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Wednesday, July 16th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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New Century Version

Judges 14:17

Samson's wife cried for the rest of the seven days of the feast. So he finally gave her the answer on the seventh day, because she kept bothering him. Then she told her people the answer to the riddle.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Betting;   Feasts;   Riddle;   Samson;   Thompson Chain Reference - Temptation;   Yielding to Temptation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Wives;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Marriage;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Riddle;   Timnath;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Riddle;   Solomon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Insects;   Number Systems and Number Symbolism;   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:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Banquets;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and at last, on the seventh day, he explained it to her, because she had nagged him so much. Then she explained it to her people.
Hebrew Names Version
She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
King James Version
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
Lexham English Bible
She wept before him the seven days of their feast; and it happened, because she nagged him, on the seventh day he explained it to her, and she told the riddle to her people.
English Standard Version
She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her people.
New English Translation
She cried on his shoulder until the party was almost over. Finally, on the seventh day, he told her because she had nagged him so much. Then she told the young men the solution to the riddle.
Amplified Bible
However Samson's wife wept before him seven days while their [wedding] feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. Then she told the [answer to the] riddle to her countrymen.
New American Standard Bible
However she wept before him for seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Samsons wife wept before him seuen dayes, while their feast lasted: and when the seuenth day came he tolde her, because she was importunate vpon him: so she told the riddle to the children of her people.
Legacy Standard Bible
But you, beloved, must remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Contemporary English Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
But she had been crying throughout the seven days of the banquet; so on the seventh day, because she had kept pressing him, he told her the solution; and she passed it on to her people.
Darby Translation
And she wept before him the seven days, while they had the feast. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that he explained it to her, for she pressed him. And she explained the riddle to the children of her people.
Easy-to-Read Version
Samson's wife cried for the rest of the seven days of the party. So he finally gave her the answer to the riddle on the seventh day. He told her because she kept bothering him. Then she went to her people and told them the answer to the riddle.
George Lamsa Translation
And she wept the seven days, while the feast lasted; and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she distressed him; and she told the riddle to her countrymen.
Good News Translation
She cried about it for the whole seven days of the feast. But on the seventh day he told her what the riddle meant, for she nagged him so about it. Then she told the Philistines.
Literal Translation
And she wept before him the seven days on which they feasted. And it was on the seventh day, he told her, for she distressed him. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
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.
American Standard Version
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
Bible in Basic English
And all the seven days of the feast she went on weeping over him; and on the seventh day he gave her the answer, because she gave him no peace; and she sent word of it to the children of her people.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Samsons wyfe wept before him seuen dayes, whyle the feast lasted: And the seuenth day he told her, because she lay so sore vpo him. And she tolde the riddle to the children of her folke.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
King James Version (1611)
And shee wept before him the seuen dayes, while the feast lasted: and it came to passe on the seuenth day, that he tolde her, because shee lay sore vpon him: and she tolde the riddle to the children of her people.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And she wept before him the seven days, during which their banquet lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she troubled him; and she told it to the children of her people.
English Revised Version
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
Berean Standard Bible
She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor bi seuene dayes of the feest sche wepte at hym; at the laste `he expownede in the seuenthe dai, whanne sche was diseseful to hym. And anoon sche telde to hir citeseyns.
Young's Literal Translation
And she weepeth for it the seven days [in] which their banquet hath been, and it cometh to pass on the seventh day that he declareth [it] to her, for she hath distressed him; and she declareth the riddle to the sons of her people.
Update Bible Version
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him intensely; and she told the riddle to the sons of her people.
Webster's Bible Translation
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she urged him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
World English Bible
She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
New King James Version
Now she had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed him so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of her people.
New Living Translation
So she cried whenever she was with him and kept it up for the rest of the celebration. At last, on the seventh day he told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging. Then she explained the riddle to the young men.
New Life Bible
But she cried in front of him for seven days while their special supper lasted. On the seventh day Samson told her the answer because she begged him so much. Then she told the answer to her people.
New Revised Standard
She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted; and because she nagged him, on the seventh day he told her. Then she explained the riddle to her people.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So she wept upon him the seven days, - while their banquet lasted, - and it came to pass, on the seventh day, that he told her, because she urged him, and she told the riddle unto the sons of her people.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So she wept before him the seven days of the feast: and, at length, on the seventh day, as she was troublesome to him, he expounded it. And she immediately told her countrymen.
Revised Standard Version
She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted; and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her countrymen.
THE MESSAGE
But she turned on the tears all the seven days of the feast. On the seventh day, worn out by her nagging, he told her. Then she went and told it to her people.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.

