(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Judges 14:10–20, “So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. And 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: But 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. And 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. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 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. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house. But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.”
Samson’s father decided that he would go along with Samson even through he disagreed with what Samson was doing. The arranged a wedding feast and the Philistines brought thirty people to be Samson’s guests because he didn’t bring any guests from Israel, apart from his mother and his father. Samson was still looking for an opportunity pick an argument with the Philistines so he proposed a riddle to them. He had killed a lion and taken honey from it so the riddle related to that.
“Out of the eater came something to eat.
Out of the strong came something sweet.”
No one could answer the riddle and the Philistine guests didn’t want to lose their own pride and possessions by having to pay Samson. The threatened his wife and told her that they would burn her parents in their home if she didn’t find the answer. Notice Samson became a victim of the same desire that his father had when he tried to find the angel’s name. The woman found out the answer because she was afraid for her family. When the guests told Samson the answer, he was very angry and stormed out. Never the less, Samson went and killed thirty Philistines and took plunder from them to pay the lost bet. The Philistines who came to the party thought Samson had deserted his new wife so they gave to the Philistine who had acted as his friend.
No comments:
Post a Comment