How we cite our quotes: (Chapter:Verse)
Quote #4
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Coax your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?" So Samson's wife wept before him, saying, "You hate me; you do not really love me. You have asked a riddle of my people, but you have not explained it to me." He said to her, "Look, I have not told my father or my mother. Why should I tell you?" She wept before him for the seven days that their feast lasted; and because she nagged him, on the seventh day he told her. Then she explained the riddle to her people. The men of the town said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" And he said to them, "If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle." (NRSV 14:15-18)
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? 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? And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. (KJV 14:15-18)
Samson's wife surely felt like she was forced to betray him. Even if it's not always as extreme as it is in her case, betrayals often occur when we are pulled in two directions and forced to pick one. With this in mind, does her betrayal seem any less egregious (that's fancy for super awful)?
Quote #5
And Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man. (NRSV 14:20)
But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend. (KJV 14:20)
Of course, betrayal by someone close to you (like a father-in-law) hurts worst of all. But did Samson bring this one upon himself? After all, he wasn't supposed to be entering into romantic relationships with Philistines anyway. Did Samson ask for this one, or is this totally Samson's father-in-law's bad?
Quote #6
So Delilah said to Samson, "Please tell me what makes your strength so great, and how you could be bound, so that one could subdue you." (NRSV 16:6)
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. (KJV 16:6)
Why did Samson trust Delilah in the first place? Was he blinded by love? And that brings up the age-old question of how she felt about him. Was she conflicted? Was this a self-betrayal as well? Details are sparse, and it's sort of more fun that way.