March 11th

March 11th -- Judges 14 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2014&version=NLT)

Samson's Riddle

So Samson, all grown up now, sees a Philistine woman, and decides he wants to marry her. His father at first protests, as the Philistines do not worship God, but idols. His parents don't realize God is using it as an opportunity to work against the Philistines.

So when Samson and his parents are going to Timnah, to get the woman, a lion jumps out of nowhere. The Spirit of God fills Samson, and he rips the lion's jaw apart with his bare hands. He doesn't tell anyone, though. He gets to Timnah and talks with the woman, and is quite happy with her.

When he goes back to Timnah, for the wedding, he finds the carcass, and sees bees made honey in it, so he takes some to eat and brings some to his parents, not telling them where it's from. His father sets up final arrangements, and Samson throws a party, and when his bride's parents see him, they pick 30 men from town to be his companions. Samson gives them a riddle, and says if they can solve it in the 7 days of celebration, he'll give them 30 fine linen robes as well as 30 sets of festive clothes, but if they don't solve it, they must give those to him. The riddle is this:
"Out of the one who eats came something to eat;
out of the strong came something sweet"

They can't figure it out in 3 days, so on the 4th they tell his wife to tell her so she can tell them, saying if she doesn't they'll burn her dad's house down with her inside. She nags and cries to him for the rest of the seven days, then he tells her finally. So the men come to Samson on the last day and answer it with:
"What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?"
Samson says they wouldn't know if they hadn't messed with his wife to find out. But the Lord's Spirit comes on him and he goes down to Ashkelon and kills 30 men, taking their clothes and giving them to the men who solved the riddle. However, Samson was so mad about what happened that he went back to living with his parents and his fiancé married the best man. (that was custom back there, that the bride married the best man if the groom didn't show - or the maid of honor married the groom if the bride didn't show)

I really don't know what to say on this one, sorry..... except if that was a typical riddle back then, they used to be a lot harder back then.

God bless! Shalom!