Samson goes down to Timnah: the young lion rent as one rends a kid, the honey in the carcass, the riddle at the feast and the thirty garments — for it was of Hashem, who sought an occasion against the Philistines.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.
verse value 4589
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. Verse gematria: 4589 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "wife" (אִשָּׁ֛ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·Timnah" (בְּתִמְנָ֖תָה, 6 letters). The root תמנתה appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wife" (root אשה, 59x in Judges); "and·saw" (root ראה, 43x in Judges); "Samson" (root שמשון, 33x in Judges). First appearance of the root תמנתה ("to·Timnah") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Timnah', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֥רֶד [and·went·down] (220) + שִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן [Samson] (696) + תִּמְנָ֑תָה [to·Timnah] (895) + וַיַּ֥רְא [and·saw] (217) + אִשָּׁ֛ה [wife] (306) + בְּתִמְנָ֖תָה [in·Timnah] (897) + מִבְּנ֥וֹת [from·the·daughters·of] (498) + פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים [Philistine] (860) = 4589.
Radak
And Samson went down to Timnah. And it is written regarding Judah: "Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah" (Genesis 38:13). And there are some of our Sages of blessed memory who said that there were two places called Timnah. And from them they said: One Timnah is called "ascent" because it is on this side, and the one on this side is called "descent." And according to the way of midrashic interpretation: Regarding Judah, in whom there was exaltation, it is written "ascent"; regarding Samson, in whom there was disgrace, it is written "descent."
Malbim
The Questions (1-4): Why did the Lord decree that Samson, a Nazirite to God, should take a wife from among the daughters of the Philistines? Was it not possible for Him to devise another pretext to provoke Samson against the Philistines, without his desecrating his sanctity?
"And he saw a woman of Timnah." To inform us through the narrative's presentation that it was a divine providence, for he merely saw her with his eyes and did not speak with her, and he ought to have thought: perhaps she will not be pleasing in his eyes when he speaks with her, or perhaps she or her father will not consent, or perhaps she will not wish to convert. And nevertheless...
And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said: ‘I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore get her for me to wife.’
verse value 5093
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 65 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "take·her" (קְחוּ־אוֹתָ֥הּ, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "take·her" (קְחוּ־אוֹתָ֥הּ). The root אשה appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "and·went·up" (root עלה, 78x in Judges); "wife" (root אשה, 59x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Philistine', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֗עַל [and·went·up] (116) + וַיַּגֵּד֙ [and·told] (23) + לְאָבִ֣יו [to·his·father] (49) + וּלְאִמּ֔וֹ [and·to·his·mother] (83) + וַיֹּ֗אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אִשָּׁ֛ה [wife] (306) + רָאִ֥יתִי [I·have·seen] (621) + בְתִמְנָ֖תָה [in·Timnah] (897) + מִבְּנ֣וֹת [from·the·daughters·of] (498) + פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים [Philistine] (860) + וְעַתָּ֕ה [now] (481) + קְחוּ־אוֹתָ֥הּ [take·her] (526) + לִ֖י [to·me] (40) + לְאִשָּֽׁה [to·wife] (336) = 5093.
Ralbag
And he devised to find an excuse from the Philistines so that he could strike them. And for this reason he chose to take a woman from the Philistines, for in this manner he thought he would achieve his request. And indeed our Sages of blessed memory said that he converted her first, for heaven forbid that one who is the judge of Israel would defile himself with the daughters of the Philistines and transgress what the Torah warned from marrying them, how much more so he, who was a nazirite to God.
Metzudat David
"Take her, etc." This refers to a case where she was converted prior to being taken, so that he would have valid betrothal with her (see Rambam, Laws of Forbidden Relations, Chapter 13, Laws 14, 16).
Malbim
And he went up and told his father and his mother, and said, “I have seen a woman.” He meant to say: I did not speak with her, I only saw her; and now, take her for me—meaning, strive to make her agree to this.
Then his father and his mother said to him: ‘Is there never a woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?’ And Samson said to his father: ‘Get her for me; for she pleases me well.’
verse value 6276
Insights
Verse structure: 23 words, 105 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֜וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֜וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·in·all·my·people" (וּבְכׇל־עַמִּי֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 306: wife, wife. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "nothing" (הַאֵין֩), "among·the·daughters·of" (בִּבְנ֨וֹת), "your·brothers" (אַחֶ֤יךָ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·father of an individual" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "going" (root הלך, 109x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·uncircumcised', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 8 words.
Metzudat Zion
Is there not. Indeed, is there not:
Upright. From the word for upright and good:
Malbim
And his father and his mother said to him. They replied to him: a) Are there not among the daughters of your kinsmen, or at the very least, is there not among your people a woman, b) that you should go and take a wife from the Philistines, who are our adversaries, c) the uncircumcised? And he said, etc., "Take her for me, no other than her." And surely he desired that she convert, since he wanted them to take her for him as a wife, which is a taking in the manner of marriage.
