Judges 14:12

12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.

Judges 14:12 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
12 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:
English Standard Version (ESV)
12 And Samson said to them, "Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes,
New Living Translation (NLT)
12 Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle. If you solve my riddle during these seven days of the celebration, I will give you thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing.
The Message Bible (MSG)
12 Samson said to them: "Let me put a riddle to you. If you can figure it out during the seven days of the feast, I'll give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of fine clothing.
American Standard Version (ASV)
12 And Samson said unto them, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can declare it unto me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment;
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
12 Then Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle. If you solve it during the seven days of the party, I'll give you 30 linen shirts and 30 changes of clothes.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
12 "Let me tell you a riddle," Samson said to them. "If you can explain it to me during the seven days of the feast and figure it out, I will give you 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothes.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
12 "Let me tell you a riddle," Samson said to the companions. "The dinner will last for seven days. Give me the answer to the riddle before the dinner ends. If you do, I'll give you 30 linen shirts. I'll also give you 30 sets of clothes.

Judges 14:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 14:12

And Samson said unto them
His thirty companions, very likely on the first day of the feast:

I will now put forth a riddle to you:
a secret, hidden, abstruse thing, not easy to be understood; a dark saying, wrapped up in figurative terms; and this he proposed as an amusement to them, to exercise their wits, which it seems was usual to entertain guests with, and might be both pleasing and profitable:

if you can certainly declare it unto me within the seven days of the
feast;
for so long the nuptial feast was usually kept, see ( Genesis 29:27 Genesis 29:28 ) . If they could find it out; and with clearness and certainty explain the riddle to him within that period of time, which was giving them time enough to do it in:

then I will give you thirty sheets, and thirty change of garments:
that is, every man one of each. By "sheets" he means, as Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it, a covering of the body in the night next to the flesh, in which a man lies, and was made of linen; meaning either what we call shirts, or bed sheet, and by change of raiment, a suit of clothes worn in the daytime.

Judges 14:12 In-Context

10 Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men.
11 When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions.
12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
13 If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.”
14 He replied, “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.” For three days they could not give the answer.

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Numbers 12:8; 1 Kings 10:1; Ezekiel 17:2; Ezekiel 20:49; Ezekiel 24:3; Hosea 12:10
  • 2. Genesis 29:27
  • 3. S Genesis 45:22; S 2 Kings 5:5
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