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?

JUDGES 14:16KJV
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Judges 14:16 (KJV)

What does Judges 14:16 mean?

Judges 14:16 describes how Samson’s wife, upset and feeling excluded, accuses Samson of not loving her because he has shared a riddle with her people but not told her the answer. Samson responds that he has not even told his own parents, questioning why he should tell her.

In this verse, Samson’s wife is speaking to him during their wedding feast, distressed because she feels left out of his secret. The verse shows the tension between Samson and his wife, as well as the pressure she feels from her own people to discover the answer to Samson’s riddle. Samson’s reply highlights his secrecy and the distance he keeps, even from those closest to him.

The Hebrew behind Judges 14:16

  • "Wept" (בָּכָה, bakah) means to cry or weep openly, showing the emotional intensity of Samson’s wife as she pleads with him.
  • "Hate" (שָׂנֵא, sane) and "lovest" (אָהַב, ahav) are strong words for hate and love, emphasizing the dramatic way Samson’s wife expresses her feelings of rejection and longing for affection.
  • "Riddle" (חִידָה, chidah) refers to a puzzling question or enigma, which in this story is central to the conflict between Samson, his wife, and her people.

Why Judges 14:16 matters

  • This verse clarifies the emotional and cultural pressures at play during Samson’s wedding, showing how his wife is caught between loyalty to her people and her new husband.
  • The strong language of love and hate reveals how personal and intense the situation is, not just a casual disagreement.
  • Understanding this exchange helps explain why Samson’s wife later acts as she does, and it sets up the unfolding drama in the rest of the chapter.