But his father and his mother knew not that it was of Hashem; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.
verse value 4473
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 70 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "he·was·seeking" (הֽוּא־מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "from·Hashem" (מֵֽיְהֹוָה֙), "for·fig" (כִּֽי־תֹאֲנָ֥ה), "he·was·seeking" (הֽוּא־מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ). The root הוא appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "in·Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "not" (root לא, 77x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'against·Philistines', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 5 words.
Rashi
For he seeks a pretext, a ground for provocation to incite them:
Radak
"Ta'anah" (pretext). According to its Targum, it is "toskefa." And the Targum of "alilot devarim" (matters of accusation) is "tiskufei milin." Likewise, "veha-Elohim inah leyado" — the term "inah" there denotes pretext and cause.
Metzudat David
From the Lord is it. The Lord placed this in his heart:
"For a pretext." For in this matter, he will seek from the Philistines a pretext to kill them.
"Rulers in Israel." And if he had struck them without a pretext, the Philistines would have thought that the Israelites incited him, and they would have taken vengeance upon them; which is not the case when there is a pretext, for then they would say that he acted on his own accord.
Metzudat Zion
A pretext. An accusation, as in (II Kings 5:7) 'he is seeking a pretext against me':
Malbim
"And his father and his mother" — who wished to restrain him from this, did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking a pretext so that he might subsequently take vengeance on the Philistines. And as for why the Lord did not arrange another cause for this, the answer is that the Philistines were ruling over Israel, and if he had provoked them at that time, they would have poured out their fury upon Israel. Therefore, He arranged that they should think that Samson's hatred was because of his wife, and not because he [Samson] was angry with them for their dominion over Israel, his brethren.
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
verse value 5187
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 61 letters. Verse gematria: 5187 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "roaring" (שֹׁאֵ֖ג, 3 letters) and the longest is "until·vineyards·of" (עַד־כַּרְמֵ֣י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 895: to·Timnah, to·Timnah. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "until·vineyards·of" (עַד־כַּרְמֵ֣י), "young·lion" (כְּפִ֣יר), "lions" (אֲרָי֔וֹת). The root תמנתה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·came" (root בוא, 93x in Judges); "and·his·father" (root אב, 44x in Judges); "to·meet·him" (root קרא, 38x in Judges). First appearance of the root ארי ("lions") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Timnah', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֧רֶד [and·went·down] (220) + שִׁמְשׁ֛וֹן [Samson] (696) + וְאָבִ֥יו [and·his·father] (25) + וְאִמּ֖וֹ [and·his·mother] (53) + תִּמְנָ֑תָה [to·Timnah] (895) + וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ [and·they·came] (25) + עַד־כַּרְמֵ֣י [until·vineyards·of] (344) + תִמְנָ֔תָה [to·Timnah] (895) + וְהִנֵּה֙ [and·behold] (66) + כְּפִ֣יר [young·lion] (310) + אֲרָי֔וֹת [lions] (617) + שֹׁאֵ֖ג [roaring] (304) + לִקְרָאתֽוֹ [to·meet·him] (737) = 5187.
Radak
"Cub of lions." Its construct form is like the construct "kid of goats." The kfir (cub) is greater than the gur (whelp), the aryeh (lion) is greater than the kfir, the lavi (elder lion) is greater than the aryeh, and the layish (aged lion) is greater than the lavi; and the older it grows, the more its strength increases.
"to meet him." Perhaps he was walking on the road ahead of his father and mother, who were far off, and the lion came to meet him, and his father and mother did not see it. This is what is meant by: "and he did not tell his father and mother what he had done."
Metzudat David
"Toward him." When he was alone.
Metzudat Zion
A young lion. A lion in its prime:
Malbim
Questions (5–6): Did he not go together with his father and mother? How, then, did the lion cub encounter him while he was alone, to the extent that his father and mother were unaware of this?
“And they came to the vineyards of Timnah.” Apparently, it was then the season of the first grapes. As they entered the path through the vineyards, Samson deviated from the direct route, in accordance with the principle stated regarding a nazirite: “Do not approach the vineyard,” which implies one must not go straight through it but rather go around it (sachor sachor). Since he was alone, a young lion roared toward him. As our Sages of blessed memory taught: “We learn that a lion does not attack two people; it only attacks when one is alone.”
And the spirit of Hashem came mightily upon him, and he rent him as one would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand; but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
verse value 3468
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 69 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "spirit·of" (ר֣וּחַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·tore·him" (וַֽיְשַׁסְּעֵ֙הוּ֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 22: kid, in·his·hand, told. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·he·tore·him" (וַֽיְשַׁסְּעֵ֙הוּ֙), "as·the·tearing·of" (כְּשַׁסַּ֣ע), "kid" (הַגְּדִ֔י). The root שסע appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "upon·him" (root על, 87x in Judges). First appearance of the root צלח ("and·rushed") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·his·hand', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Radak
The spirit of the Lord. The spirit of might from before the Lord.
