1And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw there a young Philistine woman. 2And he returned, and told his parents, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” 3Then his parents said to him, “Is there not an acceptable woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all our people, that you must take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Samson replied, “Get her for me; for she pleases me well.” 4But his parents did not know that it was of the LORD, Who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines, that ruled over Israel at that time.

5Then Samson went down, with his parents, to Timnah, and as they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring at him. 6And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon Samson, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands, as easily as he might have torn a young goat. But he did not tell his parents about what he had done. 7And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8And some time later, he returned to marry her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion he had killed; and saw that there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion. 9And he scooped some of the honey in his hands, and went on, eating, and met his parents, and he gave them some of the honey to eat; but he did not tell them that he had taken it from the carcass of the lion.

10So his father, Manoah, went down to the woman. And Samson held a feast there; as was customary for the young men. 11And when they saw him, they brought thirty young men from the town to be his companions (guests). 12And Samson said to them, “Let me put forth a riddle to you; if you can solve it for me within the seven days of this feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes; 13But if you cannot tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Tell us your riddle; let us hear it.” 14And he said, “Out of the eater came food; and out of the strong, something sweet.” And three days later, they were still trying to solve the riddle. 15And by the seventh day, they said to Samson's wife, “Coax your husband to explain the riddle, or we will burn you and your father's house. Have you invited us to impoverish us - to steal our property?” 16And Samson's wife threw herself upon Samson, weeping, and said, “You must hate me, and not love me. You have put forth a riddle to my people, and have not told the answer to me.” And he said to her, “I have not even told it to my parents, and shall I tell it to you?” 17And she wept before him through all seven days of their feast; and on the seventh day, he told her, because she kept pressing him. And then she went and told the riddle answer to her people. 18And the men of the city said to Sampson on the seventh day, just before sunset, “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.”

19And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty men there, took their clothing, and gave the changes of clothing to those who explained the riddle. But his anger was hot as he returned to his father's house. 20And Samson's wife was given to one of those companions (guests) that had attended his feast.