Judges 14 11

Judges 14:11 kjv

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Judges 14:11 nkjv

And it happened, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Judges 14:11 niv

When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions.

Judges 14:11 esv

As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Judges 14:11 nlt

When the bride's parents saw him, they selected thirty young men from the town to be his companions.

Judges 14 verses

Judges 14 11 Meaning

Judges 14:11 describes the traditional wedding arrangements initiated by Samson for his intended Philistine wife. Upon seeing her, he brought her to his father's house in Timnah to formalize the union and hosted a feast. This feast was a customary practice among young men of that era to mark such an occasion, gathering the groom's peers for celebration.

Judges 14 11 Context

Judges chapter 14 begins Samson's first explicit interactions with the Philistines concerning a marital arrangement. Samson, a Nazirite by divine calling, expresses his desire to marry a Philistine woman from Timnah, much to the dismay of his parents who wanted him to marry within Israel. Despite their objections, Samson insists, for "it was of the LORD" (Jdg 14:4), a divine orchestration to initiate conflict with the Philistines. Verse 11 details a crucial customary step: Samson bringing his prospective bride to his family's home and then hosting a traditional feast, which, as per verse 12, would be a seven-day wedding banquet. This feast becomes the setting for Samson's famous riddle and the subsequent escalation of conflict. The historical context is during the period of the Judges when Israel was oppressed by various foreign nations, and individuals like Samson were raised by God to begin deliverance. Feasts were central social events in ancient Near Eastern culture, solidifying social bonds and publicizing significant life events.

Judges 14 11 Word analysis

• וַיְהִי (Vayehi): "And it came to pass" or "It was." This common biblical narrative opener signifies the continuation of a sequence of events, signaling the unfolding of the story.
• כִּרְאוֹתוֹ (Kir'oto): "when he saw her." The Hebrew prefix 'ki' (כִּ) indicates simultaneity, "as soon as," or "when." It highlights Samson's immediate action prompted by seeing the woman. The focus is on Samson as the subject of the action.
• אוֹתָהּ (Otah): "her." The direct object, referring specifically to the Philistine woman. Its repetition emphasizes her as the object of his action.
• וַיַּשֶׂא (Vayyase): "and he brought." From the root nasa (נָשָׂא), meaning to lift, carry, or bring. In this context, it implies Samson took the initiative to escort or convey her to his house, not just visited her. This action signifies bringing her into his sphere of influence and towards integration into his family for marriage.
• שָׁמָּה (Shammah): "thither" or "there." An adverb of direction, pointing to the location.
• אֶל־הַבַּיִת (El-habayit): "to the house." "El" (אֶל) means "to" or "towards." "Ha-bayit" (הַבַּיִת) means "the house." This specifies his own household or his father's house, not her own Philistine home, suggesting she was being presented or lodged there as part of the marital arrangements.
• וַיַּעַשׂ (Vayya'as): "and he made" or "and he did." From the verb 'asah (עָשָׂה), a very common verb for performing an action, making, or organizing an event. Here, it denotes hosting.
• שָׁם (Sham): "there." An adverb of place, referring to the house.
• מִשְׁתֶּה (Mishteh): "a feast" or "a banquet." This is a significant cultural event, often a celebratory gathering with eating, drinking, and merrymaking, particularly associated with weddings or other significant rites of passage in the ancient Near East.
• כִּי (Ki): "for" or "because." A conjunction providing the reason or explanation for the preceding action.
• כֵן (Ken): "so" or "thus." Referring to the customary manner.
• יַעֲשׂוּ (Ya'asu): "used to do" or "do." The imperfect tense indicates a customary or habitual action.
• הַבַּחוּרִים (Habbachurim): "the young men" or "the youths." Refers to young adult males, particularly those around marriageable age or recently married, who were expected to participate in such social customs.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And it came to pass, when he saw her": Marks the precise moment and impetus for Samson's actions – his immediate visual attraction and response.
• "that he brought her into the house": Describes the initial critical step of formalizing the union by integrating her into his family's household. This was a common part of the betrothal or wedding process.
• "and made there a feast": Indicates the commencement of a formal celebration, typically signaling a wedding, engagement, or important social event. This feast serves as a public declaration of intent or the start of the marriage itself.
• "for so used the young men to do": Explains the preceding action as a widely accepted and expected social custom among males of that age, underscoring the conventional nature of the feast as a cultural requirement.

Judges 14 11 Bonus section

The feast mentioned in Jdg 14:11 and clarified as lasting seven days in Jdg 14:12 was known as a mishteh in Hebrew. This custom was common not only among Israelites but also among Philistines, indicating a shared cultural practice that would facilitate interaction—and in Samson's case, eventual conflict. Samson hosting his friends highlights the social network and expectations of a groom to entertain his peers, which later enables the challenging of the riddle. This specific feast sets up the intellectual and physical conflict, showcasing Samson's unique blend of physical strength and mental cunning through his riddle. The use of traditional marriage customs by Samson ironically places him within Philistine society even as he is destined to dismantle their control over Israel.

Judges 14 11 Commentary

Judges 14:11 marks a critical transition in Samson's narrative. While seemingly an ordinary description of a wedding custom, it is pregnant with prophetic and ironic undertones. Samson's act of bringing the Philistine woman to his house and hosting a feast for "young men" (likely bachelor friends) reflects standard ancient Near Eastern betrothal/marriage customs. However, within the context of Israel's covenant with God, Samson's choice of a foreign wife was strictly forbidden by Mosaic Law (Deut 7:3-4), an act typically seen as spiritual defilement and disloyalty to God. The immediate following verse explicitly states this "feast" was the seven-day wedding feast, further solidifying the cultural norm being followed. The profound irony lies in the divine purpose (Jdg 14:4) underlying this seemingly disobedient act: God would use this forbidden union as an "occasion" to confront the Philistines. Thus, what appears as Samson's personal indulgence and adherence to pagan customs, God orchestrates for His redemptive plan, setting the stage for Samson's direct engagement with Israel's oppressors. This verse, therefore, illustrates God's ability to work through unconventional, and even seemingly disobedient, human choices to achieve His sovereign will, demonstrating His ultimate control over history.