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Selected Verse: Judges 14:12 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Jud 14:12 |
Strong Concordance |
And Samson [08123] said [0559] unto them, I will now put forth [02330] a riddle [02420] unto you: if ye can certainly [05046] declare [05046] it me within the seven [07651] days [03117] of the feast [04960], and find it out [04672], then I will give [05414] you thirty [07970] sheets [05466] and thirty [07970] change [02487] of garments [0899]: |
| |
King James |
And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
HIS RIDDLE. (Jdg 14:12-18)
I will now put forth a riddle--Riddles are a favorite Oriental amusement at festive entertainments of this nature, and rewards are offered to those who give the solution. Samson's riddle related to honey in the lion's carcass. The prize he offered was thirty sindinim, or shirts, and thirty changes of garments, probably woolen. Three days were passed in vain attempts to unravel the enigma. The festive week was fast drawing to a close when they secretly enlisted the services of the newly married wife, who having got the secret, revealed it to her friends. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
See the marginal references. Riddles formed one of the amusements of these protracted feasts.
Sheets - Rather "linen shirts;" the "garments" which follow are the outward garments worn by the Orientals. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Seven days - For so long marriage - feasts lasted. Sheets - Fine linen - clothes, which were used for many purposes in those parts. Changes - Suits of apparel. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
I will now put forth a riddle - Probably this was one part of the amusements at a marriage-feast; each in his turn proposing a riddle, to be solved by any of the rest on a particular forfeit; the proposer forfeiting, if solved, the same which the company must forfeit if they could not solve it.
Thirty sheets - I have no doubt that the Arab hayk, or hake, is here meant; a dress in which the natives of the East wrap themselves, as a Scottish Highlander does in his plaid. In Asiatic countries the dress scarcely ever changes; being nearly the same now that it was 2000 years ago. Mr. Jackson, in his account of the Empire of Morocco, thus mentions the Moorish dress: "It resembles," says he, "that of the ancient patriarchs, as represented in paintings; (but the paintings are taken from Asiatic models); that of the men consists of a red cap and turban, a (kumja) shirt, which hangs outside of the drawers, and comes down below the knee; a (caftan) coat, which buttons close before, and down to the bottom, with large open sleeves; over which, when they go out of doors, they throw carelessly, and sometimes elegantly, a hayk, or garment of white cotton, silk, or wool, five or six yards long, and five feet wide. The Arabs often dispense with the caftan, and even with the shirt, wearing nothing but the hayk." When an Arab does not choose to wrap himself in the hayk, he throws it over his left shoulder, where it hangs till the weather, etc., obliges him to wrap it round him. The hayk is either mean or elegant, according to the quality of the cloth, and of the person who wears it. I have myself seen the natives of Fez, with hayks, or hykes, both elegant and costly. By the changes of garments, it is very likely that the kumja and caftan are meant, or at least the caftan; but most likely both: for the Hebrew has חליפות בגדים chaliphoth begadim, changes or succession of garments. Samson, therefore, engaged to give or receive thirty hayks, and thirty kumjas and caftans, on the issue of the interpretation or non-interpretation of his riddle: these were complete suits. |
12 And Samson [08123] said [0559] unto them, I will now put forth [02330] a riddle [02420] unto you: if ye can certainly [05046] declare [05046] it me within the seven [07651] days [03117] of the feast [04960], and find it out [04672], then I will give [05414] you thirty [07970] sheets [05466] and thirty [07970] change [02487] of garments [0899]:
13 But if ye cannot [03201] declare [05046] it me, then shall ye give [05414] me thirty [07970] sheets [05466] and thirty [07970] change [02487] of garments [0899]. And they said [0559] unto him, Put forth [02330] thy riddle [02420], that we may hear [08085] it.
14 And he said [0559] unto them, Out of the eater [0398] came forth [03318] meat [03978], and out of the strong [05794] came forth [03318] sweetness [04966]. And they could [03201] not in three [07969] days [03117] expound [05046] the riddle [02420].
15 And it came to pass on the seventh [07637] day [03117], that they said [0559] unto Samson's [08123] wife [0802], Entice [06601] thy husband [0376], that he may declare [05046] unto us the riddle [02420], lest we burn [08313] thee and thy father's [01] house [01004] with fire [0784]: have ye called [07121] us to take that we have [03423]? is it not so?
16 And Samson's [08123] wife [0802] wept [01058] before him, and said [0559], Thou dost but hate [08130] me, and lovest [0157] me not: thou hast put forth [02330] a riddle [02420] unto the children [01121] of my people [05971], and hast not told [05046] it me. And he said [0559] unto her, Behold, I have not told [05046] it my father [01] nor my mother [0517], and shall I tell [05046] it thee?
17 And she wept [01058] before him the seven [07651] days [03117], while their feast [04960] lasted [01961]: and it came to pass on the seventh [07637] day [03117], that he told [05046] her, because she lay sore [06693] upon him: and she told [05046] the riddle [02420] to the children [01121] of her people [05971].
18 And the men [0582] of the city [05892] said [0559] unto him on the seventh [07637] day [03117] before the sun [02775] went down [0935], What is sweeter [04966] than honey [01706]? and what is stronger [05794] than a lion [0738]? And he said [0559] unto them, If [03884] ye had not plowed [02790] with my heifer [05697], ye had not found out [04672] my riddle [02420].