Judges 14:8 Meaning and Explanation
“And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Returning later for the wedding, Samson turns aside and finds bees and honey in the lion's carcass.
What Does Judges 14:8 Mean?
After some time has passed, Samson comes back to take the woman in marriage. On the way he turns aside to look at the carcass of the lion he had killed, and there, where death had been, he finds a swarm of bees and honey.
'Behold' again marks a wonder. Out of the body of the slain devourer comes sweetness and life-giving food. The image is rich: the place of death has become a source of nourishment. Scripture loves this reversal, for at the heart of the gospel the instrument of death becomes the fountain of life. The verse plants a seed that will grow into Samson's riddle, and points, beyond him, to the God who brings sweetness out of what once threatened to destroy.
Judges 14:8 in the Original Language
honey (דְּבַשׁ) -- prized sweetness, in Scripture a token of richness and unexpected goodness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 14:8
What does Judges 14:8 mean?
Returning later for the wedding, Samson turns aside and finds bees and honey in the lion's carcass.