The Church Fathers on this verse

Judges 14:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And when the seventh day came, they said to the wife of Samson: Sooth thy husband, and persuade him to tell thee what the riddle meaneth. But if thou wilt not do it, we will burn thee, and thy father's house. Have you called us to the wedding on purpose to strip us?

Douay-Rheims

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ לְאֵֽשֶׁת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ פַּתִּ֣י אֶת־אִישֵׁ֗ךְ וְיַגֶּד־לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־הַ֣חִידָ֔ה פֶּן־נִשְׂרֹ֥ף אוֹתָ֛ךְ וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָבִ֖יךְ בָּאֵ֑שׁ הַלְיָרְשֵׁ֕נוּ קְרָאתֶ֥ם לָ֖נוּ הֲלֹֽא׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Ambrose of Milan

4th centuryChurch Father

Everyone sought to decipher the perplexing and unclear riddle, applying pressure on Samson's wife through threats or persistent pleas, urging her to extract the solution from her husband as a testament to their marital devotion and as a token of love.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.