Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
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? He said to them, If you hadn`t plowed with my heifer, You wouldn`t have found out my riddle.
Verse Takeaways
1
The Proverb of Betrayal
Samson's famous retort, 'If you had not plowed with my heifer,' was a proverbial way of accusing the men of treachery. Commentators explain he was comparing his wife to a young farm animal and saying the men had used her to extract his secret. While some have suggested this implies adultery, most scholars believe the phrase simply points to their manipulative use of his wife to solve the riddle.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Judges
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
4
18th Century
Presbyterian
They try to give the answer in a way that makes it appear they had guessed it. Samson saw at once that she had betrayed him. He lets them know in a…
19th Century
Anglican
What is sweeter than honey? —Their answer is given in the same rhythmical form as the riddle itself.
If ye had not plowed with m…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
And the men of the city said unto him, on the seventh day, before the sun went down A…
Consider supporting our work
Samson's riddle literally meant no more than that he had got honey, for food and for pleasure, from the lion, which in its strength and fury was re…