"And he tore him." Its Targum is: "ve'admei kema d'madmin gadya" ("and he tore him as one tears a kid"). Likewise, in Aramaic, "hadamin yit'avdun" refers to the matter of cutting something into two. And similarly, [Scripture states of the bird-offering] "and he shall tear it at its wings" (Leviticus 1:17); therefore it was necessary to specify, "but he shall not sever it completely," [to clarify that the tearing need not be a complete severance].
Ralbag
And it already relates from the strength of Samson's courage, that a spirit of courage from the Lord succeeded upon him, until he tore the roaring lion that came against him like a kid, and there was nothing in his hand. And after a year from this time, that this woman was Samson's wife, Samson returned to take her to himself as a wife. And it seems that they gave her twelve months to provide for herself.
Metzudat David
"As one tears a kid." This means, with ease, just as one tears a kid apart.
"And he had nothing in his hand." He did not have in his hand any item from among weapons of war to assist himself with.
"And he did not tell." This is because it was not considered in his eyes as a great feat of strength to boast about it.
Metzudat Zion
And it passed over [him]. And passed over, as in (II Samuel 19:18) 'they crossed the Jordan':
And tore him. The sense of tearing asunder, as in (Leviticus 1:17) 'and he shall tear it open by its wings':
Malbim
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. And in this there was a double strength:
And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
verse value 2532
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "and·went·down" (וַיֵּ֖רֶד, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·spoke" (וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·was·right" (וַתִּישַׁ֖ר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·woman" (root אשה, 59x in Judges); "and·spoke" (root דבר, 52x in Judges); "Samson" (root שמשון, 33x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·woman', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֖רֶד [and·went·down] (220) + וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר [and·spoke] (222) + לָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה [to·the·woman] (336) + וַתִּישַׁ֖ר [and·was·right] (916) + בְּעֵינֵ֥י [in·eyes·of] (142) + שִׁמְשֽׁוֹן [Samson] (696) = 2532.
Rashi
"And He spoke to the woman." [Meaning] concerning the woman – he spoke to her relatives; so too did Targum Yonatan render it:
Radak
“And He spoke to the woman.” This means either that He spoke concerning the woman, so that they would give her to him, or that He spoke with the woman herself, so that she would be married to him.
Metzudat David
"And he spoke to the woman." Samson himself spoke with her, to ascertain whether she was intelligent.
And it was right in the eyes of Samson. Even in this matter, for he found wisdom in her.
Metzudat Zion
And it went well. From the word for upright:
Malbim
"And he went down and spoke to the woman." Now he spoke with her to see if she would also be pleasing in his eyes from the perspective of her intellect and her character traits, and from her declaration of love for him, and that she would be pleasing in his eyes from this aspect as well.
And after a while he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion; and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
verse value 4842
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 61 letters. Verse gematria: 4842 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "congregation" (עֲדַ֧ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "bees" (דְּבוֹרִ֛ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 221: lion, lion. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·take" (לְקַחְתָּ֔הּ), "to·see" (לִרְא֔וֹת), "carcass" (מַפֶּ֣לֶת). The root ארי appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·days" (root יום, 76x in Judges); "to·take" (root לקח, 44x in Judges); "to·see" (root ראה, 43x in Judges). First appearance of the root עדה ("congregation") in Judges. First appearance of the root דבש ("honey") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lion', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words.
Rashi
"A swarm of bees." (Targum:) "A nest of bees," i.e., a gathering of bees.
Metzudat David
And he returned. For initially he only performed the betrothal and returned to his father's house, and after a time he returned to take her.
And honey. From the bees was in it the honey:
Metzudat Zion
From days. From the end of days, and it does not specify how many, or 'days' meaning: a year:
He turned aside. He turned aside from his path:
The carcass. The lion's carcass in the place of its falling:
A swarm of bees. A gathering of bees, and he said 'edah [congregation]' as a figure of speech, so too (Proverbs 30:26) 'the rock badgers are a folk not mighty':
In the body. In the body, as in (I Samuel 31:12) 'the body [geviyat] of Saul':
Malbim
And he turned aside to see the lion's defeat. On this occasion there were no grapes in the vineyard, and he did not need to bend his path; rather, he simply turned aside from the way to see the lion's defeat, for one who sees a place where a miracle was performed for him is obligated to recite a blessing, and he turned aside there to thank the Lord for His kindness.
