Judges 14:8 BSB — MannaFest

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.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

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

KJV

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.

⋯

Commentary

3 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

After a time - Probably about one year; as this was the time that generally elapsed between espousing and wedding. A swarm of bees and honey in the carcass - By length of time the flesh had been entirely consumed off the bones, and a swarm of bees had formed their combs within the region of the thorax, nor was it an improper place; nor was the thing unfrequent, if we may credit ancient writers; the carcasses of slain beasts becoming a receptacle for wild bees.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

After a time - Hebrew. after days; that is, either after some days: or, rather, after a year, as that word often signifies; when the flesh of the lion, (which by its strong smell is offensive to bees) was wholly consumed, and nothing was left but the bones.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1703: “Hands Full of Honey” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) (1883)

IT was a singular circumstance that a man unarmed should have slain a lion in the prime of its vigor and yet, more strange that a swarm of bees should have taken possession of the dried carcass and have filled it with their honey. In that country, what with beasts, birds, insects and the dry heat, a dead body is soon cleansed from all corruption and the bones are clean and white. Still, the killing of the lion and the finding of the honey make up a remarkable story.

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

14 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וַיָּ֤שָׁב	vai.Ya.shov	and he returned	H7725 →
מִיָּמִים֙	mi.ya.Mim	from days	H3117 →
לְקַחְתָּ֔הּ	le.kach.Tah	to take her	H3947 →
וַיָּ֣סַר	vai.Ya.sar	and he turned aside	H5493 →
לִרְא֔וֹת	lir.'ot	to see	H7200 →
אֵ֖ת	'et	<obj.>	H853 →
מַפֶּ֣לֶת	ma.Pe.let	[the] carcass of	H4658 →
הָאַרְיֵ֑ה	ha.'ar.Yeh	the lion	H738 →
וְהִנֵּ֨ה	ve.hi.Neh	and there!	H2009 →
עֲדַ֧ת	'a.Dat	a swarm of	H5712 →
דְּבוֹרִ֛ים	de.vo.Rim	bees	H1682 →
בִּגְוִיַּ֥ת	big.vi.Yat	[was] in [the] carcass of	H1472 →
הָאַרְיֵ֖ה	ha.'ar.Yeh	the lion	H738 →
וּדְבָֽשׁ׃	u.de.Vash	and honey	H1706 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Matthew 1:20
But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife,…
leads to
- Matthew 1:18
  This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Proverbs 3:5–6
  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- Luke 1:19
  “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
- Luke 2:4
  So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David.
- Matthew 2:19
  After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
Through
Genesis 29:21
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
leads to
- Judges 15:1
  Later on, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. “I want to go to my wife in her room,” he said. But her…
- Genesis 29:18
  Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
- Genesis 31:41
  Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!

Featured studies on this passage

Walks through Judges 14

The Bride & the Jewish Wedding

Open the study →

About Judges

Samson Slays a Lion — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

Judges: the study guide →Read chapter 14 →The featured study →

PersonJudgesSamsonThe Nazirite judge of supernatural strength and unguarded appetites; betrayed by Delilah, blinded at Gaza, he slew more in his dea…

Continue: Judges 14 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Judges

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Judges