Judges 14:10-14 · Bible study
Judges 14:10-14 Commentary: Samson's Wedding
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the wedding customs, riddle, and wager in Samson's marriage, revealing God's sovereignty in human conflict with Philistines.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Samson's wedding feast, where he proposes a riddle that only he can explain, setting up his first conflict with the Philistines.
- Key words: chidah (riddle), mish'teh (feast), mer'eim (companions), sedinim (linen garments), chalifot begadim (changes of garments).
- Main debate: Were the thirty companions friends or guards? Some suggest they were brought out of fear of Samson (Cambridge, Keil).
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over human mistakes; the use of ordinary events to further His plan; the danger of compromising with pagan culture.
- Best use: Preaching on God's ability to work through flawed people and everyday situations; teaching on cultural background of biblical narratives.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
10Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
11And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.
12“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.
13But 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.”
14So 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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
10His father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so.
11When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
13but if you can’t tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”
14He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle.
KJV King James Version 1769
10So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
13But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
10And his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12And Samson said unto them, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can declare it unto me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment;
13but if ye cannot declare it unto me, then shall ye give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
10And his father goeth down unto the woman, and Samson maketh there a banquet, for so the young men do;
11and it cometh to pass when they see him, that they take thirty companions, and they are with him.
12And Samson saith to them, `Let me, I pray you, put forth to you a riddle; if ye certainly declare it to me in the seven days of the banquet, and have found it out, then I have given to you thirty linen shirts, and thirty changes of garments;
13and if ye are not able to declare it to me, then ye have given to me thirty linen shirts, and thirty changes of garments.' And they say to him, `Put forth thy riddle, and we hear it!'
14And he saith to them: `Out of the eater came forth meat, And out of the strong came forth sweetness;' and they were not able to declare the riddle in three days.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
10And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11And it came to pass when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions, and they were with him.
12And Samson said to them, Let me now propound a riddle to you; if ye clearly explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it] out, then I will give you thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments.
13But if ye cannot explain [it] to me, then shall ye give me thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments. And they said to him, Propound thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days explain the riddle.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
10So his father went down to the woman, and made a feast for his son Samson: for so the young men used to do.
11And when the citizens of that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with him.
12And Samson said to them: I will propose to you a riddle, which if you declare unto me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts, and as many coats:
13But if you shall not be able to declare it, you shall give me thirty shirts and the same number of coats. They answered him: Put forth the riddle, that we may hear it.
14And he said to them: Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not for three days expound the riddle.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 14:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage recounts Samson's wedding feast to a Philistine woman from Timnath. The thirty companions are identified as “children of the bride-chamber” (Matthew 9:15), provided by the bride's family according to custom (Barnes, Gill). Samson proposes a riddle as typical banquet entertainment, with a wager of thirty linen garments (sedinim) and thirty changes of clothing, a substantial prize. The riddle itself, “Out of the eater came forth food, out of the strong came forth sweetness,” refers unmistakably to the honey Samson took from the lion's carcass (vv. 8-9; Keil, Gill). The companions cannot solve it, leading to the threats and deception narrated in the following verses. This passage thus introduces Samson's first public conflict with the Philistines, showing how God's Spirit works through flawed human choices (Keil, Matthew Henry).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical narrative: The passage records events with accurate cultural details, focusing on the conflict's origin.
- Moral caution: The passage warns against marriage outside the faith and the trouble it brings (Exodus 34:12-16, Judges 14).
- Divine sovereignty: God works through Samson's flawed choices to begin deliverance from the Philistines (Judges 14:4).
What is clear: The passage describes a wedding feast where Samson's riddle and wager initiate conflict with the Philistines, reflecting both cultural customs and divine purpose.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the feast | All commentators identify it as a wedding feast (marriage of Samson). | Some question whether the father's presence is original or a textual addition (Cambridge). |
| Identity of the thirty companions | They are 'children of the bride-chamber' (friends of the bridegroom) provided by the Philistines. | Were they brought in honor (Barnes, Gill) or out of fear (Cambridge)? The supplied excerpts support both views. |
| Fairness of the riddle | The riddle refers to the lion carcass and honey from Samson's earlier experience. | Clarke calls it 'scarcely fair' because the needed fact was not generally known; others see it as a typical test of wits. |
| Theological purpose of the passage | The narrative advances the story of Samson's conflicts with the Philistines. | Some see a moral lesson against mixed marriages (Poole, Matthew Henry); others emphasize God's sovereignty using human sin (Wesley). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Wedding feasts in ancient Israel and its neighboring cultures could last a week (Genesis 29:22; Tobit 8:19). The thirty companions, sometimes called “friends of the bridegroom” (John 3:29), were customary at such celebrations. The Cambridge Bible notes that the bride's family provided them, possibly out of fear of Samson's extraordinary strength (a reading supported by the LXX variant “because they feared him”). Riddles were a common amusement at banquets; Keil and Delitzsch cite parallels in Greek symposia. The prize, thirty sedinim (fine linen shirts) and thirty changes of outer garments, was a lavish wager, indicating either Samson's confidence or his desire to provoke the Philistines.
This feast took place in Timnath, a Philistine town on the border of Judah. The narrative underscores cultural and religious tension: Samson, an Israelite judge forbidden by the Law to marry pagans (Exodus 34:12-16), nonetheless enters a Philistine household. The irony is sharp: the honey from the lion's carcass (v. 8) echoes purity laws (Leviticus 11:27), yet Samson, a Nazirite, touches a dead animal. The passage reveals a man at odds with his calling, yet God uses even this dissonance to “seek an occasion against the Philistines” (Judges 14:4). The custom of proposing riddles also appears in the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon (1 Kings 10:1), showing a wider ancient Near Eastern practice.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note a few textual variants. The LXX (Codex Alexandrinus) reads “because they feared him” instead of “when they saw him” (Cambridge, Keil). The Syriac and Arabic read “bitter” for “strong” in the riddle (Clarke). The mention of “his father” in verse 10 may be a scribal insertion (Cambridge). These variants do not significantly alter the passage's meaning.