And he scraped it out into his hands, and went on, eating as he went, and he came to his father and mother, and gave to them, and they did eat; but he told them not that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion.
verse value 2740
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 82 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·he·told" (וְלֹא־הִגִּ֣יד, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 75: to·them, to·them. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·he·scraped·it·out" (וַיִּרְדֵּ֣הוּ), "to·his·palms" (אֶל־כַּפָּ֗יו), "and·to·eat" (וְאָכֹ֔ל). The root הלך appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·his·palms" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "and·went" (root הלך, 109x in Judges); "and·to·his·mother" (root אל, 89x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·ate', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Rashi
"And he scooped/scraped it out." This is the language of separating something that is stuck. Just as regarding bread that is stuck to the oven, its separation is called "rodah" (peeling/scraping), as it is stated: "One who scrapes bread from the oven" (Shabbat 117b); "One who scrapes his beehive" (Bava Metzia 64a). This is because the honey is formed by combs that are attached to the walls of the vessel on all sides, from wall to wall, according to the circular measure of the vessel. And so did Targum Yonatan translate: "vayirdehu" — "and he pulled it out."
Radak
"And he scraped it out." Its Targum renders it "ve-nischei" [he extracted it] — proven by [the same root in] "the house of the proud, the LORD will tear down" (Proverbs 15:25), which likewise refers to the extracting of a thing from its place. Similarly, "and the priests scraped [the residue] off with their hands." In this sense, the term haridah in the words of our Sages of blessed memory refers to the removal of the bread from its place, where it had become stuck in the oven. They stated: "Even one who scrapes [the loaves] out and places them in a basket — the basket combines them for [the obligation of] challah." And they called the vessel into which the bread is placed a mardeh, as they say: "When she scraped it out, she did not scrape it out with a mardeh, but with a knife."
Metzudat David
And he scooped it. From the carcass of the lion, he scooped the honey into his palms.
"Walking and eating." At the time of walking, he was eating.
Metzudat Zion
And he took down. The sense of removing from its place of attachment, so too (Jeremiah 10:6) 'we descend, we shall not return,' in the words of our Sages of blessed memory (Shabbat 113b) 'the taking down [radiyah] of the bread':
Malbim
"And he scooped it into his hands." Because he went to take a wife from the Philistines, he stumbled by eating impure honey. And as our Sages of blessed memory said, "He craved an impure thing, etc."
And his father went down to the woman; and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
verse value 3510
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 45 letters. Verse gematria: 3510 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֤ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·young·men" (הַבַּחוּרִֽים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 386: and·did, they·will·do. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "feast" (מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה), "they·will·do" (יַעֲשׂ֖וּ), "the·young·men" (הַבַּחוּרִֽים). The root עשה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·woman" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "and·did" (root עשה, 87x in Judges); "for" (root כי, 70x in Judges). First appearance of the root משתה ("feast") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·woman', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֥רֶד [and·went·down] (220) + אָבִ֖יהוּ [his·father] (24) + אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה [to·the·woman] (342) + וַיַּ֨עַשׂ [and·did] (386) + שָׁ֤ם [there] (340) + שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ [Samson] (696) + מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה [feast] (745) + כִּ֛י [for] (30) + כֵּ֥ן [so] (70) + יַעֲשׂ֖וּ [they·will·do] (386) + הַבַּחוּרִֽים [the·young·men] (271) = 3510.
Rashi
And his father went down to the woman. (Targum:) Concerning the affairs of the woman.
Radak
"to the woman." As its Targum translates it: "concerning the business of a woman." And he said:
And his father went down, and behold, the three of them had gone down—Samson, his father, and his mother. It appears that his father entered the city first, concerning the matter of the woman, so that she might prepare herself for the wedding.
Metzudat David
"And his father went down." At first, his father went down to prepare the needs of the feast, for Samson had made the feast there at his own expense, for such is the custom of young men to make the feast at their own expense at the time of their marriage; and therefore his father went down at first to prepare everything.
Malbim
"And his father went down to the woman." Likewise, the custom there was that the groom's father would inform her to prepare herself, and the groom would hold a feast for seven days in his house while still a bachelor, at his own expense. This is what is meant by the verse, "And Samson made a feast there, for so is the custom of the young men," meaning that this was the custom of the young men there, in addition to the seven days of the feast that the bride would hold after the marriage.
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
verse value 2725
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 37 letters. The shortest word is "with·him" (אִתּֽוֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "when·they·saw" (כִּרְאוֹתָ֣ם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "when·they·saw" (כִּרְאוֹתָ֣ם), "companions" (מֵרֵעִ֔ים). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "and·took" (root לקח, 44x in Judges); "when·they·saw" (root ראה, 43x in Judges). First appearance of the root מרע ("companions") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'him', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֖י [and·it·was] (31) + כִּרְאוֹתָ֣ם [when·they·saw] (667) + אוֹת֑וֹ [him] (413) + וַיִּקְחוּ֙ [and·took] (130) + שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים [thirty] (680) + מֵרֵעִ֔ים [companions] (360) + וַיִּהְי֖וּ [and·they·were] (37) + אִתּֽוֹ [with·him] (407) = 2725.
