^14:5Samson went down to Timnah. When he approached¹⁰ the vineyards of Timnah, he saw a roaring young lion attacking him.¹¹^14:6The Lord’s spirit empowered¹² him and he tore the lion¹³ in two with his bare hands¹⁴ as easily as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

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Footnotes

10 The reads, “Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah. When they approached …” Verse 6b states that Samson did not tell his parents about his encounter with the lion (vv. 5b–6a), but v. 5a gives the impression they would have seen the entire episode. One could assume that Samson separated from his parents prior to the lion’s attack, but the Hebrew text does not indicate this. It seems more likely that the words “with his father and his mother” were accidentally copied into the text, perhaps under the influence of v. 4a, where the same phrase appears. An original singular verb (“he approached”) may have been changed to the plural form (“they approached”) after the words “his father and his mother” were accidentally added to the text.
11 Heb “and look, a young lion of the lions was roaring to meet him.”
12 Heb “rushed on.”
13 Heb “him” or “it”; the referent (the lion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 Heb “and there was nothing in his hand.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him, the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on 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.

NLTNew Living Translation

As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn’t tell his father or mother about it.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Samson and his father and mother went down to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah, and suddenly a young lion came roaring to meet him. And the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one might tear apart a male kid goat (he was bare-handed). But he did not tell his father and mother what he had done.

KJV 1900King James Version

Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

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