Judges 14 18

Judges 14:18 kjv

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.

Judges 14:18 nkjv

So the men of the city said to 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 to them: "If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have solved my riddle!"

Judges 14:18 niv

Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle."

Judges 14:18 esv

And 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?" And he said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle."

Judges 14:18 nlt

So before sunset of the seventh day, the men of the town came to Samson with their answer: "What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?"
Samson replied, "If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, you wouldn't have solved my riddle!"

Judges 14 verses

Judges 14 18 Meaning

This verse reveals Samson's bitter understanding of how the Philistines solved his riddle: they coerced his Timnite wife to divulge the secret. The men of the city confront him on the last day of the wedding feast with the correct answer, based on Samson's unique experience. His response confirms his immediate realization that his secret, intended for his own glory, was betrayed by the person closest to him. It highlights his acute pain from treachery.

Judges 14 18 Context

This verse is the climax of Samson's wedding feast to a Philistine woman from Timnah, a union that directly violated God's commands against intermarriage (Deut 7:3). During the seven-day celebration, Samson posed a riddle to the Philistine guests, with the high stakes of thirty sets of garments if they failed to answer, or him providing the same if they succeeded. His riddle stemmed from his recent experience of finding honey in the carcass of a lion he had previously killed. Unable to solve it legitimately, the Philistines coerced Samson's wife through threats against her and her father's house. She then persistently wept and pleaded with Samson until, weakened by her emotional assault, he revealed the answer on the seventh day. Judges 14:18 marks the moment they present their coerced solution, and Samson's immediate, pained, and insightful retort exposing their treachery. This episode showcases Samson's great physical strength but significant moral and spiritual weakness, leading to his repeated entanglements with Philistine women who would ultimately contribute to his downfall, and setting the stage for his initial acts of judgment against the Philistines.

Judges 14 18 Word analysis

• Then the men of the city said to him: This identifies the group of Philistine guests at the feast, indicating their collective triumph over Samson. "The city" refers to Timnah.
• on the seventh day: This signifies the final day of the wedding feast and the deadline for the riddle's solution. It emphasizes the urgency and pressure the Philistines were under to extract the answer.
• before the sun went down: This denotes the critical hour, just before the set deadline, highlighting the narrow escape the Philistines achieved through their unethical means.
• "What is sweeter than honey?" (Hebrew: Ma metuk mid'vash? - מַה־מָּתֹוק מִדְּבַשׁ): This question directly references Samson's specific encounter with the honey found in the lion's carcass. It is a rhetorical question, whose intended answer by the Philistines refers to the riddle's solution. Honey universally symbolizes pleasantness and desirability.
• "And what is stronger than a lion?" (Hebrew: U'meh 'az mim'ari? - וּמֶה עַז מֵאֲרִי): This second rhetorical question similarly alludes to Samson's singular act of tearing apart a young lion. A lion is a powerful symbol of strength and dominance. These two questions combine to pinpoint the source of Samson's riddle, confirming their possession of the secret.
• And he said to them: Samson's immediate verbal response, indicating his instantaneous comprehension of their deceit.
• "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!" (Hebrew: Lu hacharash'tem b'eglati, lo metzatem chidati! - לֽוּ־חֲרַשְׂתֶּם בְּעֶגְלָתִֽי לֹא־מְצָאתֶם חִידָתִֽי!): This entire phrase is a sharp, metaphorical accusation.
  • "plowed" (חָרַשׁ - charash): Literally means "to cut into the earth," "to engrave," or "to cultivate." Metaphorically, it implies laborious digging for information, working the ground, or exerting persistent influence to exploit. Here, it denotes intense, persistent coercion and manipulation.
  • "with my heifer" (בְּעֶגְלָתִֽי - b'eglati): A direct and bitter metaphor for his wife. A "heifer" (eglah) refers to a young cow, typically unyoked and not yet accustomed to the plow. As a metaphor for a woman, especially a young wife, it suggests a lack of sophistication or a person easily manipulated or coerced into serving another's purpose. It underscores the indignity and instrumentalization of his wife by the Philistines, and her susceptibility. Samson’s use of this animal metaphor, rather than "my wife," conveys his disgust at their exploitation and her weakness.
  • "you would not have solved my riddle!" (לֹא־מְצָאתֶם חִידָתִֽי - lo metzatem chidati): This is the clear consequence stated. It highlights the integrity of his riddle – it was unsolvable by fair means – and the unfair, deceptive advantage gained by the Philistines. It underscores that their victory was ill-gotten and devoid of true wit or wisdom.

Judges 14 18 Bonus section

• The Irony of Samson's Strength and Weakness: Samson, physically the strongest man of his time, repeatedly shows profound moral and relational weakness, particularly concerning Philistine women. His physical victories are often followed by personal and relational failures that stem from a lack of self-control and spiritual discernment, mirroring Israel's own struggles.
• A "Set Up" by the Lord: Judges 14:4 states that Samson's desire for the Philistine wife was "of the LORD, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines." This does not justify Samson's disobedience but reveals God's sovereignty working through and even despite human sin to achieve His purposes for judgment and deliverance, demonstrating His patience and strategic power.
• Foreshadowing of Delilah: This episode sets a destructive pattern for Samson. His Timnite wife's successful coercion by the Philistines to betray his secret directly foreshadows Delilah's more persistent and ultimately fatal manipulation of Samson's secrets (Judges 16). Both incidents highlight his vulnerability through emotional entanglement and his inability to maintain boundaries.
• Riddles and Wisdom in the Ancient World: Riddles were a popular form of intellectual engagement and entertainment in ancient Near Eastern cultures, often used in feasts or diplomatic contexts with stakes involved. Samson's riddle follows this cultural practice but becomes a tool for illustrating his tragic character flaws.

Judges 14 18 Commentary

Judges 14:18 powerfully reveals Samson's weakness despite his immense physical strength. His secret, borne of a unique, divine-infused experience, was guarded only by his discretion, a trait he notoriously lacked. The Philistines' method of solving the riddle underscores their deceitful and manipulative character, forcing his wife to betray him through relentless emotional pressure and threats. Samson's response, though an accusation of their treachery, also serves as an admission of his own folly in entrusting a sacred confidence to one who was fundamentally misaligned with him, reinforcing the consequences of his ill-advised choice to marry a Philistine. This moment precipitates the first overt display of Samson's destructive power against the Philistines, though triggered by personal vengeance rather than deliberate divine strategy.