Judges 14:18 Meaning and Explanation
“And the men of the city said unto 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 unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The men answer the riddle just in time; Samson retorts that they only solved it by using his wife.
What Does Judges 14:18 Mean?
Just before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city give their answer in the form of two questions: 'What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?' Samson knows at once how they learned it and replies that had they not plowed with his heifer, they would never have found out his riddle.
His retort, blunt and bitter, names the betrayal: they reached the answer only by pressuring his wife. The contest is technically lost, but the manner of it stings more than the loss. The verse captures the moment deceit is exposed even as it succeeds. Beneath the sharp words lies the ache of trust broken from within, a wound that no clever answer can soothe and that will drive the violence to come.
Judges 14:18 in the Original Language
heifer (פָּרָה) -- a young cow used for plowing, here a pointed figure for his wife being used by others.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 14:18
What does Judges 14:18 mean?
The men answer the riddle just in time; Samson retorts that they only solved it by using his wife.