Judges 14:15 net — On the fourth day they said to Samson’s bride,“Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle. If you refuse…

NET Bible

"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?”"

— Judges 14:15, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Judges 14:15 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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?”

  • ASV

    “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? ”

  • WEB

    “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]?"”

  • DRB

    “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?”

  • BBE

    “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?”

  • KJVA

    “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?”

Judges 14 — Context

12

Samson said to them,“I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.

13

But if you cannot solve it, you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.” They said to him,“Let us hear your riddle.”

14

He said to them,“Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong one came something sweet.”They could not solve the riddle for three days.

15

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?”

16

So Samson’s bride cried on his shoulder and said,“You must hate me; you do not love me! You told the young men a riddle, but you have not told me the solution.” He said to her,“Look, I have not even told my father or mother. Do you really expect me to tell you?”

17

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.

18

On the seventh day, before the sun set, the men of the city said to him,“What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?”He said to them,“If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”

Judges 14:15 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Judges 14:15 say?
Judges 14:15 in the NET Bible reads: “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?””
Where is Judges 14:15 in the Bible?
Judges 14:15 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Judges, chapter 14, verse 15.
Who wrote Judges?
Judges is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel). It was written c. 1050–1000 BC.
What is the book of Judges about?
Judges chronicles the cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance that defined Israel between Joshua and Samuel. Through twelve raised-up deliverers — including Deborah, Gideon, and Samson — God repeatedly rescues a people who keep doing what is right in their own eyes.
What are the major themes of Judges?
Judges explores themes including Apostasy, Deliverance, Cycles of Sin, Need for a King, Mercy. These themes shape the meaning and context of Judges 14:15.
What translation should I read Judges 14:15 in?
Judges 14:15 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Judges 14:15?
Judges 14:15 reads (NET): “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?”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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