Bible Strands

Judges 14:8

When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Samson is traveling to claim his Philistine bride when he detours from his route to inspect a lion he had previously killed.

The words — וַיָּשֶׁב (va/yāšōḇ) = "and he returned" and מַפְּלֶת (maḇbēleṯ) = "carcass" or "remains" mark the moment of his unexpected discovery.

The thread — Genesis 29:21 records Jacob requesting his wife, while Matthew 1:20 describes an angel instructing Joseph to take Mary as his wife.

Why it lands — The text records Samson finding honey in a dead lion and eating it without informing his parents. It requires the reader to note that divine empowerment operates through unclean sources without the narrative approving or explaining the act.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיָּ֤שָׁבva/i.Ya.shovand/ he returnedמִיָּמִים֙mi./ya.Mimfrom/ daysלְקַחְתָּ֔הּle./kach.Ta/hto/ take/ herוַיָּ֣סַרva/i.Ya.sarand/ he turned asideלִרְא֔וֹתli/r.'otto/ seeאֵ֖ת'et<obj.>מַפֶּ֣לֶתma.Pe.let[the] carcass ofהָאַרְיֵ֑הha./'ar.Yehthe/ lionוְהִנֵּ֨הve./hi.Nehand/ there!עֲדַ֧ת'a.Data swarm ofדְּבוֹרִ֛יםde.vo.Rimbeesבִּגְוִיַּ֥תbi/g.vi.Yat[was] in/ [the] carcass ofהָאַרְיֵ֖הha./'ar.Yehthe/ lionוּדְבָֽשׁ׃u./de.Vashand/ honey

King James Version

And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

Cross-references