Mad About Losing A Bet

After a short time, Samson and his parents returned to Timnath for the wedding.  It would be a Philistine rather than Jewish wedding, as we see in Judges 14:10-11.  “So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.  And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.”  Many modern weddings include several bridesmaids and groomsmen. The Philistine weddings had more groomsmen than most modern weddings, and since Samson was a Jew and had few friends in the area, his future in-laws found local men to serve as groomsmen.    Today, many weddings begin with bachelor parties for the bride and groom, a couple of days the wedding, followed by a wedding practice and a dinner for the wedding party the night before before the wedding.  On the wedding day, the service is usually followed by a reception with food and various activities.  The Philistine wedding was even longer taking a full week. 

Since the groomsmen were not his friends and would be there for seven days, Samson decided to get up a bet and see if he couldn’t make a little money off them.  He proposed a bet on a riddle that there was no possibility of the Philisines guessing the answer to, in Judges 14:12-14.  “And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments.

And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.”

Since all material was hand woven from hand spun thread, it was very expensive, with a sheet and a suit of clothing costing a couple of thousand dollars.  The Philistines were not about to let a Jew win, or give up all that money.  They began to cheat, threatening to kill the bride’s family if she didn’t find out the answer, in Judges 14:15-17.  “And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?

And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me.

And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

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 lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.” 

Desperate to save her family’s lives his wife kept nagging to find out the answer until he finally told her.  Just before the deadline, The Philistines answered the riddle. Samson was mad about their cheating, as Judges 14:18 tells us.  “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.”   Samson liked to hang out with the Philistines, but God had chosen him to break the Philistine’s hold over Israel.  God used Samson’s greed to make him mad at the Philistines. 

Not having the goods he had bet, and angry at the Philistines, Samson attacked the Philistines at Ashkelon, killing thirty of them to pay his debt, in Judges 14:19.  “And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.”  Angry at his wife for telling the riddle, Samson went home to his parent’s house, refusing to speak with her.   Not knowing if Samson would come back or still wanted her, his in-laws gave his wife to his best man, as Judges 14:20 says,  “But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.”