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Thursday, July 24th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Myles Coverdale Bible

Judges 14:15

Vpon the seuenth daye they sayde vnto Samsons wife: Persuade thy hußbade, that he tell vs what the ryddle meaneth, or els we shal burne the and thy fathers house with fyre. Haue ye called vs hither, to brynge vs to pouerte?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Betting;   Riddle;   Samson;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Wives;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Miracle;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Riddle;   Timnath;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Riddle;   Solomon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Anak, Anakim;   Insects;   Judges, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Levi;   Marriage;   Philistines;   Samson;   Wisdom;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Riddle;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Riddle,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Sabbath;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Lion;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - ḥuppah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Persuade your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s family to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
Hebrew Names Version
It happened on the seventh day, that they said to Shimshon's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire: have you called us to impoverish us? is it not [so]?
King James Version
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
Lexham English Bible
When it was the fourth day, they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband and tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us to rob us?"
English Standard Version
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?"
New Century Version
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Did you invite us here to make us poor? Trick your husband into telling us the answer to the riddle. If you don't, we will burn you and everyone in your father's house."
New English Translation
On the fourth day they said to Samson's bride, "Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle. If you refuse, we will burn up you and your father's family. Did you invite us here to make us poor?"
Amplified Bible
Then on the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Persuade your husband to tell us [through you] the [answer to the] riddle, or we will burn you and your father's household with fire. Have you invited us to make us poor? Is this not true?"
New American Standard Bible
Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the seuenth day was come, they said vnto Samsons wife, Entise thine husband, that he may declare vs the riddle, lest wee burne thee and thy fathers house with fire. Haue ye called vs, to possesse vs? is it not so?
Legacy Standard Bible
to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
Contemporary English Version
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."
Complete Jewish Bible
On the seventh day, they said to Shimshon's wife, "Coax your husband into telling us the solution to the riddle. Otherwise we'll burn down your father's house and you with it. You two called us here to turn us into paupers, didn't you?"
Darby Translation
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Persuade thy husband, that he may explain to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye invited us to impoverish us,—is it not [so]?
Easy-to-Read Version
On the fourth day, the men came to Samson's wife. They said, "Did you invite us here just to make us poor? You must trick your husband into telling us the answer to the riddle. If you don't get the answer for us, we will burn you and everyone in your father's house to death."
George Lamsa Translation
But on the fourth day, they said to Samsons wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us his riddle, lest we burn you and your fathers house with fire and take over his possessions.
Good News Translation
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Trick your husband into telling us what the riddle means. If you don't, we'll set fire to your father's house and burn you with it. You two invited us so that you could rob us, didn't you?"
Literal Translation
And it happened on the seventh day, they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you called for us to make us poor? Is it not so?
American Standard Version
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to impoverish us? is it not so?
Bible in Basic English
So on the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, Get from your husband the answer to his question by some trick or other, or we will have you and your father's house burned with fire; did you get us here to take all we have?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And whe the seuenth day was come, they sayd vnto Samsons wyfe: Flatter thyne husband that he may declare vs the riddle, lest we burne thee and thy fathers house with fire: Haue ye called vs hyther, to make vs beggers? is it not so?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife: 'Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire; have ye called us hither to impoverish us?'
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe on the seuenth day, that they said vnto Samsons wife, Entice thy husband, that hee may declare vnto vs the riddle, lest we burne thee and thy fathers house with fire: Haue yee called vs, to take that wee haue? is it not so?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they said to the wife of Sampson, Deceive now thy husband, and let him tell thee the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: did ye invite us to do us violence?
English Revised Version
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to impoverish us? is it not so?
Berean Standard Bible
So on the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father's household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the seuenthe dai cam, thei seiden to `the wijf of Sampson, Glose thin hosebonde, and counseile hym, that he schewe to thee what the probleme signyfieth. That if thou nylt do, we schulen brenne thee and `the hous of thi fadir. Whether herfor ye clepiden vs to weddyngis, that ye schulden robbe vs?
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, on the seventh day, that they say to Samson's wife, `Entice thy husband, that he declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and the house of thy father with fire; to possess us have ye called for us? is it not?'
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, or else we will burn you and your father's house with fire: have you called us to impoverish us? Or not?
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take what we possess? [is it] not [so]?
World English Bible
It happened on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire: have you called us to impoverish us? is it not [so]?
New King James Version
But it came to pass on the seventh [fn] day that they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband, that he may explain the riddle to us, or else we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so?"
New Living Translation
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to explain the riddle for us, or we will burn down your father's house with you in it. Did you invite us to this party just to make us poor?"
New Life Bible
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?"
New Revised Standard
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Coax your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, on the fourth day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may tell us the riddle, lest we burn thee and the house of thy father, with fire. Was it not, to impoverish us, that ye invited us - was it not?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the seventh day came, they said to the wife of Samson: Sooth thy husband, and persuade him to tell thee what the riddle meaneth. But if thou wilt not do it, we will burn thee, and thy father’s house. Have you called us to the wedding on purpose to strip us?
Revised Standard Version
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?"

