1:16 Now the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the City of Date Palm Trees to Arad in the desert of Judah, 1 located in the Negev. 2 They went and lived with the people of Judah. 3
14:15 On the fourth 17 day they said to Samson’s bride, “Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle. 18 If you refuse, 19 we will burn up 20 you and your father’s family. 21 Did you invite us here 22 to make us poor?” 23 14:16 So Samson’s bride cried on his shoulder 24 and said, “You must 25 hate me; you do not love me! You told the young men 26 a riddle, but you have not told me the solution.” He said to her, “Look, I have not even told my father or mother. Do you really expect me to tell you?” 27
1 tc Part of the Greek
2 tn Heb “[to] the Desert of Judah in the Negev, Arad.”
3 tn The phrase “of Judah” is supplied here in the translation. Some ancient textual witnesses read, “They went and lived with the Amalekites.” This reading, however, is probably influenced by 1 Sam 15:6 (see also Num 24:20-21).
4 tn Heb “men from among his servants.”
5 tn Heb “house.”
6 tn Heb “so he did it at night.”
7 tn Heb “have risen up against.”
8 tn Heb “house.”
9 tn The word “legitimate” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.
10 tn Heb “your brother.”
11 tn Heb “and Zebul his appointee.”
12 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abimelech) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Heb “bore.”
14 tn Heb “in the house of our father.”
15 tn Heb “went.” Samson apparently went home to his parents before going to Timnah for the marriage. Seeing and tasting the honey appears to encourage Manoah to go with his son to Timnah. Perhaps both Samson and his father viewed the honey as a good omen of future blessing. Possibly Samson considered it a symbol of sexual pleasure or an aphrodisiac. Note the use of honey imagery in Song 4:11 and 5:1.
16 sn Touching the carcass of a dead animal undoubtedly violated Samson’s Nazirite status. See Num 6:6.
17 tc The MT reads “seventh.” In Hebrew there is a difference of only one letter between the words רְבִיעִי (rÿvi’i, “fourth”) and שְׁבִיעִי (shÿvi’i, “seventh”). Some ancient textual witnesses (e.g., LXX and the Syriac Peshitta) read “fourth,” here, which certainly harmonizes better with the preceding verse (cf. “for three days”) and with v. 17. Another option is to change שְׁלֹשֶׁת (shÿloshet, “three”) at the end of v. 14 to שֵׁשֶׁת (sheshet, “six”), but the resulting scenario does not account as well for v. 17, which implies the bride had been hounding Samson for more than one day.
18 tn Heb “Entice your husband so that he might tell us the riddle.”
19 tn Heb “lest.”
20 tn The Hebrew text expands the statement: “burn up with fire.” The words “with fire” are redundant in English and have been omitted from the translation for stylistic reasons.
21 tn Heb “house.”
22 tc The translation assumes the Hebrew form הֲלֹם (halom, “here,” attested in five Hebrew
23 tn For discussion of this difficult form, see C. F. Burney, Judges, 364.
24 tn Heb “on him.”
25 tn Heb “only”; or “simply.”
26 tn Heb “the sons of my people.”
27 tn Heb “Should I tell you?”
28 tn Or “said.”
29 tn Heb “and they said.” The subject of the plural verb is indefinite.
30 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Timnite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
31 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Samson) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
32 tn The Hebrew text expands the statement with the additional phrase “burned with fire.” The words “with fire” are redundant in English and have been omitted from the translation for stylistic reasons. Some textual witnesses read “burned…her father’s house,” perhaps under the influence of 14:15. On the other hand, the shorter text may have lost this phrase due to haplography.