Judges 14

שופטים פרק י״ד

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: Judges | Chapter: 14 of 21 | Day: 38 of 742

Date: March 21, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Judges 14 inaugurates the active phase of Samson’s career as a judge, transitioning from the annunciation narrative of the previous chapter into a sequence of events that will define his turbulent relationship with the Philistines. The chapter is structured around three descents to Timnah (vayyered, repeated in verses 1, 5, and 7), a literary device that the Radak reads as encoding moral decline alongside physical geography. Where Judah “went up” (oleh) to Timnah in Genesis 38, Samson “goes down” (yored) — a pointed verbal echo that frames his entire trajectory as one of descent from the spiritual heights promised by his Nazirite consecration.

The theological crux of the chapter appears in verse 4, where the narrator breaks the fourth wall to reveal that Samson’s seemingly reckless desire for a Philistine wife “was from the Lord” (ki meHashem hi), who was seeking a “pretext” (to’anah) against the Philistines. This editorial aside transforms the entire narrative from a story of personal weakness into one of providential design. The term to’anah, meaning a legal pretext or cause for confrontation, suggests that God operates within the framework of human passions and social conventions to achieve national deliverance. Samson’s parents, who protest the exogamous marriage with the stinging epithet “the uncircumcised Philistines” (pelishtim ha’arelim), represent the normative Israelite perspective that cannot perceive the divine strategy at work. The Metzudat David adds a further layer by noting that the woman would have been converted before marriage, preserving the legal validity of the union even as it serves its hidden purpose.

The lion episode (verses 5-9) functions as both a demonstration of Samson’s divinely granted strength and the narrative engine for the riddle that will drive the rest of the chapter. The phrase “the spirit of the Lord rushed upon him” (vatitzlach alav ruach Hashem) appears twice in this chapter (verses 6 and 19), framing Samson’s feats as moments of charismatic empowerment rather than mere physical prowess. The discovery of honey in the lion’s carcass — and Samson’s secrecy about its source — creates the conditions for the famous riddle: “Out of the eater came something to eat, out of the strong came something sweet” (me-ha’okhel yatza ma’akhal, ume-az yatza matok). This riddle is essentially unsolvable without insider knowledge, which makes the wager not a test of wit but a trap that can only be sprung through betrayal.

That betrayal arrives through the figure of Samson’s Timnite wife, whose tears and accusations (“you really hate me, you don’t love me”) foreshadow the more famous scene with Delilah in chapter 16. The pattern of a woman using emotional pressure to extract Samson’s secret establishes a recurring structural motif in the Samson cycle — one that exposes his particular vulnerability not to physical force but to intimate manipulation. When Samson retorts “Had you not plowed with my heifer, you would not have guessed my riddle” (verse 18), the agricultural metaphor carries overtones of both sexual jealousy and the violation of trust. The Metzudat David reads the “plowing” as the companions’ persistent investigation through Samson’s wife, while the Radak connects it to the broader biblical usage of “plowing” as scheming or plotting.

The chapter closes with a cascade of consequences: Samson, seized again by divine spirit, kills thirty Philistines in Ashkelon to pay off the wager, then abandons his wife in fury. She is promptly given to one of the thirty wedding companions (mere’ehu) — a detail that will fuel the cycle of revenge in chapter 15. The entire chapter thus functions as a carefully constructed mechanism in which personal desire, divine purpose, and Philistine treachery interlock to produce an escalating spiral of violence. Within the broader theology of the book of Judges, Samson embodies the paradox of a deliverer who is simultaneously the most gifted and the most compromised of all the judges, wielding extraordinary power while remaining entangled in the very culture from which he is meant to liberate Israel.

פרק י״ד · Chapter 14

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֥רֶד שִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן תִּמְנָ֑תָה וַיַּ֥רְא אִשָּׁ֛ה בְּתִמְנָ֖תָה מִבְּנ֥וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

English:

Once Samson went down to Timnah; and while in Timnah, he noticed a certain young Philistine woman.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

ו��יַּ֗עַל וַיַּגֵּד֙ לְאָבִ֣יו וּלְאִמּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אִשָּׁ֛ה רָאִ֥יתִי בְתִמְנָ֖תָה מִבְּנ֣וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וְעַתָּ֕ה קְחוּ־אוֹתָ֥הּ לִ֖י לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

English:

On his return, he told his father and mother, “I noticed one of the Philistine women in Timnah; please get her for me as a wife.”

