Hakim-hakim 11:17

11:17 Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please allow us ¹  to pass through your land.” But the king of Edom rejected the request. ²  Israel sent the same request to the king of Moab, but he was unwilling to cooperate. ³  So Israel stayed at Kadesh.

Hakim-hakim 14:9

14:9 He scooped it up with his hands and ate it as he walked along. When he returned ⁴  to his father and mother, he offered them some and they ate it. But he did not tell them he had scooped the honey out of the lion’s carcass. ⁵ 

[11:17]  ¹ tn Heb “me.” (Collective Israel is the speaker.)

[11:17]  ² tn Heb “did not listen.”

[11:17]  ³ tn Heb “Also to the king of Moab he sent, but he was unwilling.”

[14:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “went.” Samson apparently went home to his parents before going to Timnah for the marriage. Seeing and tasting the honey appears to encourage Manoah to go with his son to Timnah. Perhaps both Samson and his father viewed the honey as a good omen of future blessing. Possibly Samson considered it a symbol of sexual pleasure or an aphrodisiac. Note the use of honey imagery in Song 4:11 and 5:1.

[14:9]  ⁵ sn Touching the carcass of a dead animal undoubtedly violated Samson’s Nazirite status. See Num 6:6.