Contextual Overview

10 And whan his father came downe to the woman, Samson made a feast there, as the yonge men vsed to do. 11 And whan they sawe him, they gaue him thirtie companyons to be with him. 12 Samson sayde vnto them: I wil expresse a darke sentence vnto you, yf ye expounde me the same with in these seuen dayes of the feast, I wyll geue you thirtye shertes, and thirtie chaunge of raymente. 13 But yf ye can not expounde it, then shall ye geue me thirtie shertes, & thirtie chaunge of rayment. And they sayde vnto him: Shewe forth thy ryddle, let vs heare it. 14 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. 15 Vpon the seuenth daye they sayde vnto Samsons wife: Persuade thy hußbade, that he tell vs what the ryddle meaneth, or els we shal burne the and thy fathers house with fyre. Haue ye called vs hither, to brynge vs to pouerte? 16 Then wepte Samsons wife before him, and sayde: Thou art displeased at me, and louest me not: thou hast expressed a darke sentence vnto the children of my people, and hast not tolde it me. But he sayde vnto her: Beholde, I haue not tolde it vnto my father and mother, and shulde I tell it the? 17 And she wepte before him those seuen dayes, whyle they had ye feast. But on the seueth daye he tolde it her, for she was so importune vpon him. And she expounded the darke sentence vnto the children of her people. 18 Then sayde the men of the cite vnto him vpon the seuenth daye oreuer the Sonne wente downe: What is sweter then hony? What is strouger then the lyon? But he sayde vnto the: Yf ye had not plowed wt my calfe, ye shulde not haue founde out my ryddle. 19 And the sprete of ye LORDE came vpon him, and he wente downe vnto Ascalon, and slewe thirtie men of them, & toke their spoyles, and gaue chaunge of rayment vnto the, yt had expounded the ryddle. And he was wrothfully displeased, & wente vp vnto his fathers house.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

on the seventh day: The LXX reads "on the fourth day;" with which the Syriac and Arabic agree. This, as Dr. Wall observes, is certainly right; for it appears from Judges 14:17, that she wept the remainder of the seven days; for which there could have been no time, if they did not threaten her till the seventh.

Entice: Judges 16:5, Genesis 3:1-6, Proverbs 1:11, Proverbs 5:3, Proverbs 6:26, Micah 7:5

lest we burn: Judges 12:1, Judges 15:6

take that we have: Heb. possess us, or, impoverish us

Reciprocal: Judges 15:3 - though Esther 4:14 - but thou Ecclesiastes 10:13 - beginning 1 Corinthians 2:4 - not

Cross-References

Genesis 14:2
That they made warre wt Bera ye kynge of Sodome, and wt Birsa the kynge of Gomorra, & with Sineab the kynge of Adama, & with Semeaber the kynge of Zeboim, and with the kynge of Bela, which is called Zoar.
Genesis 14:3
These came all together in to the brode valley, where now the salt see is:
Deuteronomy 15:2
Who so euer ledeth oughte with his hande vnto his neghboure, shal not requyre it of his neghboure or his brother: for it is called the Fre yeare vnto the LORDE.
1 Kings 15:18
Then toke Asa all the syluer and golde that was lefte in the treasure of the house of the LORDE, and in the treasure of the kynges house, and delyuered it in to his seruauntes handes, & sent it vnto Benadab the sonne of Tabrimon the sonne of Hesion kynge of Siria, which dwelt at Damascon, and let saye vnto him:
Psalms 112:5
Wel is him that is mercifull, & lendeth gladly, & podreth his wordes wt discrecion.
Acts 9:2
and desyred of him letters to Damascon vnto the synagoges, that yf he foude eny of this waye (whether they were men or wemen) he mighte brynge the bounde vnto Ierusalem.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass on the seventh day,.... Not on the seventh day of the feast, for some time before that they applied to his wife, and she pressed him hard to disclose it; but on the sabbath day, as Kimchi, and so Jarchi says, on the seventh day of the week, not on the seventh day of the feast, for it was the seventh day of the feast; this is so clear, that the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, instead of the seventh, read the fourth day:

that they said unto Samson's wife, entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle; that is, persuade him to tell the meaning of it to her, that she might declare it to them:

lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire; in which she now was, not as yet being taken home to her husband, and her in it; this they said to terrify her, and make her importunate with Samson to explain the riddle to her, if he had any value for her, and her life:

have ye called us to take that we have? invited them to the wedding feast, to strip them of their clothes, and even take their very shirts off of their backs, which they must have been obliged to part with, if they could not explain the riddle, or send for other suits and shirts from their own houses: "is it not so?" verily this is the case, nor can it be understood otherwise than a contrived business between thee and thy husband, to get our raiment, woollen and linen, from us.

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.


 
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