Rashi
"Mer'im." Companions in the role of best men:
Radak
"And they took thirty companions." Like "And Korah took" [Num. 16:1], meaning each one took his companion, and they gathered together. And the mem of "kir'otam" [when they saw him] refers to the companions mentioned afterward, and similarly "and she saw him, the child" [Exodus 2:6], and others like it, which we have written in the book Mikhlol.
Metzudat David
As they saw. When the woman and her father saw Samson coming after his father:
"And they were with him." To speak with him and to gladden him.
And Samson said to them: ‘Let me now put forth a riddle to you; if you can declare it 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;
verse value 7380
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 95 letters. Verse gematria: 7380 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֜י, 2 letters) and the longest is "let·me·riddle·now" (אָחֽוּדָה־נָּ֥א, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: to·you, to·you. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "let·me·riddle·now" (אָחֽוּדָה־נָּ֥א), "riddle" (חִידָ֑ה), "if·surely" (אִם־הַגֵּ֣ד). The root לכם appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "day" (root יום, 76x in Judges); "to·them" (root הם, 74x in Judges). First appearance of the root חוד ("let·me·riddle·now") in Judges. First appearance of the root חידה ("riddle") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'riddle', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 15 words.
Radak
"Bed sheets." These are linen cloths in which a person sleeps at night or wraps himself during the day. And the Targum [renders them as] *paldeisin*; and it likewise translates [the phrase] "in two pouches" [charitin] as "in two paldeisin."
Metzudat David
"I will propose a riddle to you, etc. I will ask you a riddle, and if you explain the riddle during the days of the feast:"
And you shall find. He means to say: If you understand the matter in its truth.
Metzudat Zion
I will propound [a riddle]. The sense of something hidden, hard to understand:
Linen tunics. The name of a certain garment:
Change of garments. They are called so, for it is the custom to change them each time:
Malbim
The Questions (12): After they said to Samson’s wife on the seventh day, “Entice your husband,” did not the seven days of the feast then conclude? How then could it be said that she wept for the seven days? The riddle itself cannot be disclosed by a person, for who could foresee that bees had made their nest in the carcass of a dead lion? This is not a matter that one could possibly reveal. And why is the phrase repeated, “If you tell us” and “If you have found”?
And Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle; if you can explain it to me within the seven days of the feast." The plain meaning is according to the opinion of the Efodi, that they had time until the end of the seven days of the feast following the wedding, in a manner such that during the first seven days of the feast they were investigating and expounding, and during the latter seven days, which are simply called the days of the feast, was the time to explain it.
And behold, this riddle is something that it is utterly impossible for a person to guess, for are they perhaps prophets, that they would know that he had killed a young lion, and that a swarm of bees had nested there and produced honey? Rather, he revealed to them the place for solving the riddle by what he said, "and you shall find," meaning: search in the city and its surroundings; there you will find [the answer to] "out of the strong came forth sweetness," for after searching you will find the carcass of the lion and the honey. And nevertheless, despite this, the wager was of unequal value in comparison,
but if you cannot declare it me, then shall you give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment.’ And they said to him: ‘Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it.’
verse value 5427
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֔וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִי֒, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·we·will·hear·it" (וְנִשְׁמָעֶֽנָּה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 40: to·me, to·me. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "you·will·prevail" (תוּכְלוּ֮), "and·you·will·give" (וּנְתַתֶּ֨ם), "changes" (חֲלִיפ֣וֹת). The root לי appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "and·you·will·give" (root נתן, 69x in Judges); "to·tell" (root נגד, 30x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'clothes', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Metzudat David
"Relate!" This means: "Speak the riddle." And to further clarify, they said: "Your riddle."
And he said to them: Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
verse value 2707
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "to·them" (לָהֶ֗ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·said" (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 101: went·out, went·out. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "from·the·eater" (מֵהָֽאֹכֵל֙), "food" (מַאֲכָ֔ל), "and·from·strong" (וּמֵעַ֖ז). The root יצא appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "and·not" (root לא, 77x in Judges); "days" (root יום, 76x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'sweet', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + לָהֶ֗ם [to·them] (75) + מֵהָֽאֹכֵל֙ [from·the·eater] (96) + יָצָ֣א [went·out] (101) + מַאֲכָ֔ל [food] (91) + וּמֵעַ֖ז [and·from·strong] (123) + יָצָ֣א [went·out] (101) + מָת֑וֹק [sweet] (546) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + יָכְל֛וּ [were·able] (66) + לְהַגִּ֥יד [to·tell] (52) + הַחִידָ֖ה [riddle] (32) + שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת [three] (1030) + יָמִֽים [days] (100) = 2707.
