Judges 14 · Verse 8

Judges 14:8

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.
Judges 14:8, King James Version

Judges 14:8 in other translations

BSBWhen 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.
WEBAfter a while he returned to take her, and he went over to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTand he turneth back after some days to take her, and turneth aside to see the carcase of the lion, and lo, a company of bees are in the body of the lion--and honey.
DARBYAnd he returned after a time to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the carcase of the lion, and honey;
BBEThen after a time he went back to take her; and turning from the road to see the dead body of the lion, he saw a mass of bees in the body of the lion, and honey there.
WebsterAnd after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion.

What does Judges 14:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 14:5-9

Jud 14:5-9. He Kills a Lion. 5-9. a young lion--Hebrew, a lion in the pride of his youthful prime. The wild mountain passes of Judah were the lairs of savage beasts; and most or all the "lions" of Scripture occur in that wild country. His rending and killing the shaggy monster, without any weapon in his hand, were accomplished by that superhuman courage and strength which the occasional influences of the Spirit…

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Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 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 beautiful espisode in the 4th Georgic of Virgil, beginning at ver. 317, proves that the ancients believed that bees might be engendered in the body of a dead ox: - Pastor Aristaeus fugiens Peneia Tempe - Quatuor eximios praestanti corpore tauros Ducit, et intacta totidem cervice juvencas. Post, ubi nona suos Aurora induxerat ortus. Inferias Orphei mittit, lucumque revisit. Hic ver o subitum, ac dietu mirabile monstrum Adspiciunt, liquefacta bourn per viscera toto Stridere apes utero, et ruptis effervere costis; Immensasque trahi nubes, jamque arbore summa Confluere, et lentis uvam demittere ramis. Virg. Geor. lib. iv., ver. 550. "Sad Aristaeus from fair Tempe fled, His bees with famine or diseases dead - Four altars raises, from his herd he culls For slaughter four the fairest of his bulls; Four heifers from his female store he took, All fair, and all unknowing of the yoke. Nine mornings thence, with sacrifice and prayers, The powers atoned, he to the grove repairs. Behold a prodigy! for, from within The broken bowels, and the bloated skin, A buzzing noise of bees his ears alarms, Straight issuing through the sides assembling swarms! Dark as a cloud, they make a wheeling flight, Then on a neighboring tree descending light, Like a large cluster of black grapes they show, And make a large dependance from the bough. Dryden.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 14:5-9

By enabling him to kill a lion, God let Samson know what he could do in the strength of the Spirit of the Lord, that he might never be afraid to look the greatest difficulties in the face. He was alone in the vineyards, whither he had rambled. Young people consider not how they exposed themselves to the roaring lion that seeks to devour, when they wander from their prudent, pious parents. Nor do men consider what…

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Judges 14:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֤שָׁבvai.Ya.shovand he returnedH7725
מִיָּמִים֙mi.ya.Mimfrom daysH3117
לְקַחְתָּ֔הּle.kach.Tahto take herH3947
וַיָּ֣סַרvai.Ya.sarand he turned asideH5493
לִרְא֔וֹתlir.'otto seeH7200
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
מַפֶּ֣לֶתma.Pe.let[the] carcass ofH4658
הָאַרְיֵ֑הha.'ar.Yehthe lionH738
וְהִנֵּ֨הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
עֲדַ֧ת'a.Data swarm ofH5712
דְּבוֹרִ֛יםde.vo.RimbeesH1682
בִּגְוִיַּ֥תbig.vi.Yat[was] in [the] carcass ofH1472
הָאַרְיֵ֖הha.'ar.Yehthe lionH738
וּדְבָֽשׁ\׃u.de.Vashand honeyH1706

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 14:8

  • Genesis 29:21

    And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

  • Matthew 1:20

    But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
to take her.
Ge 29:21; Mt 1:20
a swarm.It is probable, that the flesh had been entirely consumed off the bones, which had become dry; and the body having been throw into some private place, (for Samson turned aside to visit it,) a swarm of bees had formed their combs in the cavity of the dry ribs, or region of the thorax; nor was it a more improper place than a hollow rock.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 14:7

    And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

  • Judges 14:8

    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.

  • Judges 14:9

    And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

Read all of Judges 14

Judges 14:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y volviendo después de algunos días para tomarla, apartóse para ver el cuerpo muerto del león, y he aquí en el cuerpo del león un enjambre de abejas, y un panal de miel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il retourna quelque temps après pour la prendre, et se détourna pour voir le cadavre du lion; et voici, il y avait dans le corps du lion un essaim d’abeilles, et du miel;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er kehrte nach einiger Zeit zurück, um sie zu nehmen, und er bog ab, um das Aas des Löwen zu besehen, und siehe, ein Bienenschwarm war in dem Körper des Löwen, und Honig.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et post aliquot dies revertens ut acciperet eam, declinavit ut videret cadaver leonis, et ecce examen apum in ore leonis erat ac favus mellis.