Judges 14 17

Judges 14:17 kjv

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.

Judges 14:17 nkjv

Now she had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed him so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of her people.

Judges 14:17 niv

She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people.

Judges 14:17 esv

She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her people.

Judges 14:17 nlt

So she cried whenever she was with him and kept it up for the rest of the celebration. At last, on the seventh day he told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging. Then she explained the riddle to the young men.

Judges 14 verses

Judges 14 17 Meaning

Judges 14:17 details the emotional coercion Samson's Philistine wife used to extract the solution to his riddle. Through persistent weeping and an accusation of hatred and lack of love, she exploited Samson's emotional vulnerabilities. Despite his initial resistance, claiming he hadn't even told his most trusted parents, her relentless pressure highlighted the breach of marital trust from her perspective, ultimately leading to his capitulation. This moment underscores Samson's personal weaknesses that contrasted with his divinely bestowed physical strength.

Judges 14 17 Context

The verse is situated in Judges Chapter 14, detailing the beginning of Samson's first marriage to a Philistine woman from Timnah. This chapter initiates the recurring pattern of Samson's powerful feats contrasted with his deep personal and spiritual failings, driven by fleshly desires and compromise with the enemies of Israel. The Philistines, oppressive rulers over Israel at the time, were also sworn adversaries. Samson’s decision to marry outside his people, against the Mosaic Law (Deut 7:3-4), sets the stage for conflict. At the wedding feast, Samson poses a riddle to the thirty Philistine companions, betting a significant wager. When they cannot solve it, they threaten his wife and her household with fire, pressuring her to extract the answer. Verse 17 depicts her success in breaking Samson's resolve, an event that significantly escalates tensions between Samson and the Philistines.

Word Analysis

• And Samson's wife: Refers to his first wife, a Philistine woman, whose national allegiance and desperate situation drove her actions.
• wept before him (Hebrew: tivkeh lefanav): The verb tivkeh (to weep) signifies a profound display of distress, used here as a potent form of emotional manipulation. This persistent crying, done "before him," was a direct and overt emotional appeal, designed to pressure him into yielding to her demands. In ancient cultures, public or continuous weeping could effectively wear down another's resolve.
• and said, Thou hast but hated me, and not loved me: This powerful accusation leverages marital intimacy and trust. In the biblical sense, "hated" (Hebrew: sane'atani, from sane') often indicates a diminished love, a rejection, or a lower priority rather than intense animosity (e.g., in comparing love for multiple wives, Deut 21:15, or allegiance to Christ over family, Lk 14:26). Her argument posits that keeping such a secret, especially when her people’s lives were at stake, amounted to a betrayal of marital covenant, indicating a lack of true affection and care on his part.
• thou hast put forth a riddle (Hebrew: chiddohta) unto the children of my people: Chiddohta (from chidah) refers to a clever, enigmatic saying or puzzle. Her emphasis on "the children of my people" highlights the stark ethno-religious division. Samson chose to share this challenge (and, implicitly, its secret solution) with her national group (the enemy), yet he withheld it from her, his wife. This accusation frames his actions as a betrayal of their personal bond for the sake of a public display among his enemies, from her perspective.
• and hast not told it me: This expresses her sense of exclusion and breach of trust. She perceives the secret's concealment as a personal slight and a direct denial of the intimacy expected in marriage.
• And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?: Samson attempts to justify his secrecy by elevating the confidential nature of the riddle's answer. He points out that he has withheld it even from his parents, his closest and most trusted relatives. The rhetorical question ("and shall I tell it thee?") underscores his belief that revealing it to her would be an even greater transgression or a sign of weakness, given the context of a competition where her people are antagonists. This defense, however, immediately foreshadows his eventual capitulation to her emotional pressure, setting a dangerous precedent for his later, more tragic, relationship with Delilah.
• words-group analysis - "wept before him, and said, Thou hast but hated me, and not loved me": This phrase encapsulates the potent emotional manipulation. Her tears provided a visual cue of distress, while her words aimed directly at Samson’s ego and affection, making it a test of his love. This combined tactic was deeply effective against Samson's apparent emotional immaturity and attachment.
• words-group analysis - "I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?": This defense showcases Samson's awareness of the gravity of the secret and his resistance to sharing it, even as it paradoxically reveals the extent of the pressure being applied. His parents were significant figures of authority and trust; withholding the secret from them implied its paramount importance, making his eventual surrender even more poignant.

Judges 14 17 Bonus section

• Foreshadowing of Delilah: The emotional and manipulative tactics employed by Samson's first wife strongly foreshadow the strategies Delilah later uses to discover the secret of Samson's strength in Judges 16. This establishes a pattern of Samson's susceptibility to such tactics from women he is intimately involved with, suggesting a fundamental character flaw.
• Cultural Context of Riddles: Riddles at ancient feasts (like in Ugaritic literature or the Queen of Sheba and Solomon, 1 Kgs 10:1) were common displays of wit and wisdom, often carrying significant stakes. Samson's choice of a life-or-death wager (thirty changes of clothes) and a riddle rooted in his Nazarite vow incidents, indicates both his boldness and his lack of discretion concerning sacred matters.
• Providence in Human Failing: While Samson's actions in this chapter appear driven by his own carnal desires and flawed character, Judges 14:4 states, "His father and mother did not know that this was from the LORD, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines." This shows God's sovereignty working through the flawed choices of His servant to accomplish His larger purposes of delivering Israel, even amidst the moral ambiguities of the Judges period.

Judges 14 17 Commentary

Judges 14:17 powerfully illustrates Samson's vulnerability to emotional manipulation, directly contrasting his superhuman strength with his profound personal weakness. His Philistine wife’s persistent, tearful accusations, centered on her perceived lack of love from him, chip away at his resolve. Her strategy cleverly framed his secrecy not merely as stubbornness, but as a direct affront to their marital bond, exacerbated by the danger her family faced. Samson's defense, invoking the sacred trust of keeping secrets even from his parents, reveals the internal struggle over the significant personal vow the riddle represents. Yet, his immediate succumbing in the following verse highlights the perilous nature of unequal yoking and the insidious power of emotional entreaty over physical prowess, setting a clear pattern for his future struggles and ultimate downfall. This incident is a crucial point demonstrating that divine gifts do not exempt one from personal discipline and wisdom in relationships.