Reference: Riddle
Easton
(Heb hodah). The oldest and, strictly speaking, the only example of a riddle was that propounded by Samson (Jg 14:12-18). The parabolic prophecy in Eze 17:2-18 is there called a "riddle." It was rather, however, an allegory. The word "darkly" in 1Co 13:12 is the rendering of the Greek enigma; marg., "in a riddle."
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And Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you. If ye can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment, but if ye cannot declare it to me, then ye shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said to him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. read more. And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to impoverish us? Is it not [s And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou do but hate me, and not love me. Thou have put forth a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor m 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 pressed him greatly. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people. And the men of the city said to 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 to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel, and say, Thus says lord LORD: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had various colors, came to Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar. read more. He cropped off the topmost of the young twigs of it, and carried it to a land of merchandise. He set it in a city of merchants. He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil. He placed it beside many waters. He set it as a willow tree. And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots of it were under him. So it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs. There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. And, behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him, from the beds of its plantation, that he might water it. It was planted in a good soil by many waters that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit that it might be a goodly vine. Say thou, Thus says lord LORD: Shall it flourish? Shall he not pull up the roots of it, and cut off the fruit of it, that it may wither? It shall wither in all its fresh springing leaves, even without great power or many people to Yea, behold, being planted, shall it flourish? Shall it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It shall wither in the beds where it grew. Moreover the word of LORD came to me, saying, Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took the king of it, and the rulers of it, and brought them to him to Babylon. And he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him. He also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land, that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt that they might give him horses and many people. Shall he prosper? Shall he escape who does such things? Shall he break the covenant, and yet escape? As I live, says lord LORD, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. Nor shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons. For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant. And, behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He shall not escape.
For now we see by polished metal, in dimness, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know just as also I was known.
Fausets
Hebrew chidah proverbs, Jg 14:12-19; Greek enigma; 1Co 13:12, "darkly," literally, "in enigma," "an obscure allegory" (Augustine). (See PROVERBS.)
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And Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you. If ye can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment, but if ye cannot declare it to me, then ye shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said to him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. read more. And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to impoverish us? Is it not [s And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou do but hate me, and not love me. Thou have put forth a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor m 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 pressed him greatly. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people. And the men of the city said to 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 to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my And the Spirit of LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes [of raiment] to those who declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he
For now we see by polished metal, in dimness, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know just as also I was known.
Morish
A dark or hidden saying, as that which Samson put forth respecting the carcase of the lion, Jg 14:12-19; and that of Ezekiel concerning the great eagle, but this is also called a 'parable.' Eze 17:2. The word is chidah, and is also translated 'dark saying, sentence, speech,' 'hard question,' and once 'proverb.'
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And Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you. If ye can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment, but if ye cannot declare it to me, then ye shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said to him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. read more. And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to impoverish us? Is it not [s And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou do but hate me, and not love me. Thou have put forth a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor m 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 pressed him greatly. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people. And the men of the city said to 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 to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my And the Spirit of LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes [of raiment] to those who declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he
Smith
Riddle,
It is known that all ancient nations, and especially Orientals, were fond of riddles. The riddles which the queen of Sheba came to ask of Solomon,
were rather "hard questions" referring to profound inquiries. Solomon is said, however, to have been very fond of riddles. Riddles were generally proposed in verse, like the celebrated riddle of Samson.
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And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to impoverish us? Is it not [s read more. And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou do but hate me, and not love me. Thou have put forth a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor m 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 pressed him greatly. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people. And the men of the city said to 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 to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my And the Spirit of LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes [of raiment] to those who declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.