¹⁸ And the Philistines had raided towns located in the foothills of Judah^[a] and in the Negev of Judah. They had already captured and occupied Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages.

⁵⁷ But now your greater wickedness has been exposed to all the world, and you are the one who is scorned—by Edom^[a] and all her neighbors and by Philistia.

²⁷ That is why I struck you with my fist and reduced your boundaries. I handed you over to your enemies, the Philistines, and even they were shocked by your lewd conduct.

¹⁰ Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These became the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin.

⁹ If they cross the border of our land and go to Beth-shemesh, we will know it was the Lord who brought this great disaster upon us. If they don’t, we will know it was not his hand that caused the plague. It came simply by chance.”

Samson’s Riddle

14 One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye.