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New Life Version

Judges 14:14

So Samson said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet. Now what does this mean?" But they could not answer the question in three days.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Betting;   Honey;   Lion;   Riddle;   Samson;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Marriage;   Miracle;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Riddle;   Timnath;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bee;   Riddle;   Solomon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Insects;   Judges, Book of;   Poetry;   Riddle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Games;   Levi;   Marriage;   Philistines;   Samson;   Wisdom;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Riddle;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Riddle,;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Meat;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Games;   Hard;   Lion;   Proverb;   Samson;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Allegory in the Old Testament;   Games and Sports;   Poetry;   Riddle;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So he said to them:
Hebrew Names Version
He said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, Out of the strong came forth sweetness. They couldn't in three days declare the riddle.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
He said to them, "From the eater came out food, From the strong came out sweet." But they were unable to explain the riddle for three days.
English Standard Version
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.
New Century Version
Samson said, "Out of the eater comes something to eat. Out of the strong comes something sweet." After three days, they had not found the answer.
New English Translation
He said to them, "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.
Amplified Bible
So he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet." And they could not solve the riddle in three days.
New American Standard Bible
So he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet." But they could not tell the answer to the riddle in three days.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayd vnto them, Out of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetenesse: and they could not in three dayes expound the riddle.
Legacy Standard Bible
But Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, also prophesied about these men, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones,
Contemporary English Version
Samson said: Once so strong and mighty— now so sweet and tasty! Three days went by, and the Philistine young men had not come up with the right answer.
Complete Jewish Bible
So he said to them, "Out of the eater came food; out of the strong came sweetness." Three days passed, and they couldn't solve the riddle.
Darby Translation
And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days explain the riddle.
Easy-to-Read Version
Samson told them this riddle: "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." The 30 men tried for three days to find the answer, but they couldn't.
George Lamsa Translation
And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth something to eat, and out of the bitter came forth something sweet. And for three days they could not interpret the riddle.
Good News Translation
He said, "Out of the eater came something to eat; Out of the strong came something sweet." Three days later they had still not figured out what the riddle meant.
Literal Translation
And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they were not able to declare the riddle in three days.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde vnto them: Meate wente out from the deuourer, and swetenesse from the mightie. And in thre dayes they coulde not expounde the ryddle.
American Standard Version
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
Bible in Basic English
And he said, Out of the taker of food came food, and out of the strong came the sweet. And at the end of three days they were still not able to give the answer.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayd vnto them: Out of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetnesse. And they coulde not in three dayes expounde the riddle.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said unto them: Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
King James Version (1611)
And hee said vnto them, Out of the eater came foorth meate, aud out of the strong came foorth sweetnesse. And they could not in three dayes expound the riddle.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to them, Meat came forth of the eater, and sweetness out of the strong: and they could not tell the riddle for three days.
English Revised Version
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 declare the riddle.
Berean Standard Bible
So he said to them: "Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet." For three days they were unable to explain the riddle.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hem, Mete yede out of the etere, and swetnesse yede out of the stronge. And bi thre daies thei myyten not assoile the `proposicioun, that is, the resoun set forth.
Young's Literal Translation
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.
Update Bible Version
And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
World English Bible
He said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, Out of the strong came forth sweetness. They couldn't in three days declare the riddle.
New King James Version
So he said to them: "Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet." Now for three days they could not explain the riddle.
New Living Translation
So he said: "Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong came something sweet." Three days later they were still trying to figure it out.
New Revised Standard
He said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." But for three days they could not explain the riddle.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said to them - Out of the eater, came forth food, And, out of the strong, came forth sweetness. But they could not tell the riddle, in three days.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not for three days expound the riddle.
Revised Standard Version
And he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." And they could not in three days tell what the riddle was.
THE MESSAGE
They couldn't figure it out. After three days they were still stumped. On the fourth day they said to Samson's bride, "Worm the answer out of your husband or we'll burn you and your father's household. Have you invited us here to bankrupt us?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet." But they could not tell the riddle in three days.

