Judges 14:1-16 KJV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:9

And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating ,.... Josephus F11 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 6.) says he took three honeycombs, he means three pieces of the honeycomb, and ate the honey as he went along to Timnath; which he might do without touching the carcass of the lion, and defiling himself thereby, which, as a Nazarite, he was more especially to be careful of: and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat ; who went down with him to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:10

So his father went down unto the woman ,.... At Timnath, whom Samson had espoused; the Targum is,"about the business of the woman;'about the consummation of the marriage with her; they all three went, the father, the mother, and the son, as appears from the preceding verse: for Samson made a feast, for so used the young men to do ; at the time of marriage; this was the nuptial feast common in all nations; but it seems the custom now and here was for the bridegroom to make it; whereas... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:11

And it came to pass; when they saw him ,.... That is, the Philistines, the citizens of Timnath, when they saw that he was come to consummate his marriage: that they brought thirty companions to be with him ; to be the bridegroom's men, or children of the bridechamber, as they are called, Matthew 9:15 or friends of the bridegroom, John 3:29 to keep him company during the nuptial feast: this they did according to custom, and in honour and respect unto him; though some think, and so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:12

And Samson said unto them ,.... His thirty companions, very likely on the first day of the feast: I will now put forth a riddle to you : a secret, hidden, abstruse thing, not easy to be understood; a dark saying, wrapped up in figurative terms; and this he proposed as an amusement to them, to exercise their wits, which it seems was usual to entertain guests with, and might be both pleasing and profitable: if you can certainly declare it unto me within the seven days of the feast ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:13

But if ye cannot declare it unto me ,.... Explain the riddle in the space of time allowed: then shall ye give me thirty sheets, and thirty change of garments ; so many shirts and suits of apparel: and they said unto him, put forth thy riddle that we may hear it ; not thereby to judge whether they would agree to his proposals, but hereby suggesting that they accepted his terms and conditions, either to give or receive the above premium, if they did or did not hit on the explanation of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:14

And he said unto them, out of the eater came forth meat ,.... Out of a devouring eater, such as the lion is, came forth honey, or that was taken out of it, which Samson, and his father and mother, ate of, and which was the common food of some persons, as of John the Baptist: and out of the strong came forth sweetness : not only out of that which was strong in body while alive, but of a strong and ill scent, as the carcass of a dead lion is, and out of that came forth honey, than which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:15

And it came to pass on the seventh day ,.... Not on the seventh day of the feast, for some time before that they applied to his wife, and she pressed him hard to disclose it; but on the sabbath day, as Kimchi, and so Jarchi says, on the seventh day of the week, not on the seventh day of the feast, for it was the seventh day of the feast; this is so clear, that the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, instead of the seventh, read the fourth day: that they said unto Samson's wife,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:16

And Samson's wife wept before him ,.... When she came to him to get out of him the explanation of the riddle, thinking that her tears would move him to it: and said, thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not : another artifice she used, well knowing he could not bear to have his affection called in question, which was now very strong, as is usual with newly married persons: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people ; her countrymen, fellow citizens, and neighbour,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 14:1

Went down to Timnath - A frontier town of the Philistines, at the beginning of the lands belonging to the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:57 ; but afterwards given up to Dan, Joshua 19:43 . David took this place from the Philistines, but they again got possession of it in the reign of Ahaz, 2 Chronicles 28:18 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 14:3

Is there never a woman - To marry with any that did not belong to the Israelitish stock, was contrary to the law, Exodus 34:16 ; Deuteronomy 7:3 . But this marriage of Samson was said to be of the Lord, Judges 14:4 ; that is, God permitted it, (for in no other sense can we understand the phrase), that it might be a means of bringing about the deliverance of Israel. For she pleaseth me well - בעיני היאישרה כי ki hi yisherah beeynai , for she is right in my eyes.... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 14:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 14:3

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