Metzudat David
From "the eater." From the thing that eats something else, there came out something to eat; and from the strong thing, there came out something sweet.
Malbim
And they could not solve the riddle for three days. This means that during the first three days of the seven days of the feast, they pondered it, expounded upon it, and investigated it; and when they did not find its solution, they concluded that it was a hidden matter and despaired of further investigating it. However, they did not yet go to Samson’s wife to entice him to reveal it, for she was not yet Samson’s wife until the seventh day, and she would not be able to ask him to disclose his secrets.
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, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire; have you called us hither to impoverish us?’
verse value 7746
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 93 letters. Notable word values: "to·us" (לָ֖נוּ) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "entice" (פַּתִּ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·wife·of·Samson" (לְאֵֽשֶׁת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙, 9 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·wife·of·Samson" (לְאֵֽשֶׁת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙), "man" (אֶת־אִישֵׁ֗ךְ), "and·let·him·declare·to·us" (וְיַגֶּד־לָ֙נוּ֙). 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges). First appearance of the root שביעי ("seventh") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·fire', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 4 words.
Rashi
"And it came to pass on the seventh day": [This refers] to the days of the week, and not the seventh day of the feast — rather, that day [Shabbat] was the fourth day of the feast.
"Have you invited us here, is it not, to impoverish us?" Targum Yonatan renders: "Is it to impoverish us that you have invited us here?"
Radak
"On the seventh day." The day of Shabbat was the fourth day of the days of the wedding canopy. And the explanation of "and she wept over him for seven days" is that she completed the seven days from the day of Shabbat until the end of the seven days of the feast; she was weeping every day and entreating him to reveal the riddle to her. And one could interpret "on the seventh day" according to its plain meaning, as the seventh day of the feast. And when they saw that they were unable to reveal the riddle during the three days, they despaired of revealing it and remained silent until the seventh day. And on the seventh day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband." And the explanation of "and she wept over him for seven days" is that she herself wept over him for all seven days of the feast, and he did not wish to reveal it to her. And on the seventh day she harassed him, because they said to her, "We will burn you," and he revealed it to her.
"Will they inherit us?" The yod is sustained by a ga'ya [secondary stress mark] in some manuscripts. The explanation of the verse is: "Is it to inherit us that you have invited us here," meaning, so that you might take our property; and if not, for what reason did you invite us? For we see that you intend to take our property through the riddle. And the Targum [renders]: "הלמסכנותנא קריתון יתנא הלכא" [was it to impoverish us that you invited us here], rendering "הלא" as though it were "הלום" (here).
Metzudat David
"On the seventh day." This does not refer to the days of the feast, but rather to the day of Shabbat, which was the fourth day of the feast. And since on Shabbat Samson did not remain with them, they found an opportunity to speak to the woman.
"And let him tell us." This means: "He will tell you, for our sake, that you should return and tell us."
"To impoverish us. And did you call us to the feast in order to impoverish us?" — in a tone of astonishment.
"Behold, for not to impoverish [us]." And he means to say that the calling was for joy and not to impoverish [us], and now we have seen that the intention was indeed to impoverish [us].
Metzudat Zion
And let him tell us. Meaning: for our benefit [i.e., for our need]:
Malbim
"And it came to pass on the seventh day." This means from the day on which he told them the riddle, which was the last day of the feast of the young men, and it was the wedding day and the beginning of the final days of the feast, at which time Samson's wife was able to inquire into his secrets. This is what is stated: "And they said to Samson's wife," meaning that they did not ask her to reveal to them the riddle, for she would have replied to them, "Should I cause my husband to give you thirty sets of garments?" Rather, they requested that she entice him so that he would tell them the riddle. This is what is stated: "and let him tell us the riddle," whereby the wager they had made would be voided, since he revealed the solution to them before the appointed time.
And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said: ‘You do but hate me, and love me not; you have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and will you not tell it me?’ And he said to her: ‘Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?’
verse value 6363
Insights
Verse structure: 24 words, 96 letters. Notable word values: "I·will·declare" (אַגִּֽיד) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "only·you·hate·me" (רַק־שְׂנֵאתַ֙נִי֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "only·you·hate·me" (רַק־שְׂנֵאתַ֙נִי֙), "you·loved·me" (אֲהַבְתָּ֔נִי), "you·proposed·a·riddle" (חַ֙דְתָּ֙). The root לא appears 3 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·she·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·sons·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "upon·him" (root על, 87x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·told', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 9 words.
Metzudat David
You have not explained it. The explanation of the riddle is:
Malbim
"And she wept." However, although it was in God's power to send hostility between Samson and the Philistines, He did not do so; rather, she only wept before him, urging him to tell her the riddle. And she said only, "You hate me; you do not love me." For it is common that after love, one returns to hatred, like Amnon's love for Tamar, but you never loved me at all. For you propounded the riddle, and this was before the marriage, yet you did not tell it to me. And he replied that this was not out of hatred, for he had not even told his father or his mother.
