The Beginning:
Samson, an Israelite set apart as a Nazirite, went down to Timnah and desired to marry a Philistine woman. His parents objected, but the narrative notes that this was part of the LORD’s purpose against the Philistines, who were oppressing Israel at the time.
The Middle:
As Samson traveled with his parents toward Timnah, a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the LORD empowered Samson, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands, though he told no one what had happened. Later, when he returned, he turned aside to look at the carcass and found a swarm of bees and honey inside it; he ate some and gave some to his parents without telling them its source.
The End:
Samson’s encounter with the lion became the basis for a riddle he later posed at his wedding feast in Timnah. What began as a private act of Spirit-given deliverance also set in motion public conflict with the Philistines, advancing the larger struggle described throughout Samson’s story.
This episode emphasizes that Samson’s decisive strength is not presented as ordinary human ability but as empowerment by the Spirit of the LORD. In Judges, God works through flawed deliverers to confront oppression and advance His covenant purposes for Israel. The lion’s defeat highlights divine initiative in Israel’s deliverance, even when the deliverer’s personal choices are complicated and morally mixed.
Wedding feasts in the ancient Near East could last about a week (cf. Judges 14:12), and riddling contests were a recognized form of social entertainment and honor negotiation. Timnah’s location in Philistine-influenced territory fits the tensions in the narrative: intermarriage, social pressure, and conflict between Israelites and Philistines are woven into the setting.
“The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces.” — Judges 14:6
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. What empowered Samson to tear the young lion apart with his bare hands?
2. What did Samson find inside the lion’s carcass when he later turned aside to look at it?