Judges 14:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

NIV: And Samson's wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast.

NASB: But Samson’s wife was given to his companion who had been his friend.

CSB: and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.

NLT: So his wife was given in marriage to the man who had been Samson’s best man at the wedding.

KJV: But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

NKJV: And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

Scholars differ about whether Samson ever consummated the wedding to his Philistine wife (Judges 14:1–3). Some suggest the consummation would have happened after the first night of the feast, while others say it would be reserved for the final night. Most likely, Samson left Timnah in a rage (Judges 14:16–19) without completing his marriage to the woman.

What is clear is that the woman's father interprets Samson's angry departure as a divorce (Deuteronomy 24:3). What appears to be abandonment leaves the woman in a state of dishonor. If Samson did, in fact, consummate the marriage before leaving, this would have made her even more socially shamed. Seemingly to protect her interests, the father instead gave her as a wife to one of the thirty men who made a wager with Samson (Judges 14:10–15). Scripture does not say how soon this decision was made. However, the next verse (Judges 15:1) indicates that Samson will come back "after some days," so the father might have only acted after taking time to be convinced Samson was not coming back.

Judges 14:10–20 explains the disastrous outcome of Samson's attempted marriage to a Philistine woman. As was the custom, a weeklong wedding feast is held. Thirty Philistines companions are assigned to Samson. He makes an exorbitant bet with them, making a riddle about his killing of the young lion (Judges 14:5–6). The men threaten the future bride, who pesters Samson until he tells her the secret, which she gives to the groomsmen. Enraged at her betrayal, and empowered by the Lord's Spirit, Samson assaults thirty Philistine men in another town (Judges 14:4). He takes their clothes as the payment for the wager. Because Samson angrily abandons the wedding feast, his bride is given to another man.

Samson (Judges 13:24–25) is now old enough to marry. He demands his parents arrange marriage to a Philistine woman with whom he is infatuated. When attacked by a lion, Samson rips the animal apart with his bare hands, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Later, he finds a beehive and honey in the lion's carcass. At the wedding feast, Samson proposes a wager based on this secret. His thirty Philistine companions become frustrated when they can't solve it. They threaten Samson's bride, and she manipulates him to get the secret. Samson attacks thirty Philistines in another town to pay the wager.

This chapter leaps forward from Samson's birth (Judges 13:5, 24–25) to somewhere in his adulthood. He demands a Philistine woman for a wife. At the wedding feast, he proposes a bet with thirty Philistine men. They learn the answer to his trick question by threatening to kill the bride. Samson attacks thirty Philistines in another town to secure the payment for the wager. His bride is given to one of the men who threatened her. Samson will return, expecting marital rights, only to be told she has been given to someone else (Judges 15:1–2).

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).

Accessed 5/7/2024 3:43:55 PM