / So he scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. And when he returned to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.

Judges 16:18-20
When Delilah realized that he had revealed to her all that was in his heart, she sent this message to the lords of the Philistines: “Come up once more, for he has revealed to me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came to her, bringing the money in their hands. / And having lulled him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his head. In this way she began to subdue him, and his strength left him. / Then she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” When Samson awoke from his sleep, he thought, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.

Judges 14:12-14
“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. / But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.” / So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” For three days they were unable to explain the riddle.


Treasury of Scripture

But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

a kid

Genesis 38:17
And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?

Luke 15:29
And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

I will go

Genesis 6:4
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

Genesis 29:21
And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

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Judges 15
1. Samson is denied his wife
3. He burns the Philistines' corn with foxes and firebrands
6. His wife and her father are burnt by the Philistines
8. Samson smites them hip and thigh
9. He is bound by the men of Judah, and delivered to the Philistines
14. He kills them with a jawbone
18. God makes the fountain En-hakkore for him in Lehi














After some time
This phrase sets the stage for the events that follow, indicating a passage of time since the previous events in Judges 14. In the Hebrew text, the phrase is "מִיָּמִים" (miyamim), which can be translated as "after days" or "after some time." This suggests a period of reflection or cooling off, which is significant in the context of Samson's tumultuous relationship with the Philistines and his wife. Historically, this period could have allowed tensions to simmer, setting the stage for the dramatic events that follow.

in the time of the wheat harvest
The timing of the wheat harvest is significant both agriculturally and symbolically. The wheat harvest typically occurs in late spring or early summer in the ancient Near East, a time of celebration and abundance. This context adds a layer of irony to the narrative, as the time of harvest, usually associated with joy and provision, becomes a backdrop for conflict and destruction. Theologically, it underscores the theme of God's providence and timing, as He orchestrates events according to His divine plan.

Samson went to visit his wife
Samson's decision to visit his wife reflects his ongoing attachment and sense of obligation, despite previous conflicts. The Hebrew verb "לִפְקֹד" (lifqod) can mean "to visit" or "to attend to," suggesting a sense of duty or responsibility. This visit is not merely social; it carries the weight of marital commitment and the complexities of Samson's relationship with the Philistines. It highlights the personal and relational dimensions of Samson's story, which are intertwined with his divine mission.

bringing a young goat
The young goat is a culturally significant gift, symbolizing peace and goodwill. In ancient Near Eastern customs, such a gift would be a gesture of reconciliation or goodwill, perhaps intended to mend the strained relationship with his wife and her family. Theologically, this act can be seen as an attempt to restore harmony, reflecting the broader biblical theme of reconciliation. However, the narrative will reveal the futility of human efforts without divine intervention.

I want to go to my wife in her room
Samson's statement reveals his intention to resume marital relations, indicating a desire for intimacy and normalcy. The phrase "in her room" suggests privacy and personal connection, emphasizing the personal stakes in the unfolding drama. This desire for intimacy is thwarted by external circumstances, illustrating the tension between personal desires and divine purposes. It serves as a reminder of the complexities of human relationships and the need for divine guidance.

But her father would not let him enter
The father's refusal marks a turning point in the narrative, introducing conflict and setting the stage for subsequent events. This act of denial is significant, as it reflects cultural norms and familial authority in ancient Israelite society. Theologically, it underscores the theme of human opposition to divine plans, as Samson's personal intentions are thwarted by familial and cultural barriers. This refusal becomes a catalyst for the dramatic actions that follow, illustrating the interplay between human agency and divine sovereignty.

(1) Within a while after.--"After days" (Judges 11:4; Judges 14:8).

In the time of wheat harvest.--This, in the Shephelah, would be about the middle of May.

Visited his wife with a kid.--We find the same present given by Judah to Tamar in Genesis 38:17. We may compare the complaint of the elder brother of the prodigal, given him a kid (Luke 15:29).

I will go in to my wife.--Uxoriousness was the chief secret of the weakness and ruin of Samson, as it was afterwards of a very different type of man, Solomon. . . .

Verse 1. - Within a while - the same expression as that in Judges 14:8, rendered "after a time," and in Judges 11:4, rendered "in process of time." In the time of wheat harvest - about the month of May. The harvest, as appears from ver. 5, had begun, some corn being already cut, and in shocks; the rest still standing, and, being ready to be cut, of course extremely dry and inflammable. With a kid, as a present, intended no doubt to make peace (Genesis 38:17). His anger (Judges 14:19) had now passed away, and his love for his wife had returned. He was little prepared to find her married again to his friend.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Later on,
וַיְהִ֨י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

at the time
בִּימֵ֣י (bî·mê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117: A day

of the wheat
חִטִּ֗ים (ḥiṭ·ṭîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 2406: Wheat

harvest,
קְצִיר־ (qə·ṣîr-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7105: Severed, harvest, the crop, the time, the reaper, a limb

Samson
שִׁמְשׁ֤וֹן (šim·šō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8123: Samson -- a deliverer of Israel

took
בִּגְדִ֣י (biḡ·ḏî)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1423: A kid (a young goat)

a young goat
עִזִּ֔ים (‘iz·zîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5795: Female goat

and went to visit
וַיִּפְקֹ֨ד (way·yip̄·qōḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

his wife.
אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ (’iš·tōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

“I want to go
אָבֹ֥אָה (’ā·ḇō·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

my wife
אִשְׁתִּ֖י (’iš·tî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

in her room,”
הֶחָ֑דְרָה (he·ḥā·ḏə·rāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2315: A chamber, room

he said.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

But her father
אָבִ֖יהָ (’ā·ḇî·hā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1: Father

would not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

let
נְתָנ֥וֹ (nə·ṯā·nōw)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

him enter.
לָבֽוֹא׃ (lā·ḇō·w)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go


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OT History: Judges 15:1 But it happened after a while (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 14:20
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