Contextual Overview

10 Then his father went down to the woman. Samson made a special supper there. The young men used to do this. 11 When the people saw him, they brought thirty friends to be with him. 12 And Samson said to them, "Let me see if you can answer this question. If you can find the answer within the seven days of the special supper, I will give you thirty linen coats and thirty pieces of clothing. 13 But if you cannot answer me, you must give me thirty linen coats and thirty pieces of clothing." And they said to him, "Ask your question. Let us hear it." 14 So Samson said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet. Now what does this mean?" But they could not answer the question in three days. 15 On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Make your husband tell us the answer. Or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you asked us to come here so you can make us poor? Is it not true?" 16 So Samson's wife cried in front of Samson, saying, "You only hate me. You do not love me. You have asked my people a question. And you have not told me the answer." Samson said to her, "See, I have not told the answer to my father or mother. Should I tell it to you?" 17 But she cried in front of him for seven days while their special supper lasted. On the seventh day Samson told her the answer because she begged him so much. Then she told the answer to her people. 18 So the men of the city said to Samson before the sun went down on the seventh day, "What is more sweet than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my young cow, you would not have found the answer." 19 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him with power. Samson went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty men of the town. He took their clothing and gave it to the men who answered his question. He was very angry and returned to his father's house.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Out of the eater: Genesis 3:15, Deuteronomy 8:15, Deuteronomy 8:16, 1 Kings 17:6, 2 Chronicles 20:2, 2 Chronicles 20:25, Isaiah 53:10-12, Romans 5:3-5, Romans 8:37, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Philippians 1:12-20, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 2:15, Hebrews 12:10, Hebrews 12:11, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 2:24

they could: Proverbs 24:7, Matthew 13:11, Acts 8:31

Cross-References

Genesis 12:5
Abram took his wife Sarai, and his brother's son Lot, and all the things they had gathered, and the people who joined them in Haran. And they left to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.
Genesis 12:16
And Pharaoh acted well toward Abram because of Sarai. He gave Abram sheep, cattle, male and female donkeys, and camels, and men and women servants.
Genesis 13:8
So Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no fighting between you and me or between the men who take care of our animals, for we are brothers.
Genesis 14:1
It was in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim,
Genesis 14:2
that they made war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
Genesis 14:3
All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).
Genesis 14:5
Then in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and won a war against the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shavehkiriathaim,
Genesis 14:11
Then those who won the war took all that belonged to Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and left.
Genesis 14:12
They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who lived in Sodom, and all that belonged to him, and left.
Genesis 15:3
Abram said, "Because You have not given me a child, one born in my house will be given all I have."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them, out of the eater came forth meat,.... Out of a devouring eater, such as the lion is, came forth honey, or that was taken out of it, which Samson, and his father and mother, ate of, and which was the common food of some persons, as of John the Baptist:

and out of the strong came forth sweetness: not only out of that which was strong in body while alive, but of a strong and ill scent, as the carcass of a dead lion is, and out of that came forth honey, than which nothing is sweeter. Josephus m expresses it,

"that which devours all things furnishes out pleasant food, when that itself is altogether unpleasant:''

and they could not in three days expound the riddle; so long they laboured to find it out, but then began to despair of it.

m Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Three days ... on the seventh day - Proposed alterations, such as “six days ... on the fourth day,” are unnecessary if it be remembered that the narrator passes on first to the seventh day (at Judges 14:15), and then goes back at Judges 14:16 and beginning of Judges 14:17 to what happened on the 4th, 5th, and 6th days.

To take that we have - See the margin. They affirm that they were only invited to the wedding for the sake of plundering them by means of this riddle, and if Samson’s wife was a party to plundering her own countrymen, she should suffer for it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 14:14. And he said unto there — Thus he states or proposes his riddle: -

Out of the eater came forth meat,

And out of the strong came forth sweetness.


