Timnah (Timnath)

Timnah, called Timnath in the account of Samson, was a town in the Sorek Valley on the border between the hill country of Judah and the Philistine plain. Samson went down to Timnath and saw a Philistine woman he wanted to marry, and on the way to the town the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him and he tore apart a young lion with nothing in his hand. At the wedding feast he posed his famous riddle about the lion and the honey, and the quarrel that followed set off his long struggle with the Philistines. Scripture notes that his parents 'knew not that it was of the LORD,' who was using even Samson's headstrong choices to begin delivering Israel. Timnah also marked part of the northern border of Judah and was listed among the towns of Dan.

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Details

Region: Canaan
Modern Location: Tel Batash in the Sorek Valley, near Beit Shemesh, Israel

Strongest connections in Scripture

Judges 14 2× Joshua 15

Journey Paths

Samson's Journey

Jezreel Valley → Timnah (Timnath) → Zorah

Key Passages

Samson Goes Down to Timnath

Judges 14:1-6

A Philistine bride, a roaring lion, and the Spirit of the LORD set Samson on his path as judge.

A¹nd Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

² And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. ³ Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. ⁴ But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. ⁵ Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. ⁶ And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

Samson's Riddle

Judges 14:12-14

"Out of the eater came forth meat" - a wedding riddle that turns into a feud with the Philistines.

A¹²nd 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:

¹³ But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. ¹⁴ 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.

Timnah on Judah's Border

Joshua 15:10

Joshua's boundary list runs down past Beth-shemesh to Timnah.

A¹⁰nd the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and passed on to Timnah:

Did You Know?

Samson's riddle, 'Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness,' was born on the road to Timnath.

Excavations at Tel Batash uncovered a town that changed hands between Israelite and Philistine culture, fitting its border setting.

Samson paid his riddle debt by striking down thirty Philistines at Ashkelon.

Key Chapters

Judges 14 Samson's Marriage 4 min read Joshua 15 Allotment for Judah 6 min read