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֜וֹ אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֗וֹ הַאֵין֩ בִּבְנ֨וֹת אַחֶ֤יךָ וּבְכׇל־עַמִּי֙ אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה הוֹלֵךְ֙ לָקַ֣חַת אִשָּׁ֔ה מִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים הָעֲרֵלִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שִׁמְשׁ֤וֹן אֶל־אָבִיו֙ אוֹתָ֣הּ קַֽח־לִ֔י כִּי־הִ֖יא יָשְׁרָ֥ה בְעֵינָֽי׃

English:

His father and mother said to him, “Is there no one among the daughters of your own kindred and among all ouraour Heb. “my.” people, that you must go and take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson answered his father, “Get me that one, for she is the one that pleases me.”

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וְאָבִ֨יו וְאִמּ֜וֹ לֹ֣א יָדְע֗וּ כִּ֤י מֵֽיְהֹוָה֙ הִ֔יא כִּֽי־תֹאֲנָ֥ה הֽוּא־מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וּבָעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים מֹשְׁלִ֥ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

His father and mother did not realize that his requestbhis request Heb. “it.” was from GOD, who was seeking a pretext against the Philistines, for the Philistines were ruling over Israel at that time.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֧רֶד שִׁמְשׁ֛וֹן וְאָבִ֥יו וְאִמּ֖וֹ תִּמְנָ֑תָה וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ עַד־כַּרְמֵ֣י תִמְנָ֔תָה וְהִנֵּה֙ כְּפִ֣יר אֲרָי֔וֹת שֹׁאֵ֖ג לִקְרָאתֽוֹ׃

English:

So Samson and his father and mother went down to Timnah.When heche Heb. “they.” came to the vineyards of Timnah [for the first time], a full-grown lion came roaring at him.

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַתִּצְ��ַ֨ח עָלָ֜יו ר֣וּחַ יְהֹוָ֗ה וַֽיְשַׁסְּעֵ֙הוּ֙ כְּשַׁסַּ֣ע הַגְּדִ֔י וּמְא֖וּמָה אֵ֣ין בְּיָד֑וֹ וְלֹ֤א הִגִּיד֙ לְאָבִ֣יו וּלְאִמּ֔וֹ אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃

English:

The spirit of GOD gripped him, and he tore him asunder with his bare hands as one might tear a kid asunder; but he did not tell his father and mother what he had done.

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֖רֶד וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר לָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה וַתִּישַׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י שִׁמְשֽׁוֹן׃

English:

Then he went down and spoke to the woman, and she pleased Samson.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַיָּ֤שׇׁב מִיָּמִים֙ לְקַחְתָּ֔הּ וַיָּ֣סַר לִרְא֔וֹת אֵ֖ת מַפֶּ֣לֶת הָאַרְיֵ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה עֲדַ֧ת דְּבוֹרִ֛ים בִּגְוִיַּ֥ת הָאַרְיֵ֖ה וּדְבָֽשׁ׃

English:

Returning the following year to marry her, he turned aside to look at the remains of the lion; and in the lion’s skeleton he found a swarm of bees, and honey.

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַיִּרְדֵּ֣הוּ אֶל־כַּפָּ֗יו וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וְאָכֹ֔ל וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־אָבִ֣יו וְאֶל־אִמּ֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם וַיֹּאכֵ֑לוּ וְלֹא־הִגִּ֣יד לָהֶ֔ם כִּ֛י מִגְּוִיַּ֥ת הָאַרְיֵ֖ה רָדָ֥ה הַדְּבָֽשׁ׃

English:

He scooped it into his palms and ate it as he went along. When he rejoined his father and mother, he gave them some and they ate it; but he did not tell them that he had scooped the honey out of a lion’s skeleton.

פסוק י״ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֥רֶד אָבִ֖יהוּ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיַּ֨עַשׂ שָׁ֤ם שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה כִּ֛י כֵּ֥ן יַעֲשׂ֖וּ הַבַּחוּרִֽים׃

English:

So his father came down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, as young men used to do.

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֖י כִּרְאוֹתָ֣ם אוֹת֑��ֹ וַיִּקְחוּ֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים מֵרֵעִ֔ים וַיִּהְי֖וּ אִתּֽוֹ׃

English:

When the people of Timnahdthe people of Timnah Heb. “they.” saw him, they designated thirty companions to be with him.

