What Does Judges 14:12 Mean in the King James?
And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Samson’s Hebrew literally echoes “I will riddle a riddle,” so the enigma and the act of posing it share the same root.
THE MEANING
A riddle stands before you with seven days to uncover it, and its discovery carries a wager of thirty sheets and thirty changes of clothing. The verse holds hidden speech and public telling together: the answer matters when it can be brought into words.
THE ROOT
אֲחוּדָה
ʾăḥûdâ
GROWS FROM
חוד
ḥ-w-d
to speak enigmatically; to pose a riddle
“put forth a riddle” in this verse is ʾăḥûdâ. The verb אֲחוּדָה (ʾăḥûdâ, “let me pose”) and the noun חִידָה (ḥîdâ, “riddle”) come from the same root, making the Hebrew echo “riddle a riddle.” The verse binds the hidden saying to the act that brings it into the room.
ALSO GROWS
ʾăḥûdâ: I will pose a riddle
אֲחוּדָה
This is the action Samson offers: setting an enigmatic saying before them.
ḥîdâ: riddle, enigma
חִידָה
The same root names the saying itself, joining the act of posing it with what must be uncovered.
הַגֵּד תַּגִּידוּ
haggēd taggîdû
GROWS FROM
נגד
n-g-d
to make known, tell, announce
“declare” in this verse is haggēd taggîdû. The Hebrew repeats this root in an infinitive absolute followed by a verb: “if you can indeed tell it to me.” The riddle’s movement is from what is concealed to an answer made known in speech.
ALSO GROWS
higgîd: to tell, make known
הִגִּיד
This verb names the act required to solve the riddle: putting its answer into words.
maggîd: one who tells or announces
מַגִּיד
The same root can name the speaker who makes something known, completing the movement from enigma to declaration.
THE PATTERN
A hidden saying becomes knowable when it is understood and brought into speech.
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.THE THREAD
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.The Hebrew word translated “riddle” is the same חִידָה (ḥîdâ, “riddle”) from this verse. Here the offer reaches its test: the hidden saying must be understood well enough to tell its answer.
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