Judges 14:18 · Bible study
Judges 14:18 Commentary: Samson's Riddle and the 'Heifer' Metaphor
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does Samson mean by 'plowed with my heifer'? Explore the riddle, betrayal, and the Spirit's power in this study.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Samson accuses the Philistines of using his wife to extract the riddle's secret, a breach of trust.
- Key words: plowed (חרּש, to plow or devise), heifer (עגּלה, young cow, metaphor for wife), riddle (חידּה, enigmatic saying).
- Main debate: Whether "plowed with my heifer" implies adultery or is a general metaphor for using the wife to get information.
- Theological theme: The intersection of divine empowerment and human betrayal; the Spirit works through flawed people in messy situations.
- Best use: A cautionary narrative about relationships with non-believers, the cost of betrayal, and God's sovereignty over human conflict.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”
WEB World English Bible 2000
The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He said to them, “If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have found out my riddle.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the men of the city say to him on the seventh day, before the sun goeth in: --`What is sweeter than honey? And what stronger than a lion?' And he saith to them: `Unless ye had ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey, And what stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they, on the seventh day before the sun went down, said to him: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you had not found out my riddle.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y al séptimo día, antes que el sol se pusiese, los de la ciudad le dijeron: ¿ Qué cosa más dulce que la miel? ¿ y qué cosa más fuerte que el león?
E ao sétimo dia, antes que o sol se pusesse, os da cidade lhe disseram: Que coisa mais doce que o mel? E que coisa mais forte que o leão? Se não arásseis com minha novilha, Nunca teríeis descoberto meu enigma.
Les gens de la ville dirent à Samson le septième jour, avant le coucher du soleil: Quoi de plus doux que le miel, et quoi de plus fort que le lion? Et il leur dit: Si vous n’ aviez pas labouré avec ma génisse, vous n’auriez pas découvert mon énigme.
Da sprachen die Männer der Stadt zu ihm am siebenten Tage, ehe die Sonne unterging: Was ist süßer den Honig? Was ist stärker denn der Löwe? Aber er sprach zu ihnen: Wenn ihr nicht hättet mit meinem Kalb gepflügt, ihr hättet mein Rätsel nicht getroffen.
Toen zeiden de mannen der stad tot hem, op den zevenden dag, eer de zon onderging: Wat is zoeter dan honig? en wat is sterker dan een leeuw? En hij zeide tot hen: Zo gij met mijn kalf niet hadt geploegd, gij zoudt mijn raadsel niet hebben uitgevonden.
E gli uomini della città, il settimo giorno, prima che tramontasse il sole, dissero a Sansone: “Che v’è di più dolce del miele? e che v’è di più forte del leone?” Ed egli rispose loro: “Se non aveste arato con la mia giovenca, non avreste indovinato il mio enimma”.
Przetoż rzekli do niego mężowie onego miasta siódmego dnia przed zachodem słońca: Cóż słodszego nad miód, a co mocniejszego nad lwa? którym on odpowiedział: Byście byli nie orali jałowicą moją, nie zgadlibyście byli zagadki mojej.
И в седьмой день до захождения солнечного сказали ему граждане: что слаще меда, и что сильнее льва! Он сказал им: если бы вы не орали на моей телице, то не отгадали бы моей загадки.
到第七 天，日頭 未落 以前，那城 裡的人 對參孫 說：有甚麼 比蜜 還甜呢？有甚麼 比獅子 還強呢？參孫對他們 說：你們若非 用我的母牛犢 耕地，就猜不 出 我謎語的意思來。
Then on the seventh day, before he went into the bride's room, the men of the town said to him, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If you had not been ploughing with my cow you would not have got the answer to my question.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 14:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Samson's reply is a stinging accusation. He realizes his wife betrayed him by revealing the riddle's answer. The metaphor "plowed with my heifer" is understood in two ways. Adam Clarke, citing the Septuagint and Syriac, reads it as a euphemism for adultery, a common metaphor in Greek and Latin literature. John Gill acknowledges this view but prefers that the Philistines merely used his wife to "plow" out the secret, like a farmer uses a heifer to break ground. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown agree with Gill, seeing it as an unworthy expedient rather than a charge of infidelity. Both readings agree on the betrayal; the dispute lies in its severity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Infidelity Reading: Samson accuses the Philistines of adultery with his wife, based on the metaphor's use in ancient literature and the Septuagint.
