UNBROKEN
Episode 3
By Amah’s Heart.
“…This Philistines are idol worshipers, they have pagan gods planted all over their town and homes. They are prideful and cunning. There are beautiful maidens in our tribes and all through the land of isreal that you can actually chose a wife from my son. Please try to reconsider before we proceed… think about what you are getting into?
Manoah try to talk his son out of his quest for a Philistines wife but he bluntly refused.
Nothing was going to make him change his mind over getting married to Tiran.
Manoah and Zorah gave up trying to convince their son because it was of no use. Samson was determined in marrying from the pagan Philistines.
They set out to meet with Tiran’s parents for introduction.
Since they were elderly, they left before the sun set
Samson asked them to go ahead of him he will catch up with them due to his long legs and youthfulness.
While his parents were gone, Samson got ready and Left but he didn’t take the same path that his parents took which was the busy road. Samson took the less treaded road which was covered with thick bushes and was a shorter apian way to Philistines town which was called Timnah.
As Samson was going all alone in the bushy path, as he was about getting to the town, a lion suddenly came out of the thick bushes and attacked him.
Samson was neither with a spear or any form of weapon to fight the dangerous animal.
But at that moment the spirit of the Lord came upon him.
Samson fought the lion with his bare hands.
He ripped off the Lion’s jaw, Killing the beast only with his bare hands.
The killing was easy for him as if the lion was a young goat without strength.
He quickly washed off from a nearby lake and continued his journey to Timnah, a town in Philistines.
He didn’t mention the killing of the lion to his parents or to anyone.
Nobody knew about it, he kept it all to himself.
The introduction went well as the bride’s parents accepted Samson and his parents.
Tiran, has spoken to her parents about Samson before he arrived with his people.
So her parents were already aware and were waiting in anticipation.
After the whole introduction was over, the date of the wedding was fixed.
Samson couldn’t wait for all the marriage ceremony to be over so he can take his wife home.
They returned home and began another preparation for wedding.
While his parents were making final arrangements for the marriage, Samson was getting ready for the seven days party.
It was the custom of the people, especially for the youthful exuberant men like Samson.
The party will go on for seven days. All the young men and beautiful maiden living around will come out to dance and merry with Samson and his wife.
Thirty Philistines young men will be selected as Samson’s companion.
While Samson was going with his parents again to conclude the marriage things, he decided to pass through the same bush path.
He left his parents as usual to take the busy road while he took the dreaded road.
He walked to the spot were the carcass of the lion he killed few weeks ago was lying.
He was surprised to see that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass.
He bent down and scooped some into his palm to have a taste.
It tasted so great. He wrapped up some of the thick honey with a leaf so that he can give his parents to eat too.
He left the remaining and joined with his parents.
When he gave his father and mother to have a taste of the honey. They also found it delicious.
They asked him where he got such a fine honey from but he didn’t say.
He didn’t tell anybody where the honey came from.
After the whole marriage ceremony was over, his parents returned back to their tribe while Samson stayed behind for the seven days party. Which was the people’s custom.
Thirty men were selected by the bride’s parents to be Samson’s companion during the one week party.
While all this was ongoing, the Philistines men that were selected for Samson were acting like they are the wisest.
They wanted Samson to feel like they were doing him a great favour by agreeing to stand by him and also allowing him to marry among them.
They appeared wise in their own eyes and throw different jokes at Samson, which was not funny but Samson accepted it.
He answered some of their questions and whenever he fails he will be charged. Samson will gladly pay.
A time came Samson decided to throw in his own riddle for the men to solve.
He told them that he has a riddle.
” i have been answering your questions and solving your jokes. Now, is my turn. I have a riddle, if all thirty of you are able to solve my riddle during this seven days celebration, I will give you thirty fine linen robes and thirty set of festive clothing. But if you fail….if after the seven days and you are not able to solve it then you will give me thirty fine linen robes and thirty set of festive clothing….
They all laughed because there is no way all of them won’t have a correct answer for the riddle.
And secondly the price that Samson placed on the riddle was very high. It was mouth watering and enticing too.
They urged him to go ahead and say the riddle so that they can quickly give him an answer and claim their prices.
Samson told them the riddle which was based on his encounter with the lion he killed and later found honey in the carcass.
“Out of the one who eat, came something sweet. Out of the strong came something sweet!
After the riddle was said, the Philistines elite young men looked puzzled.
They tried few answer to show how smart and intelligent that they are but it was all wrong.
They gathered together to talk about the riddle and came up with an answer but it was all wrong.
Three days later, they were still trying to figure it out.
They needed to act fast otherwise Samson will win over them and they will have to pay him all the bounty that is involved with the riddle.
On the fourth day, they secretly went to Samson’s wife and said.
“Entice your husband to explain the riddle to you so that you can tell us what it means. Find a way and make him tell you the meaning of the riddle so that we can claim our prices. We can’t loose to an isrealite. We are ruling over them and none of them stand a chance with us. He can’t be smarter than us. Never! You have to do something quick and get the answer out of your husband or we will burn down your father’s house with you in it. Did you people invited us to a party Just to make us poor or to make us a laughing stalk. Be quick and get the answer out of him before the seventh day is over. Be fast about it because our time is limited….
Samson’s wife spoke to his father who also urged her to get the real answer to the riddle out of her husband. An isrealite can’t win over an elite Philistines. Samson must loose in other for them win.
Samson’s wife agreed to do as they said.
She came to Samson and said.
“Do you truly love me… can you do anything for me?
“Yes, I love you Tiran. I defiled every order just to make you my wife and Yes, I can do anything for you…
Tiran smiled as Samson assured her that he can do anything for her.
“If you can do anything for me, why haven’t you given me the answer to the riddle. You don’t love me enough… you hate me and that was why you kept the answer of the riddle all to yourself. You gave my people riddle to solve but refused to give your wife answer to it and you claim to love me. No, you don’t truly love me… if you really do then tell me what the riddle means.
Samson was not aware that his wife was sent by the men to entice him and get the truth out of him so that they can claim the prices and win over him.
“I love you Tiran, I really do but I can’t tell you the answer to the Riddle. Even my parents doesn’t know about it. I haven’t told them or anyone about it. If I can’t give the answer to my father and mother who should have been the first to know then why should i give the answer to you…
Samson told his wife.
She began to sob silently, making Samson to feel guilty.
She kept up with the act, crying when ever Samson is watching her and repeatedly telling him that he doesn’t love her enough.
Samson was already getting fed up with his wife’s constant whining.
He began to think of what to do Just to prove to her that he truly love her and to make her to stop crying.
If telling only her the answer to the riddle will make her to stop disturbing then he was going to do that.
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