Instead of strong, the Syriac and Arabic have bitter. I have no doubt that the riddle was in poetry; and perhaps the two hemistichs above preserve its order. This was scarcely a fair riddle; for unless the fact to which it refers were known, there is no rule of interpretation by which it could be found out. We learn from the Scholiast, on Aristophanes, Vesp. v. Judges 14:20, that It was a custom among the ancient Greeks to propose at their festivals, what were called γριφοι, griphoi, riddles, enigmas, or very obscure sayings, both curious and difficult, and to give a recompense to those who found them out, which generally consisted in either a festive crown, or a goblet full of wine. Those who failed to solve them were condemned to drink a large portion of fresh water, or of wine mingled with a sea-water, which they were compelled to take down at one draught, without drawing their breath, their hands being tied behind their backs. Sometimes they gave the crown to the deity in honour of whom the festival was made: and if none could solve the riddle, the reward was given to him who proposed it.

Of these enigmas proposed at entertainments c., we have numerous examples in ATHENAEUS, Deipnosoph, lib. x., c. 15, p. 142, edit. Argentorat., and some of them very like this of Samson for example: -

Διδους τις ουκ εδωκεν, ουδ' εχων εχει;


"Who gives, and does not give?

Who has not, and yet has?"


This may be spoken of an enigma and its proposer: he gives it, but he does not give the sense the other has it, but has not the meaning.

Εστι φυσις θηλεια βρεφη σοζους' ὑπο κολποις

Αυτης· ταυτα δ' αφωνα βοην ἱστησι γεγωνον.

Και δια ποντιον οιδμα, και ηπειρου δια πασης,

Οἱς εθελει θνητων· τοις δ' ου παρεουσις ακουειν

Εξεστι· κωφην δ' ακοης αισθησιν εχουσιν.


"There is a feminine Nature, fostering her children in her bosom; who, although they are dumb, send forth a distinct voice over every nation of the earth, and every sea, to whom soever they please. It is possible for those who are absent to hear, and for those who are deaf to hear also."

The relator brings in Sappho interpreting it thus: -


Θηλεια μεν ουν εστι φυσις, επιστολη.

Βρεφη δ' εν αυτῃ περιφερει τα γραμματα

Αφωνα δ' οντα ταυτα τοις πορῥω λαλει,

Οἱς βουλεθuu903? ἑτερος δ' αν τυχῃ τις πλησιον

Ἑστως αναγινωσκοντος, ουκ ακουσεται.


"The Nature, which is feminine, signifies an epistle; and her children whom she bears are alphabetical characters: and these, being dumb, speak and give counsel to any, even at a distance; though he who stands nigh to him who is silently reading, hears no voice."

Here is another, attributed by the same author to Theodectes: -

Της φυσεως ὁσα γαια φερει τροφος, ουδ' ὁσα ποντος,

Ουτε βροτοισιν εχει γυιων αυξησιν ὁμοιαν.

Αλλ' εν μεν γενεσει πρωτοσπορῳ εστι μεγιστη,

Εν δε μεσαις ακμαις μικρα, γηρᾳ δε προς αυτῳ

Μορφῃ και μεγεθει μειζων παλιν εστιν ἁπαντων.


"Neither does the nourishing earth so bear by nature, nor the sea, nor is there among mortals a like increase of parts; for at the period of its birth it is greatest, but in its middle age it is small, and in its old age it is again greater in form and size than all."

This is spoken of a shadow. At the rising of the sun in the east, the shadow of an object is projected illimitably across the earth towards the west; at noon, if the sun be vertical to that place, the shadow of the object is entirely lost; at sunsetting, the shadow is projected towards the east, as it was in the morning towards the west.

Here is another, from the same author: -


Εισι κασιγνηται διτται, ὡν ἡ μια τικτει

Την ἑπεραν, αυτη δε τεκους' ὑπο τησδε τεκνουται.


"There are two sisters, the one of whom begets the other, and she who is begotten produces her who begat her."

Day and night solve this enigma.

The following I have taken from Theognis: -

Ηδη γαρ με κεκληκε θαλαττιος οικαδε νεκρος,

Τεθνηκως, ζωῳ φθεγγομενος στοματι.

THEOGN. Gnom., in fine.

"A dead seaman calls me to his house;

And, although he be dead, he speaks with a living mouth."


This dead seaman is a conch or large shellfish, of which the poet was about to eat. The mouth by which it spoke signifies its being used as a horn; as it is well known to produce, when opened at the spiral end and blown, a very powerful sound.


 
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