That’s Weird

Judges 14:10–20

¹⁰ His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. ¹¹ As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him. ¹² And Samson said to them, “Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes, ¹³ but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Put your riddle, that we may hear it.” ¹⁴ And he said to them,

“Out of the eater came something to eat.

Out of the strong came something sweet.”

And in three days they could not solve the riddle. ¹⁵ On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?” ¹⁶ And Samson’s wife wept over him and said, “You only hate me; you do not love me. You have put a riddle to my people, and you have not told me what it is.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?” ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ 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.” ¹⁹ And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house. ²⁰ And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

One cannot say that Samson’s story doesn’t contain passion and intrigue. As Samson goes to marry his Philistine bride, the story takes an interesting turn. As a part of the seven-day wedding event word-play, jokes, drinking, and wagering were all a part of the entertainment. That a riddle ending in a wager would occur would not be considered unusual. This entourage of 30 men who were “given” to Samson as his groomsmen need to be seen for the security force that it was intended to be. Samson was a mighty threat to the town should he become angry or out of control. The bride’s family seems to attempt to keep things peaceful by surrounding him with men who might act as security.

The wager goes badly when Samson’s riddle is unsolvable. Of course, he is alluding to the honey comb found in the lion that he killed. None of them could have known that story but the riddle stands nonetheless. They agreed to the wager. As the time for solving the puzzle draws close they panic and threaten the new bride and her family. She wheedles and begs until Samson reveals the answer which she promptly tells to the 30 groomsmen. Little did they know that Samson would kill 30 of their own people to attain the sets of wagered clothing. God used this stupid bet to exact punishment from the Philistines albeit on a smaller scale.

On a side note – the riddle itself has sexual undertones as does the Samson’s charge when it has been revealed that they know the answer to his riddle.

“If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.”

That’s quite a thing to say about one’s new wife. Sunset of the seventh day was the stipulated deadline of the contest. It also marked the time when a bridegroom entered his bride’s chamber to consummate the marriage. Apparently, Samson did not do so, but at once “went back to his father’s house”. Therefore, the woman’s father felt free to give her to his best man. My heart goes out to this poor woman who appears to have been everyone’s pawn.

As is true throughout Samson’s story, while we do not hear God’s voice with any frequency, we do see His hand moving to accomplish His will. He sent Samson to punish the Philistines and gain some security for His people. Even in the midst of watching Samson break the Nazarite vow that over-shadows his life, we see God placing Samson exactly where he needs to be to accomplish God’s will. We are so incredibly short-sighted that often it is difficult to see God moving, but my inability to see it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. God does what He will do with or without my knowledge. I find comfort in that fact.