Judges 14 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Judges 14 (WEBP)

[1] Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.
[2] He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my wife.”
[3] Then his father and his mother said to him, “Isn’t there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”
[4] But his father and his mother didn’t know that it was of Yahweh; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
[5] Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion roared at him.
[6] Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done.
[7] He went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.
[8] After a while he returned to take her, and he went over to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
[9] He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave to them, and they ate, but he didn’t tell them that he had taken the honey out of the lion’s body.
[10] His father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so.
[11] When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
[12] Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
[13] but if you can’t tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”
[14] He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle.
[15] On the seventh day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Isn’t that so?”
[16] Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You’ve told a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I haven’t told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?”
[17] She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and on the seventh day, he told her, because she pressed him severely; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
[18] 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?” He said to them, “If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have found out my riddle.”
[19] Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.
[20] But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Judges 14 (KJVS)

[1] And Samson went down () to Timnath , and saw () a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines .
[2] And he came up (), and told () his father and his mother , and said (), I have seen () a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines : now therefore get () her for me to wife .
[3] Then his father and his mother said () unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren , or among all my people , that thou goest () to take () a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines ? And Samson said () unto his father , Get () her for me; for she pleaseth me well () .
[4] But his father and his mother knew () not that it [was] of the LORD , that he sought () an occasion against the Philistines : for at that time the Philistines had dominion () over Israel .
[5] Then went Samson down (), and his father and his mother , to Timnath , and came () to the vineyards of Timnath : and, behold, a young lion roared () against () him.
[6] And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily () upon him, and he rent () him as he would have rent () a kid , and [he had] nothing in his hand : but he told () not his father or his mother what he had done ().
[7] And he went down (), and talked () with the woman ; and she pleased Samson well () .
[8] And after a time he returned () to take () her, and he turned aside () to see () the carcase of the lion : and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion .
[9] And he took () thereof in his hands , and went on () eating (), and came () to his father and mother , and he gave () them, and they did eat (): but he told () not them that he had taken () the honey out of the carcase of the lion .
[10] So his father went down () unto the woman : and Samson made () there a feast ; for so used the young men to do ().
[11] And it came to pass, when they saw () him, that they brought () thirty companions to be with him.
[12] 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 :
[13] 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.
[14] 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 .
[15] 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]?
[16] 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?
[17] 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 .
[18] 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 .
[19] 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 .
[20] But Samson’s wife was [given] to his companion , whom he had used as his friend ().

Young’s Literal Translation

Judges 14 (YLT)

[1] And Samson goeth down to Timnath, and seeth a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines,
[2] and cometh up and declareth to his father, and to his mother, and saith, ‘A woman I have seen in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines; and now, take her for me for a wife.’
[3] And his father saith to him-also his mother, ‘Is there not among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, a woman, that thou art going to take a woman from the uncircumcised Philistines?’ and Samson saith unto his father, ‘Take her for me, for she is right in mine eyes.’
[4] And his father and his mother have not known that from Jehovah it is, that a meeting he is seeking of the Philistines; and at that time the Philistines are ruling over Israel.
[5] And Samson goeth down-also his father and his mother, to Timnath, and they come unto the vineyards of Timnath, and lo, a lion’s whelp roareth at meeting him,
[6] and the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and he rendeth it as the rending of a kid, and there is nothing in his hand, and he hath not declared to his father and to his mother that which he hath done.
[7] And he goeth down and speaketh to the woman, and she is right in the eyes of Samson;
[8] and he turneth back after some days to take her, and turneth aside to see the carcase of the lion, and lo, a company of bees are in the body of the lion-and honey.
[9] And he taketh it down on to his hands, and goeth on, going and eating; and he goeth unto his father, and unto his mother, and giveth to them, and they eat, and he hath not declared to them that from the body of the lion he took down the honey.
[10] And his father goeth down unto the woman, and Samson maketh there a banquet, for so the young men do;
[11] and it cometh to pass when they see him, that they take thirty companions, and they are with him.
[12] And Samson saith to them, ‘Let me, I pray you, put forth to you a riddle; if ye certainly declare it to me in the seven days of the banquet, and have found it out, then I have given to you thirty linen shirts, and thirty changes of garments;
[13] and if ye are not able to declare it to me, then ye have given to me thirty linen shirts, and thirty changes of garments.’ And they say to him, ‘Put forth thy riddle, and we hear it!’
[14] And he saith to them: ‘Out of the eater came forth meat, And out of the strong came forth sweetness;’ and they were not able to declare the riddle in three days.
[15] And it cometh to pass, on the seventh day, that they say to Samson’s wife, ‘Entice thy husband, that he declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and the house of thy father with fire; to possess us have ye called for us? is it not?’
[16] And Samson’s wife weepeth for it, and saith, ‘Thou hast only hated me, and hast not loved me; the riddle thou hast put forth to the sons of my people-and to me thou hast not declared it;’ and he saith to her, ‘Lo, to my father and to my mother I have not declared it-and to thee I declare it!’
[17] And she weepeth for it the seven days in which their banquet hath been, and it cometh to pass on the seventh day that he declareth it to her, for she hath distressed him; and she declareth the riddle to the sons of her people.
[18] And the men of the city say to him on the seventh day, before the sun goeth in:- ‘What is sweeter than honey? And what stronger than a lion?’ And he saith to them: ‘Unless ye had ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.’
[19] And the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and he goeth down to Ashkelon, and smiteth of them thirty men, and taketh their armour, and giveth the changes to those declaring the riddle; and his anger burneth, and he goeth up to the house of his father;
[20] and Samson’s wife becometh his companion’s, who is his friend.