Judges 14:20But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
The setting
Timnah, after Samson's violent departure (~1100 BC). His wife's father, fearing Samson won't return, gives her to the best man from the wedding...
The emotion here: documenting the tragic end of what could have been
The original word
mērēa' (מרע) — friend, companion, but specifically the wedding attendant
Why it matters
Ancient Near Eastern law allowed a father to reassign his daughter if the husband abandoned her
Read with care
What most readers miss in Judges 14:20
This wasn't revenge - her father genuinely thought Samson had abandoned her permanently
Common misconceptionMost people see this as the Philistines stealing Samson's wife, but her father was actually protecting her from what looked like abandonment.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Judges 14:20
Bible Genome reading
Judges 14:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Judges 14:20 comes from the book of Judges, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include betrayal, broken relationships. Notable phrases: given to his companion.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Judges 14:20 mean to you, today?
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