Contextual Overview

10 Samson's father went down to see the Philistine woman. And Samson gave a feast, as was the custom for the bridegroom. 11 When the people saw him, they sent thirty friends to be with him. 12 Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle. Try to find the answer during the seven days of the feast. If you can, I will give you thirty linen shirts and thirty changes of clothes. 13 But if you can't, you must give me thirty linen shirts and thirty changes of clothes." So they said, "Tell us your riddle so we can hear it." 14 Samson said, "Out of the eater comes something to eat. Out of the strong comes something sweet." After three days, they had not found the answer. 15 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." 16 So Samson's wife went to him, crying, and said, "You hate me! You don't really love me! You told my people a riddle, but you won't tell me the answer." Samson said, "I haven't even told my father or mother. Why should I tell you?" 17 Samson's wife cried for the rest of the seven days of the feast. So he finally gave her the answer on the seventh day, because she kept bothering him. Then she told her people the answer to the riddle. 18 Before sunset on the seventh day of the feast, the Philistine men had the answer. They came to Samson and said, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Then Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my young cow, you would not have solved my riddle!" 19 Then the Spirit of the Lord entered Samson and gave him great power. Samson went down to the city of Ashkelon and killed thirty of its men and took all that they had and gave the clothes to the men who had answered his riddle. Then he went to his father's house very angry.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the seven: or, the rest of the seven days

she lay: Judges 16:6, Judges 16:13, Judges 16:16, Genesis 3:6, Job 2:9, Proverbs 7:21, Luke 11:8, Luke 18:4, Luke 18:5

and she told: Proverbs 2:16, Proverbs 2:17

Reciprocal: Judges 14:15 - on the seventh day

Cross-References

Judges 11:34
When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, his daughter was the first one to come out to meet him, playing a tambourine and dancing. She was his only child; he had no other sons or daughters.
1 Samuel 18:6
After David had killed the Philistine, he and the men returned home. Women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul. They sang songs of joy, danced, and played tambourines and stringed instruments.
2 Samuel 18:18
When Absalom was alive, he had set up a pillar for himself in the King's Valley. He said, "I have no son to keep my name alive." So he named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument even today.
Proverbs 14:20
The poor are rejected, even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
Proverbs 19:4
Wealthy people are always finding more friends, but the poor lose all theirs.
Hebrews 7:1
Melchizedek was the king of Salem and a priest for God Most High. He met Abraham when Abraham was coming back after defeating the kings. When they met, Melchizedek blessed Abraham,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And she wept before him the seven days, while the feast lasted,.... Those that remained of the seven days, from the fourth to this time, as Kimchi seems rightly to interpret it; though some think she began to beseech him with tears, on the first day of the feast, to impart the secret to her for her own satisfaction; and then, after the men had urged her on the fourth day to persuade her husband to it, she continued pressing him more earnestly with tears unto the seventh day. Some, as Abarbinel observes, and to whom he seems to incline, think there were fourteen days, seven days before the festival began, on the last of which they importuned her to try to get the secret from him, Judges 14:15, and that she continued pressing all the second seven days; but it seems quite clear that it was at the beginning of the seven days of the feast that the riddle was put, which was to be explained within that time, Judges 14:12

and it came to pass on the seven day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him; pressed him most earnestly with her entreaties, cries, and tears:

and she told the riddle to the children of her people; though she knew it would be to her husband's detriment, and that he must be obliged to give them thirty sheets of linen, and as many suits of apparel, and though it is probable she had promised not to tell them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 14:17. And she wept before him — Not through any love to him, for it appears she had none, but to oblige her paramours; and of this he soon had ample proof.


 
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