Samson’s Riddle

Judges 14:12–19

ca. 1200–332 BCE

¹²Then Samson said to them, “Let me propound a riddle to you. If you can give me the right answer during the seven days of the feast, I shall give you thirty linen tunics and thirty sets of clothing; ¹³but if you are not able to tell it to me, you must give me thirty linen tunics and thirty sets of clothing.” And they said to him, “Ask your riddle and we will listen.” ¹⁴So he said to them:

“Out of the eater came something to eat,

Out of the strong came something sweet.”

For three days they could not answer the riddle.

¹⁵On the seventh day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband to provide us with the answer to the riddle; else we shall put you and your father’s household to the fire; have you invited us here in order to impoverish us?” ¹⁶Then Samson’s wife harassed him with tears, and she said, “You really hate me, you don’t love me. You asked my countrymen a riddle, and you didn’t tell me the answer.” He replied, “I haven’t even told my father and mother; shall I tell you?” ¹⁷During the rest of the seven days of the feast she continued to harass him with her tears, and on the seventh day he told her, because she nagged him so. And she explained the riddle to her countrymen. ¹⁸On the seventh day, before the sunset, the townsmen said to him:

“What is sweeter than honey,

And what is stronger than a lion?”

He responded:

“Had you not plowed with my heifer,

You would not have guessed my riddle!”