34 Bible Verses about Riddles

Samson went to Timnah with his father and mother. When they traveled through the vineyards he heard a young lion roaring. Suddenly the power of Jehovah made Samson strong. He tore the lion apart with his bare hands, as if it were a young goat. But he did not tell his parents what he had done. Then he went and talked to the young woman. He wanted her.read more.
A few days later Samson returned to marry her. On the way he left the road to look at the lion he had killed. He found a swarm of bees and some honey inside the dead body. He scraped the honey out into his hands and ate it as he walked along. Then he went to his father and mother and gave them some. They ate it, but Samson did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the dead body of a lion. Samson's father went to the woman's house. Samson gave a banquet there. This was a custom among the young men. The Philistines saw him. They sent thirty companions to stay with him. Samson said to them: Let me tell you a riddle. If you can tell me the meaning before the seven days of the wedding feast are over, I will give each of you a piece of fine linen and a change of fine clothes. Tell us your riddle, they said: Let us hear it. If you cannot tell me the answer you must give me thirty pieces of fine linen and thirty sets of fine clothes. Tell us the riddle, they said. He said: Out of the eater came something to eat; Out of the strong came something sweet. Three days later they still could not figure out the riddle.

On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife: Trick your husband into telling us what the riddle means. If you do not, we will burn your father's house with you in it. Did you invite us here to rob us? Samson's wife approached him in tears and said: You do not love me! You just hate me! You told my friends a riddle and did not tell me it's meaning! He said: I have not told my father and mother. Why should I tell you? She cried about it for the whole seven days of the feast. She nagged him so that on the seventh day he told her what the riddle meant. Then she told the Philistines.read more.
On the seventh day, before Samson went into the bedroom, the men of the city said to him: What could be sweeter than honey? What could be stronger than a lion? Samson replied: If you had not been plowing with my cow, you would not know the answer now. Suddenly the power of Jehovah made him strong. He went to Ashkelon, where he killed thirty men. He stripped them and gave their fine clothes to the men who had solved the riddle. He returned home, furious about what had happened. His wife was given to his best man at the wedding.

One time Joseph had a dream. He told his brothers about it and they hated him even more. He said: Please listen to the dream I had. We were all in the field tying up sheaves of wheat. My sheaf got up and stood up straight. Yours formed a circle around mine and bowed down to it.read more.
Do you think you are going to be a king and rule over us? his brothers asked. So they hated him even more because of his dreams and because of what he said about them. Joseph had another dream and told his brothers: I had another dream, in which I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me.

both prisoners, the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, had dreams one night. Each man had a dream with its own special meaning. Joseph saw that they were upset when he came to them in the morning. He asked these officials of Pharaoh who were with him in his master's prison: Why do you look so unhappy today?read more.
We both had dreams, they answered him, but there is no one to tell us what they mean. Is it not God who can tell what dreams mean? Joseph asked them. Tell me all about them.

Two years later Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed he was standing by the Nile River. Suddenly, seven nice-looking well-fed cows came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. Seven other cows came up from the river behind them. These cows were sickly and skinny. They stood behind the first seven cows on the riverbank.read more.
The cows that were sickly and skinny ate the seven nice-looking well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. He fell asleep again and had another dream. Seven heads of grain, full and ripe, were growing on one stalk. Then seven other heads of grain sprouted thin and scorched by the desert wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed the full ones. The king woke up and realized that he had been dreaming. The king was upset the next morning. So he called his magicians and wise men and told them what he had dreamed. None of them could tell him what the dreams meant.

It was the second year of his reign. He was troubled and could not sleep. Nebuchadnezzar had dreams and was disturbed by them. The king summoned the magicians, enchanters (conjurers), sorcerers, and the Chaldeans and commanded them to tell the king about his dreams. They came in and stood before the king. The king said: I had a dream that troubles me and I want to understand what the dream means.

There are three things that are too wonderful for me, yes, four I do not know: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the middle of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

Son of man, tell this riddle. Give this illustration to the nation of Israel. Say The Lord Jehovah says: A large eagle came to Lebanon. It had large wings with long, colorful feathers. It took hold of the top of a cedar tree. It broke off the highest twig and carried it to a country of merchants. It planted the twig in a city of merchants.read more.
Then it took a seedling from that country and planted the seedling in fertile soil. The eagle planted the seedling like a willow where there was plenty of water. The plant sprouted and grew into a low vine that spread over the ground. Its branches turned upward toward the eagle. Its roots grew downward. Thus it became a vine, producing branches and growing shoots. There was another large eagle with large wings and many feathers. Now, the vine stretched its roots toward this eagle and sent its branches toward the eagle so that the eagle could water it. The vine turned away from the garden where it was planted. It was planted in good soil beside plenty of water so that it could grow branches, bear fruit, and become a wonderful vine.'

In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared, and wrote above the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace. The king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance (appearance) changed in him. His thoughts troubled him. The joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one against the other. The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. / The king spoke to the wise men of Babylon: Whoever reads this writing, and shows me the interpretation of it will be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck. He will be the third ruler in the kingdom.read more.
All the king's wise men came. But they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his appearance changed. His lords were perplexed.

I have spoken to you in figurative language (illustrations and proverbs). The hour comes when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language. I will tell you plainly from the Father.

Jesus replied: Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.

A little while and you will see me no more and again a little while, and you will see me. Some of his disciples said to one another: What is this he says, a little while, and you see me no more and again a little while and you will see me because I go to the Father? What is this that he says: A little while? We do not know what he says.read more.
Jesus perceived what they wanted to ask him. He said to them: You inquire among yourselves concerning what I said. A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?

This requires wisdom. Let him that has understanding calculate the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

The angel said: Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that you saw was, and is not. It will ascend out of the pit and go into destruction. They who dwell on the earth will wonder, those whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Here is where the mind that has wisdom comes in. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.

He said: Listen to my words: 'When there are prophets of Jehovah among you, I make myself known to them in visions or speak to them in dreams. But this is not the way I treat my servant Moses. He is the most faithful person in my household. I speak with him face to face. I speak plainly and not in riddles. He even sees the form of Jehovah. Why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?'

Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom Jehovah knew face to face (intimately),

For now we see in a mirror dimly, and then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

Concerning this salvation the prophets inquired and searched diligently! They prophesied about the grace that should come to you: searching what time or what manner of time the spirit of Christ that was in them did point to, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them.

Judah, your brothers will praise you. You hold your enemies by the neck. Your brothers will bow down before you. Judah is like a lion, killing his victim and returning to his den. He is like a lion stretching out and lying down. No one dares disturb him. The royal scepter shall not depart from Judah. His descendants will always rule. Nations will bring him tribute and bow in obedience before him. This, until Shiloh comes and all will obey him.read more.
He will tie his donkey to a grapevine, his colt to the best vine. He will wash his clothes in wine, his garments in the blood of grapes.

There must go forth a twig out of the stump of Jesse. A branch (sprout) (shoot) (descendant) from his roots will bear fruit.

He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him. Nothing in his appearance will make us desire him.

My mouth will speak wisdom. I have carefully considered understanding (insights). I will incline my ear (turn my attention) to a proverb. I will explain my riddle with the music of a harp.

Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from the king that he did not explain to her.

Solomon answered all her questions. No question was too difficult for Solomon to answer.

Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding for interpreting dreams, showing of dark sentences, and dissolving doubts. Let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

The proverbs 0f Solomon son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction. To discern and understand words. To receive instruction with wisdom, justice, judgment and integrity.read more.
To give wisdom and refinement to the simple. To the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear and will increase learning. A man of understanding will procure wise counsel. This will help him understand a proverb and the interpretation as well as the words of the wise and their riddles.

Go to the ant, you lazy person. Consider her ways and be wise! The lowly ant has no guide or overseer. It prepares its food in the summer and gathers food at the harvest.

Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor does not become a fool. Like the bird by wandering, like the swallow by flying, so a curse without cause does not land.

I will open my mouth in an illustration. I will utter dark sayings of old,

Jotham heard about this. He stood on top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out to them: Men of Shechem, listen to me and God may listen to you! The trees went out to anoint a king over them. They said to the olive tree: 'Be our king.' The olive tree answered: 'I would have to stop producing my oil in order to govern you. My oil is used to honor gods and human beings.'read more.
Then the trees said to the fig tree: 'Come and be our king.' The fig tree replied: 'I would have to stop producing my good sweet fruit that I may govern you.' Then the trees spoke to the grapevine: 'You come and be our king.' But the vine answered: 'I could not govern you for I would have to stop producing my wine. It makes gods and human beings happy.' So then all the trees said to the thorn bush: 'You come and be our king! The thorn bush answered: 'If you really want to make me your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. If you do not, fire will blaze out of my thorny branches and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.'

Jehovah sent Nathan to David. Nathan came to him and said: There were two men in a certain city. One was rich and the other was poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle. But the poor man had only one little female lamb that he bought. He raised her, and she grew up in his home with his children. She would eat his food and drink from his cup. She rested in his arms and was like a daughter to him.read more.
Now, a visitor came to the rich man. The rich man thought it would be a pity to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler. So he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the traveler.

Let me sing to my loved one a song of my beloved concerning his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hill. He dug the soil all around and removed its stones. He planted it with the choicest vine. And he built a tower in the middle of it and also hewed out a wine vat in it. Then he expected it to produce good grapes, but it only produced worthless ones.

Jehovah told me: Go and buy a linen belt. Wear it on your hips for a while, but do not put it in any water. So I bought a belt and put it on my hips. Then Jehovah said:read more.
Take off the linen belt. Go to the Euphrates River and hide the belt in a crack between some large rocks. And that is what I did, just as Jehovah commanded. Some time later Jehovah said: Go back and get the linen belt. I went back and dug the belt out of the hiding place, but the cloth had rotted, and the linen belt was ruined. It was good for nothing.

Jesus spoke with illustrations to the crowds. He did not speak anything without using illustrations. That which was spoken through the prophet was fulfilled, saying: I will open my mouth in illustrations. I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.