Samson wished to marry a young Philistine woman and persuaded his parents to arrange the wedding, in spite of their strenuous objection. At his wedding feast, Samson posed a riddle to thirty guests, offering to give thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes should they solve it. They were able to come up with the correct answer only by threatening his bride, who in turn pressured Samson. He gave them the thirty sets of clothing, but only after he killed thirty Philistines. Samson left in anger and his bride was given to another. Exacting revenge, Samson burned some of the Philistines' fields. The Philistines retaliated by burning his former bride and her father. (Cf. Judg. 14-15)
