1AND Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2And 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. 3Then his father and mother said to him, Is there not a woman here among the daughters of the kinsmen of your father, or among all your people, that you are going to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me; for she pleased me well. 4But his father and his mother did not know that it was of the LORD, that he might seek vengeance against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnath, and they came to the vineyards of Timnath; and, behold, a young lion roared at him. 6And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion as one tears a kid, and he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. 7And they went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

8And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion; and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the carcass of the lion, and the honey ran out on his hands as he walked. 9And he went to his father and mother, and gave some honey to them, and they did eat; but he did not tell them that the honey came from the carcass of the lion.

10So his father went down to the woman; and Samson made there a wedding feast for seven days; for so the young men used to do. 11And when they saw him, there came thirty men and became his groomsmen.

12And Samson said to them, I will now put forth a riddle to you; if you can interpret it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out, then I will give you thirty overcoats made of felt and thirty changes of garments; 13But if you cannot interpret it to me, then you shall give me thirty overcoats made of felt and thirty changes of garments. And they said to him, Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it.

14And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth something to eat, and out of the bitter came forth something sweet. And for three days they could not interpret the riddle.

15But on the fourth day, they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us his riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire and take over his possessions. 16And Samson's wife wept and said to him, You truly hate me and do not love me; you have put forth a riddle to my countrymen, and you have never told it to me. And he said to her, I have not told it to my father nor to my mother, and shall I tell it to you? 17And she wept the seven days, while the feast lasted; and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she distressed him; and she told the riddle to her countrymen.

18And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the banquet, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And Samson said to them, If you had not enticed my heifer, you would not have interpreted my riddle.

19And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and he seized thirty of their men, and he slew them and took their garments and gave them to those who had interpreted his riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house. 20And Samson's wife, whom he loved, was given to one of his groomsmen.