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.
verse value 4609
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "she·pressed·him" (הֱצִיקַ֔תְהוּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 58: in·the·day, and·he·told·to·her. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "day" (הַיָּמִ֔ים), "that·was" (אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה), "she·pressed·him" (הֱצִיקַ֔תְהוּ). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·was" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "to·sons·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'feast', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 10 words.
Rashi
"Seven days." The remaining days of the seven days, from the fourth day onward:
Ralbag
"And he told her, because she pressed him." It is possible that the meaning here is that from the abundance of her efforts with him in this, she wearied him and pressed him until he could not help but tell her the riddle. Or his being pressed by her was in the matter of intimacy, for when he was demanding it of her, she would withhold it from him at the time when his inclination was strong upon him. And when he could not endure this, he told her the riddle, so that before the sun set on that day, the matter of telling the riddle was completed for the men of the city.
Metzudat David
“Seven days.” This means: until the completion of the seven days.
“Which was their feast.” This means that it is the custom to rejoice on them, yet she wept:
"Because she pressed him." She pressed him very much and withheld herself from him, and the like:
Metzudat Zion
Troubled him. The sense of distress and pressure, as in (Isaiah 8:22) 'the gloom of anguish [tzukah]':
Malbim
"And it came to pass on the seventh day." This was the last day; he [Samson] reckoned that for one [more] day the matter would remain secret with her. Already her desire was fulfilled in that she knew it while it was still a hidden matter before everyone else. However, she told them because they were of her people, and her heart was closer to them than to her husband, who was not of her people.
And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down: What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If you had not plowed with my heifer, You had not found out my riddle.
verse value 6154
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 92 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לוֹ֩) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (לוֹ֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·said" (וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 251: before, from·lion. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "before" (בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙), "itch" (הַחַ֔רְסָה), "what·sweet" (מַה־מָּת֣וֹק). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 20 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "will·go·in" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). First appearance of the root חרש ("you·cut·in") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·lion', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 8 words.
Rashi
"Before the sun came [set]." Before the setting of the sun, when they still had time until evening:
"You have plowed with my heifer." This is a parable. (The Targum:) "Had you not investigated through my wife."
Radak
"Hacharasah." [This means] the sun, as in "He who commands the sun (la-cheres) and it does not shine" [Job 9:7], and the letter heh is added, as in "hachadrah" ["into the chamber"]. The reason is that if the sun had set on the seventh day before they told him the answer to the riddle, they would have had to give him the thirty sheets, since the seven days were already completed. Therefore they pressed to tell it before the sun set.
"You have plowed with my heifer." By way of a parable, meaning that they investigated his wife extensively; and "you have plowed wickedness" is also by way of a parable. And the Masorah states that it occurs in two forms.
Ralbag
'Had you not plowed with my heifer.' He said this to testify to them that Samson's wife revealed to them the riddle, and had it not been for this, they would not have found it. Or he said this to indicate that he was suspecting his wife that she played the harlot with one of them, and for this reason she revealed to him the matter of the riddle, and he told it to the men of the city.
Metzudat David
Before the sun goes down. While the seventh day has not yet passed, which is the end of the time they had set:
How sweet. There is nothing sweeter than honey:
"Lolā ḥarashatem" (Had you not plowed). He meant to say: If my wife had not revealed it to you, you would not have known the riddle. And he spoke in the language of a parable; or alternatively, he said: If your thoughts had not been scheming by means of my wife, so that she would inquire from me to tell you, you would not have found my riddle. (And since the word "plowing" is shared between actual plowing and the scheming of thought, he referred to his wife by the name "heifer," which is trained to plow, and this is an appropriate metaphor.)
Metzudat Zion
It set. The sense of setting, as in (Genesis 28:11) 'for the sun had set':
The sun. The sun, as in (above 8:13) 'the sun from above':
Had it not been. If it had not been:
You plowed. From the word for plowing; it is also from the sense of digging the thought and pondering a matter, as in (Proverbs 3:29) 'do not devise [tacharosh] evil against your neighbor':
Malbim
"Sweeter than honey." Now, this riddle consists of two parts: A) Out of the eater came forth food. This is solved simply, as it alludes to bees and honey. For in all living creatures, the food is transformed into the nourished body, and the waste is expelled outward. Only the bee and all of its kind extract the blossoms of the herbs and produce food from their bodies, so that this eater [the bee] excretes no waste, only food, alone.
