Judges 14:11 - When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
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What does "Judges 14:11" mean?
Judges 14:11 is part of the story of Samson's wedding feast in Timnah. Let's break down what the verse means within that context:
"When they saw him": "They" refers to the people of Timnah, specifically the Philistines where Samson was getting married. "Him" refers to Samson. The meaning here is simply, "when the Philistines saw Samson arrive at the wedding feast..."
"they brought thirty companions to be with him.": The Philistines provided thirty men to be with Samson. These companions were not friends, but were there for the following reasons:
Supervision and Espionage: The Philistines were likely suspicious of Samson, given his extraordinary strength and his previous actions against them. The thirty companions were probably assigned to watch him, monitor his behavior, and report back any suspicious activity.
To Help with the Riddle Wager: The text mentions that Samson proposed a riddle, with a bet involving thirty pieces of clothing. The companions were likely there to pressure Samson into revealing the answer, or to help each other find the answer.
To Ensure Hospitality: Though likely secondary, it's possible there was an element of providing proper hospitality to the groom. In that culture, having companions at a wedding feast was not unusual. However, considering the circumstances and the history between Samson and the Philistines, this was likely not their primary motivation.
In essence, the verse describes the Philistines assigning thirty men to closely observe Samson at his wedding feast, likely as a means of keeping him in check and potentially exploiting him in relation to the riddle wager. The underlying tension and suspicion between Samson and the Philistines are crucial to understanding this action. It wasn't a gesture of friendship, but rather a calculated move by the Philistines.
Judges 14:11 - When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
What does "Judges 14:11" mean?
Judges 14:11 is part of the story of Samson's wedding feast in Timnah. Let's break down what the verse means within that context:
"When they saw him": "They" refers to the people of Timnah, specifically the Philistines where Samson was getting married. "Him" refers to Samson. The meaning here is simply, "when the Philistines saw Samson arrive at the wedding feast..."
"they brought thirty companions to be with him.": The Philistines provided thirty men to be with Samson. These companions were not friends, but were there for the following reasons:
Supervision and Espionage: The Philistines were likely suspicious of Samson, given his extraordinary strength and his previous actions against them. The thirty companions were probably assigned to watch him, monitor his behavior, and report back any suspicious activity.
To Help with the Riddle Wager: The text mentions that Samson proposed a riddle, with a bet involving thirty pieces of clothing. The companions were likely there to pressure Samson into revealing the answer, or to help each other find the answer.
To Ensure Hospitality: Though likely secondary, it's possible there was an element of providing proper hospitality to the groom. In that culture, having companions at a wedding feast was not unusual. However, considering the circumstances and the history between Samson and the Philistines, this was likely not their primary motivation.
In essence, the verse describes the Philistines assigning thirty men to closely observe Samson at his wedding feast, likely as a means of keeping him in check and potentially exploiting him in relation to the riddle wager. The underlying tension and suspicion between Samson and the Philistines are crucial to understanding this action. It wasn't a gesture of friendship, but rather a calculated move by the Philistines.