Judges 14:1–7

SAMSON’S RIDDLE

14Samson went down to Timnah^f and saw a young Philistine woman there. ²He went back and told his father and his mother, “I have seen a young Philistine woman in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”

³But his father and mother said to him, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines for a wife?”

But Samson told his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” ⁴Now his father and mother did not know this was from the Lord,^g who wanted the Philistines to provide an opportunity for a confrontation.^B At that time, the Philistines were ruling Israel.

⁵Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him, ⁶the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on^h him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. ⁷Then he went and spoke to the woman, because she seemed right to Samson.