“Out of the one who eats came something to eat;
out of the strong one came something sweet.”
They could not solve the riddle for three days.
14:15 On the fourth 5 day they said to Samson’s bride, “Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle. 6 If you refuse, 7 we will burn up 8 you and your father’s family. 9 Did you invite us here 10 to make us poor?” 11 14:16 So Samson’s bride cried on his shoulder 12 and said, “You must 13 hate me; you do not love me! You told the young men 14 a riddle, but you have not told me the solution.” He said to her, “Look, I have not even told my father or mother. Do you really expect me to tell you?” 15 14:17 She cried on his shoulder 16 until the party was almost over. 17 Finally, on the seventh day, he told her because she had nagged him so much. 18 Then she told the young men the solution to the riddle. 19 14:18 On the seventh day, before the sun set, the men of the city said to him,
“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”
He said to them,
“If you had not plowed with my heifer, 20
you would not have solved my riddle!”
14:19 The Lord’s spirit empowered him. He went down to Ashkelon and murdered thirty men. He took their clothes 21 and gave them 22 to the men who had solved the riddle. He was furious as he went back home. 23