- Betrayal via Wife Reading: The metaphor means the Philistines used his wife (like a heifer) to plow out the answer, without implying sexual sin.
What is clear: Samson's wife betrayed his confidence, and he directs his anger at the Philistines for using her to learn the riddle.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'plowed with my heifer' | Samson accuses the Philistines of using his wife to learn the riddle. | Some see it as a euphemism for adultery (Clarke, Septuagint); others as a metaphor for obtaining information (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). |
| Fairness of the riddle | The riddle was based on a personal experience, making it difficult for outsiders. | Some say it was unfair because the answer was unknowable without inside info; others note that riddle games often relied on obscure personal knowledge. |
| Role of the Holy Spirit in the violence | The Spirit came on Samson, enabling him to kill thirty men. | Whether this violence is a morally positive act of divine judgment or a troubling example of God using human anger. |
| Samson's marriage to a Philistine | It was against Israelite law to intermarry with pagans. | Some see it as a sin that led to trouble; others as part of God's plan to confront the Philistines (cf. 14:4). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The wedding feast in Timnah followed local custom. The groom had thirty companions, likely young Philistine men. The seven-day feast included entertainment, riddles were common. Samson's riddle draws from his own recent experience: killing a lion with bare hands and finding honey inside its carcass. The answer was personal, relying on his strength and a dead lion's transformation into a food source. The Philistines could not guess it fairly. Their threat to burn Samson's wife and her family shows the brutality of the situation.
In the ancient Near East, metaphors of plowing were used for sexual intercourse, as Clarke and Gill note from sources like Theognis and Martial. The phrase "my heifer" compares the wife to a young animal, often used in poetry. The rare word for "sun" (ḥeres) may, as the Cambridge Bible suggests, have a textual variant meaning "chamber," pointing to the private wedding chamber. This background deepens the betrayal: the secret was extorted under threat of death, and Samson's response mixes anger and hurt. Samson, a Nazirite judge, was marked by extraordinary strength from God's Spirit. His involvement with a Philistine woman was already controversial. The riddle game was not innocent; it masked the Philistines' intent to impoverish Samson. The metaphor thus cuts deep: they worked his wife like a field, extracting what they could. The classical parallels show this was a known figure of speech for exploiting a woman for gain. Whether it implies actual adultery or just manipulation, the accusation stings.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one significant textual issue. The phrase "before the sun went down" uses a rare and poetic word for sun (ḥeres). The Cambridge Bible suggests a possible correction to "before he went into the chamber" (based on a similar word in Judges 15:1), which would place the answer at the final moment before the wedding consummation. However, the Masoretic Text reading is well-attested, and most translations follow it. No other substantive variants appear in the supplied data.
Reception History
Jewish and Christian readers have long found this verse troubling. The Septuagint and Syriac traditions understood Samson's metaphor as a direct charge of adultery, a reading adopted by many rabbis and some church fathers. In contrast, literal readings (like those of Gill and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) see it as a bitter complaint about the extortion of his secret. The metaphor's ambiguity has allowed it to serve both as a warning about marital betrayal and as a caution against entering close bonds with those who do not share faith in God. Through the ages, preachers have used the riddle itself, sweetness from the strong, to illustrate how God can bring good out of conflict and even out of the violent acts of his flawed servants.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Riddle Reveals the Man. Samson's riddle comes from his own experience, a lion he killed with his hands, and honey he found inside. It shows his unique strength and his isolation among Philistines. He is a man apart, marked by God but mixing with enemies.
