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Book of Judges - Chapter 14 - Verse 14

14:14
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

Meaning

The verse 'And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.' from the book of Judges 14:14 highlights the story of Samson, a judge of Israel, who posed a riddle to the Philistines at his wedding feast. The riddle reflects the mysterious and paradoxical ways of God's providence. The eater symbolizes the lion that Samson killed, and the meat that came forth represents the honey he found inside it. The strong refers to the lion itself, and the sweetness signifies the honey. The riddle reveals a profound truth that God can bring good out of seemingly impossible or unexpected situations. The Philistines could not solve the riddle, reflecting their inability to understand the divine mysteries of God. This verse serves as a reminder of God's power and wisdom, which surpass human understanding and reasoning.

Theological Overview

The verse from Judges 14:14 contains a riddle spoken by Samson to the Philistines after he killed a lion and found honey inside its carcass. The theological interpretation of this riddle suggests that it carries a deep spiritual meaning. Some scholars believe that the riddle symbolizes the paradoxical nature of God's ways. Out of something seemingly destructive (the lion) comes something good (meat), just as out of something strong (the lion) comes something sweet (the honey). This could be interpreted as a metaphor for how God can bring blessings out of hardships or trials in our lives. The riddle also highlights the limits of human understanding, as the Philistines could not figure out the meaning of the riddle even after three days of trying. This could be a reminder of the inscrutable nature of God's wisdom and the need for humility in seeking to comprehend His ways.

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