Samson Gets Married
1 One day, Samson went to Timnah, where he saw a Philistine woman. 2 When he got back home, he told his parents, “I saw a Philistine woman in Timnah, and I want to marry her. Get her for me!”
3 His parents answered, “There are a lot of women in our clan and even more in the rest of Israel. Those Philistines are pagans. Why would you want to marry one of their women?”
“She looks good to me,” Samson answered. “Get her for me!”
4 At that time, the Philistines were in control of Israel, and the Lord wanted to stir up trouble for them. That's why he made Samson desire that woman.
5 As Samson and his parents reached the vineyards near Timnah, a fierce young lion suddenly roared and attacked Samson. 6 But the Lord's Spirit took control of Samson, and with his bare hands he tore the lion apart, as though it had been a young goat. His parents didn't know what he had done, and he didn't tell them.
7 When they got to Timnah, Samson talked to the woman, and he was sure that she was the one for him.
8 Later, Samson returned to Timnah for the wedding. And when he came near the place where the lion had attacked, he left the road to see what was left of the lion. He was surprised to see that bees were living in the lion's skeleton, and that they had made some honey. 9 He scooped up the honey in his hands and ate some of it as he walked along. When he got back to his parents, he gave them some of the honey, and they ate it too. But he didn't tell them he had found the honey in the skeleton of a lion.
10 While Samson's father went to make the final arrangements with the bride and her family, Samson threw a big party, as grooms usually did. 11 When the Philistines saw what Samson was like, they told 30 of their young men to stay with him at the party.
12 Samson told the 30 young men, “This party will last for seven days. Let's make a bet: I'll tell you a riddle, and if you can tell me the answer before the party is over, I'll give each of you a shirt and a full change of clothing. 13 But if you can't tell me the answer, then each of you will have to give me a shirt and a full change of clothing.”
“It's a bet!” the Philistines said. “Tell us the riddle.”
14 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. 15 Finally, on the seventh day of the party they went to Samson's bride and said, “You had better trick your husband into telling you the answer to his riddle. Have you invited us here just to rob us? If you don't find out the answer, we will burn you and your family to death.”
16 Samson's bride went to him and started crying in his arms. “You must really hate me,” she sobbed. “If you loved me at all, you would have told me the answer to your riddle.”
“But I haven't even told my parents the answer!” Samson replied. “Why should I tell you?”
17 For the entire seven days of the party, she had been whining and trying to get the answer from him. But that seventh day she put so much pressure on Samson that he finally gave in and told her the answer. She went straight to the young men and told them.
18 Before sunset that day, the men of the town went to Samson with this answer:
A lion is the strongest—
honey is the sweetest!
Samson replied,
This answer you have given me
doubtless came
from my bride-to-be.
19 Then the Lord's Spirit took control of Samson. He went to Ashkelon, where he killed 30 men and took their clothing. Samson then gave it to the 30 young men at Timnah and stormed back home to his own family.
20 The father of the bride made Samson's wife marry one of the 30 young men that had been at Samson's party.
Simsona precības
1 Simsons aizgāja uz Timnu. Timnā viņš ieraudzīja kādu sievieti no filistiešu meitām. 2 Tad viņš nāca un pavēstīja savam tēvam un mātei: “Timnā es redzēju kādu sievieti no filistiešu meitām. Tad nu ņemiet viņu man par sievu!” 3 Tēvs un māte teica viņam: “Vai tavos rados nav meitu, vai visā mūsu tautā nav sieviešu, ka tu ej ņemt sievu no filistiešiem, šiem neapgraizītajiem?!” Bet Simsons atbildēja savam tēvam: “Ņem man viņu, jo viņa man patīk!” 4 Viņa tēvs un māte nezināja, ka tas nāk no Kunga, jo viņš meklē, kā tikt galā ar filistiešiem. Tajā laikā filistieši valdīja Israēlā.
5 Simsons kopā ar savu tēvu un māti aizgāja uz Timnu. Viņi nonāca pie Timnas vīnadārziem, un redzi – viņam pretī rēkdams izlēca lauvu jaunulis! 6 Piepeši pār viņu nāca Kunga Gars, un viņš kailām rokām pārplēsa lauvu kā kazlēnu! Bet tēvam un mātei viņš nestāstīja, ko bija izdarījis. 7 Tad viņš devās lejā un runāja ar to sievieti, un Simsonam viņa patika. 8 Pēc kāda laika viņš atgriezās, lai to apņemtu, bet pa ceļam nogriezās apskatīt lauvas maitu. Un redzi – lauvas ķermenī bija bišu spiets un medus! 9 Viņš to savāca saujā un devās tālāk iedams un ēzdams. Viņš devās pie sava tēva un mātes un deva arī viņiem, un viņi ēda, bet viņš tiem nestāstīja, ka medu bija izņēmis no lauvas maitas. 10 Tad viņa tēvs devās pie tās sievietes, un Simsons rīkoja tur dzīres, kā jaunieši mēdz to darīt. 11 Viņu redzēdami, tie deva viņam trīsdesmit pavadoņus. 12 Un Simsons viņiem teica: “Ļaujiet, es jums uzdošu mīklu. Ja jūs man pateiksiet atminējumu šajās septiņās dzīru dienās, ja pratīsiet to, tad es jums došu trīsdesmit linu kreklus un trīsdesmit drēbju kārtas. 13 Bet, ja jūs nevarēsiet man to pastāstīt, tad jūs man dosiet trīsdesmit linu kreklus un trīsdesmit drēbju kārtas!” Un viņi tam atbildēja: “Uzdod savu mīklu, lai mēs to dzirdam!” 14 Tad viņš tiem teica:
“No ēdāja iznāca ēdiens,
no stiprā iznāca saldums.”
Trīs dienās viņi to nevarēja atminēt.
15 Bet septītajā dienā viņi teica Simsona sievai: “Piedabū savu vīru, lai viņš mums izstāsta mīklu, citādi mēs sadedzināsim tevi un tava tēva namu! Vai jūs esat mūs aicinājuši, lai no mums iedzīvotos, vai ne tā?!” 16 Un Simsona sieva viņam gaudās: “Tu tikai ienīsti mani, nevis mīli! Tu esi uzdevis mīklu manas tautas dēliem, bet man tu to neesi pastāstījis.” Viņš tai teica: “Pat savam tēvam un mātei es to neesmu stāstījis, kāpēc lai stāstītu tev?” 17 Bet viņa gaudās septiņas dienas, kamēr tiem bija dzīres. Septītajā dienā viņš tai pastāstīja, jo viņa tik ilgi bija uzmākusies. Un viņa atminējumu izstāstīja savas tautas dēliem. 18 Septītajā dienā pirms saules rieta pilsētas vīri viņam teica:
“Kas gan saldāks par medu?
Kas gan stiprāks par lauvu?”
Un viņš tiem sacīja:
“Ja nebūtu ar manu teli aruši,
manu mīklu nebūtu atminējuši!”
19 Piepeši pār viņu nāca Kunga Gars, un viņš devās lejup uz Aškelonu, nokāva no tiem trīsdesmit vīrus, aplaupīja tos un drēbes atdeva tiem, kas bija izstāstījuši mīklu. Degdams dusmās, viņš devās uz sava tēva namu.
20 Bet Simsona sieva tika viņa pavadonim, kas bija viņa tuvākais.