The second part of the riddle, which is "from the fierce one came forth sweetness," was such that it would not have been possible for them to know it unless they had found the lion, and this is impossible; for if so, he [Samson] would have heard that they found a lion and honey, for such a novel thing people would announce and recount. And thereby he would have known that his wife had revealed it to them, and he would have said, "You did not solve my riddle," meaning: even though you stated my riddle, you did not find it, meaning: you did not find the lion. Rather, my wife is a heifer not accustomed to plowing; with her you plowed, but she did not plow—she merely revealed it.
And the spirit of Hashem came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of raiment to them that declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
verse value 5815
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 94 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "spirit·of" (ר֣וּחַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "what·is·stripped·off" (אֶת־חֲלִ֣יצוֹתָ֔ם, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 116: upon·him, and·went·up. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "Ashkelon" (אַשְׁקְל֜וֹן), "from·them" (מֵהֶ֣ם), "what·is·stripped·off" (אֶת־חֲלִ֣יצוֹתָ֔ם). 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "house·of" (root בית, 88x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'riddle', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 5 words.
Rashi
The Spirit of the Lord. (Targum:) The Spirit of Might from before the Lord:
"Their equipment." Garments that he had stripped off them:
Radak
"And he struck thirty men of them." Our Sages of blessed memory received the tradition that it was permitted for him to become impure through contact with the dead, even though he was a Nazirite, because the angel said, "Let the lad be a Nazirite to God," and he himself had not taken the vow of Naziriteship; only the things that the angel explicitly stated were forbidden to him—namely, wine and shaving. Consequently, he would strike the Philistines and then strip them, as it is said, "He struck and he took." Had we not had this tradition, we could have argued that he struck the Philistines with a stone or some other means and did not touch them—just as he struck them with the donkey's jawbone, which he would throw upon them and kill them with it—or, even if he did touch them before their death, he would have withdrawn his hand from them, for a person does not die immediately from a blow, even if it is a mortal wound. And as for "he took their equipment," either he took it before their death, or even after their death he commanded a certain Philistine to strip them. Or we could say that he was careful not to become impure through contact with the dead, except in a place where there was a commandment, and the war against the Philistines was a commandment—to fight them and to save Israel from their hand—and everything was from God, as it is written, "For it is from God." And behold, our Sages of blessed memory received the tradition that a Nazirite may become impure for a mitzvah-related corpse.
"Their equipment." Their garments and their weapons; and with their proceeds he gave the sets of clothing to those who told the riddle. Also the sheets, even though they were not mentioned, or the sets of clothing alone, for it was sufficient for them, since they had obtained them from him deceitfully.
Ralbag
And with his courage he struck thirty of the Philistines in Ashkelon, and took their garments and gave them to those who told the riddle. And Samson's anger burned at the evil disposition of his wife, and he separated from her and went up to his father's house. And when her father saw that Samson had left her, he turned her away and gave her as a wife to one of the companions with whom Samson had kept company during the seven days of the feast.
Metzudat David
And his anger was kindled. Against his wife, because she had revealed his secret:
Metzudat Zion
And it came upon [him]. And passed, as in (II Samuel 19:18) 'they crossed the Jordan':
Their changed garments. The sense of drawing off, as in (Deuteronomy 25:10) 'he that hath his shoe removed,' meaning either the garments from which he drew off, or the garments are called so, just as they are called 'changes' after that they are changed each time, and this refers to the removing and drawing off of the garments in which one is clothed, and for this reason they are also called 'drawn-off garments' [chalitzot]:
Malbim
"And he gave the changes, etc., and his anger burned." Initially, he thought that when she saw them asking him for the changes, she would plead his case and reveal that she had disclosed the solution to them. But when he saw that she remained silent, he suspected that she had been unfaithful with them, as was indeed the case.
But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had had for his friend.
verse value 2981
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לֽוֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (לֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·his·companion" (לְמֵ֣רֵעֵ֔הוּ, 6 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "wife·of" (root אשה, 59x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Samson', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַתְּהִ֖י [and·it·was] (421) + אֵ֣שֶׁת [wife·of] (701) + שִׁמְשׁ֑וֹן [Samson] (696) + לְמֵ֣רֵעֵ֔הוּ [to·his·companion] (351) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + רֵעָ֖ה [was·a·friend] (275) + לֽוֹ [to·him] (36) = 2981.
Rashi
"To his companion." She was given to one of his groomsmen:
Radak
"To his companion, who had been his companion." As its Targum [renders]: "to his companion who was his groomsman."
"who was his companion." This refers to the fact that Samson had taken him as a companion.
Metzudat David
And she became, etc. She was taken as a wife to his companion, who was joined with Samson as his best man.
Malbim
For she became [wife] to his companion, because she already had a bond with him. And this is what is meant by "who had been his friend" — that he was Samson's companion, for she had loved him beforehand. Now, he had also promised linen sheets, but gave only changes of garments, for he had a claim, and gave only half, in accordance with the law of monetary claims in doubt (Ri'a).
Radak
Malbim