Reception History
Jewish exegesis traditionally interpreted Samson's riddle as a test of wisdom, drawing moral lessons about discretion and God's hidden purposes. Christian commentators from the Reformation era (Matthew Henry, Wesley) focused on the moral dangers of Samson's alliance with the Philistines and God's overruling providence. In the Wesleyan tradition, the passage served as a caution against mixed marriages and the untamed passions that lead to trouble. Modern scholarship emphasizes the cultural background of wedding customs and the narrative's role in the larger judges cycle. Across traditions, readers recognize the irony of a Nazirite judge compromising his calling while God still works through him.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's Sovereignty in Ordinary Events. A wedding feast and a riddle become the arena where God begins to deliver Israel from Philistine oppression. The ordinary is charged with divine purpose.
- Hidden Wisdom from Personal Experience. Samson's riddle draws on a unique, Spirit-empowered event (killing the lion). It reminds us that spiritual insight often comes through personal encounter with God, not from human cleverness.
- Human Failure and Divine Purpose. The Philistines cannot solve the riddle, their wisdom fails. This foreshadows the deeper truth that Israel's victory depends on God, not on human strategy or strength.
Five-point outline
- Samson's Unconventional Marriage. His choice of a Philistine wife sets the stage for conflict, showing that God works through flawed decisions.
- The Wedding Feast. A time of celebration and custom, yet also a place of danger and tension. The seven-day feast provides the setting for the riddle challenge.
- The Proposal of the Riddle. More than a game, the riddle tests the companions' wisdom and exposes their character. The high wager raises stakes.
- The Philistines' Inability. Their failure to solve the riddle humiliates them and provokes threats against Samson's wife (v. 15). Their true nature emerges.
- God's Overruling Power. Despite human scheming and disobedience, God's plan for deliverance advances. The passage challenges us to trust God in complicated situations.
Illustration hooks
- A wedding where one guest holds a secret, how does that hidden knowledge change the atmosphere when it's revealed?
- A trivia game with a prize so large both sides feel pressure, what happens when one team threatens the other to win?
- Setting a challenge that seems impossible to outsiders but obvious to you, the awkward moment when you realize they can't guess.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did Samson marry a Philistine if it was forbidden?
- Was the riddle fair? Could anyone without insider knowledge have solved it?
- What does this story teach about God's sovereignty when we make poor choices?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows how God works through ordinary human customs, a wedding feast, a riddle, a wager, to set in motion His larger purposes for Israel. Notice the tension between human freedom and divine providence as you discuss.
Discussion questions
- What details in these verses give us a picture of ancient wedding customs? (Feast, companions, riddles, wager)
- Why do you think the Philistines provided thirty companions? What does this suggest about their attitude toward Samson?
- Samson's riddle refers to something only he experienced (the lion and honey). Why might he choose to share this experience in the form of a riddle?
- What does the wager reveal about Samson's character and his relationship with the Philistines?
- Read verses 13-14. How do the companions' response (“Tell us your riddle”) show their confidence or perhaps their greed?
- Look ahead to verses 15-18 (outside our passage). How does the Philistines' threat to Samson's wife reveal their true character?
- In what ways does God use this messy situation to bring about His purposes? How can we trust God when our own choices are messy?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 29:22 | Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. |
| Esther 1:7 | They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds, including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king. |
| Esther 1:22 | for he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, that every man should rule his own house, speaking in the language of his own people. |
| Ecclesiastes 10:19 | A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things. |
| Matthew 22:2 | “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a wedding feast for his son, |
| Matthew 22:4 | Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’ |
| John 2:9 | When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom |
| Revelation of John 19:9 | He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.’” He said to me, “These are true words of God.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that proposing riddles with forfeits was a common amusement at marriage feasts in ancient times. He observes Samson's riddle was scarcely fair because it could not be solved by any rule of interpretation unless the private event it described was already known. Clarke also suggests the riddle was originally in poetic form.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that the apparent jump from the third to the seventh day is not a textual error but the narrator's technique. After reporting the seventh day in verse 15, he goes back to cover the fourth through sixth days in the following verses. This resolves the timeline without altering the text.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary focuses on textual problems in the passage, proposing that certain phrases were later insertions and that the original text read differently. It also explains the cultural setting, noting that the thirty companions were actually Philistines acting as a defensive bodyguard for the bridegroom, not mere wedding guests.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets Samson's marriage to a Philistine woman as a type of Christ's union with the Gentile church, emphasizing Christ's love for an undeserving people. He draws parallels in how Christ asked the Father for his bride and how the Gospel feast continues in celebration of that betrothal.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the large number of "friends of the bridegroom" attending Samson's wedding were not merely there to honor the occasion but were actually planted by the bride's family as spies to watch his every move. This suspicion-filled atmosphere set the stage for the riddle that followed.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress that the Spirit of Jehovah compelled Samson to kill Philistines, showing God's superior power, not personal revenge. They view the Philistines' threats and betrayal of Samson's wife as proof of their faithlessness. The marriage breakdown, they argue, was escalated by the Philistines' deceit, not Samson
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the riddle's ingenuity lies in its deliberate ambiguity. Its words are used in their natural sense yet can be turned in every direction, applying equally to a concrete event and an abstract idea. The riddle is so clear as to be obscure, concealing the answer like a knot whose end cannot be found.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.