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן אָחֽוּדָה־נָּ֥א לָכֶ֖ם חִידָ֑ה אִם־הַגֵּ֣ד תַּגִּ֩ידוּ֩ אוֹתָ֨הּ לִ֜י שִׁבְעַ֨ת יְמֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ וּמְצָאתֶ֔ם וְנָתַתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים סְדִינִ֔ים וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים חֲלִפֹ֥ת בְּגָדִֽים׃

English:

Then Samson said to them, “Let me propound a riddle to you. If you can give me the right answer during the seven days of the feast, I shall give you thirty linen tunics and thirty sets of clothing;

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וְאִם־לֹ֣א תוּכְלוּ֮ לְהַגִּ֣יד לִי֒ וּנְתַתֶּ֨ם אַתֶּ֥ם לִי֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים סְדִינִ֔ים וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים חֲלִיפ֣וֹת בְּגָדִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֔וֹ ח֥וּדָה חִידָתְךָ֖ וְנִשְׁמָעֶֽנָּה׃

English:

but if you are not able to tell it to me, you must give me thirty linen tunics and thirty sets of clothing.” And they said to him, “Ask your riddle and we will listen.”

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם מֵהָֽאֹכֵל֙ יָצָ֣א מַאֲכָ֔ל וּמֵעַ֖ז יָצָ֣א מָת֑וֹק וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֛וּ לְהַגִּ֥יד הַחִידָ֖ה שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים׃

English:

So he said to them:“Out of the eater came something to eat,Out of the strong came something sweet.”For three days they could not answer the riddle.

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ לְאֵֽשֶׁת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ פַּתִּ֣י אֶת־אִישֵׁ֗ךְ וְיַגֶּד־לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־הַ֣חִידָ֔ה פֶּן־נִשְׂרֹ֥ף אוֹתָ֛ךְ וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָבִ֖יךְ בָּאֵ֑שׁ הַלְיׇרְשֵׁ֕נוּ קְרָאתֶ֥ם לָ֖נוּ הֲלֹֽא׃

English:

On the seventheseventh Septuagint and Syriac read “fourth.” day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband to provide us with the answer to the riddle; else we shall put you and your father’s household to the fire; have you invited us herefhere Reading halom, with some Heb. mss. and Targum. in order to impoverish us?”

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַתֵּ֩בְךְּ֩ אֵ֨שֶׁת שִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן עָלָ֗יו וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ רַק־שְׂנֵאתַ֙נִי֙ וְלֹ֣א אֲהַבְתָּ֔נִי הַחִידָ֥ה חַ֙דְתָּ֙ לִבְנֵ֣י עַמִּ֔י וְלִ֖י לֹ֣א הִגַּ֑דְתָּה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָ֗הּ הִנֵּ֨ה לְאָבִ֧י וּלְאִמִּ֛י לֹ֥א הִגַּ֖דְתִּי וְלָ֥ךְ אַגִּֽיד׃

English:

Then Samson’s wife harassed him with tears, and she said, “You really hate me, you don’t love me. You asked my people a riddle, and you didn’t tell me the answer.” He replied, “I haven’t even told my father and mother; shall I tell you?”

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַתֵּ֤בְךְּ עָלָיו֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י וַיַּגֶּד־לָהּ֙ כִּ֣י הֱצִיקַ֔תְהוּ וַתַּגֵּ֥ד הַחִידָ֖ה לִבְנֵ֥י עַמָּֽהּ׃

English:

During the rest of the seven days of the feast she continued to harass him with her tears, and on the seventh day he told her, because she nagged him so. And she explained the riddle to her people.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לוֹ֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הָעִ֜יר בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ יָבֹ֣א הַחַ֔רְסָה מַה־מָּת֣וֹק מִדְּבַ֔שׁ וּמֶ֥ה עַ֖ז מֵאֲרִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם לוּלֵא֙ חֲרַשְׁתֶּ֣ם בְּעֶגְלָתִ֔י לֹ֥א מְצָאתֶ֖ם חִידָתִֽי׃

English:

On the seventh day, before the sunset, the townspeople said to him:“What is sweeter than honey,And what is stronger than a lion?”He responded:“Had you not plowed with my heifer,You would not have guessed my riddle!”

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וַתִּצְלַ֨ח עָלָ֜יו ר֣וּחַ יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיֵּ֨רֶד אַשְׁקְל֜וֹן וַיַּ֥ךְ מֵהֶ֣ם ׀ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־חֲלִ֣יצוֹתָ֔ם וַיִּתֵּן֙ הַחֲלִיפ֔וֹת לְמַגִּידֵ֖י הַחִידָ֑ה וַיִּ֣חַר אַפּ֔וֹ וַיַּ֖עַל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיהוּ׃

English:

The spirit of GOD gripped him. He went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of its men. He stripped them and gave the sets of clothing to those who had answered the riddle. And he left in a rage for his father’s house.

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וַתְּהִ֖י אֵ֣שֶׁת שִׁמְשׁ֑וֹן לְמֵ֣רֵעֵ֔הוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רֵעָ֖ה לֽוֹ׃ {פ}

English:

Samson’s wife then got married to one of those who had been his wedding companions.

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