- The Betrayer Uncovers the Truth. The Philistines threaten Samson's wife to extort the answer. She wears him down with tears until he tells her. The secret is then used against him. Betrayal comes from the closest relationship.
- The Accusation Stings. Samson's reply uses agricultural imagery. He accuses them of using his wife as a tool, plowing with his heifer. This is more than a clever turn of phrase; it speaks to the rupture of trust and the cost of mixing with those who oppose God's people.
Five-Point Outline
- Samson enters a marriage feast in enemy territory (vv. 10, 11).
- He proposes a riddle with a high wager (vv. 12, 14).
- The Philistines threaten his wife to obtain the answer (v. 15).
- His wife coaxes and presses him until he tells her (vv. 16, 17).
- They answer the riddle, and Samson responds with a bitter metaphor (v. 18).
Illustration Hooks
- A student gives a friend the answer to a test; the teacher accuses them of cheating. The friend who sold the secret is the one who hurt them most.
- In a company, a trusted employee shares confidential plans with a competitor after being threatened. The leader's anger is directed both at the competitor and the employee.
- A parent discovers their teenager shared a family secret with outsiders after being pressured by friends. The parent's sharp words reflect deeper hurt.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Was Samson wrong to marry a Philistine woman? What does this tell us about being unequally yoked?
- How should we respond when we are betrayed by someone close to us?
- What is the role of the Holy Spirit's power in Samson's anger and violence?
Leading a Discussion
This passage raises hard questions about trust, betrayal, and the consequences of mixing with those who oppose God. As you study, consider how relationships can be exploited and how anger can lead to further conflict.
Discussion Questions
- What does the riddle tell us about Samson's character and his experience with God?
- Why were the Philistines so determined to solve the riddle? What does their threat reveal about their values?
- How does Samson's wife respond to the pressure? Were her actions understandable? Why or why not?
- What does the metaphor "plowed with my heifer" mean in this context? How do different interpretations change the tone of his accusation?
- How does the Holy Spirit's coming upon Samson lead to violence? Is this a model for righteous anger?
- What are the long-term consequences of this broken trust? How does the chapter end? (vv. 19, 20)
- How can this story help us navigate relationships with people who do not share our faith?
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.
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists the phrase "ploughed with my heifer" is an ancient metaphor for marital unfaithfulness, citing Greek, Latin, and Hebrew parallels. For him, Samson's point is that his wife's betrayal with the Philistines, not just her disclosure of the riddle, is what gave them the answer.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that Delilah and the Philistines pretend their answer was a guess, but Samson instantly recognizes her betrayal. Rather than confront her directly, he replies with a speech that functions like a riddle, making clear he has uncovered their treachery.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the Hebrew word for sun in this phrase is rare and poetic, and a slight textual correction suggests the original reading was "before he went into the chamber," referring to the wedding chamber. The point is that the timing described is the last moment before the marriage was consummated, not a literal sunset.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that Samson's sharp reply exposes the Philistines' dishonesty. They solved his riddle not through wisdom but by coercing his wife for the answer. Samson compares this treachery to plowing with another man's heifer, condemning their underhanded methods.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that Samson’s phrase “ploughed with my heifer” refers to his wife, pictured as a young heifer not yet used to the yoke. The men ploughed, meaning they worked her persistently to draw out his secret. Without this relentless effort they could never have solved the riddle.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB interprets Samson's "plowing with my heifer" as a simple agricultural metaphor: the Philistines used his wife to extract the riddle's answer. He rejects any criminal sense, seeing it instead as an unworthy trick that a less noble man might have considered grounds to break his bargain.
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 emphasizes the psychological inevitability of Samson's conflict: an Israelite cannot forge a genuine covenant with oppressors, no matter how sincere his affections. Samson's own noble and tender nature collides with the vulgar treachery of the Philistines, who exploit his wife's allegiance to betray him. The narrative shows that hidden antagonism always surfaces when God's people compromise with enemies.
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.