After returning home (verse 14.19), Samson decides to go back to Timnah to visit his wife.

After a while, at the time of the wheat harvest: This opening phrase of the episode is quite lengthy and repetitive, as if the narrator is taking his time to build up the suspense for the crisis to follow. Most translators will start a new unit here, and all should begin with a new paragraph. After a while is literally “And it was from the days,” which begins with the Hebrew word wayehi. Translators should find an idiomatic expression to show that a significant amount of time has passed, for example, “Some time later” (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “Later [on]” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version).

At the time of the wheat harvest is literally “in the days of the harvest of wheat,” with an unusual repetition of the word “days.” This more specific time phrase has significance later in the story since Samson burns the wheat crop of the Philistines. Specifying that it was harvest time indicates that the fields were dry and the weather was hot. So this phrase foreshadows the danger to come. The wheat harvest took place from late April to the beginning of June. Wheat was one of the main grain crops of that region, used to make bread, a main staple (see verse 6.11). In most places around the world, bread is known, and a borrowed word for wheat often exists. If this grain is not known, translators may use a more general phrase here, such as “at the time when the crops were ready for harvesting.” They should avoid substituting a local crop such as rice, since such crops were not known in that region.

Samson went to visit his wife: This clause shows that Samson does not know what lies ahead. Though there is no indication in the text that Samson’s marriage ceremony really took place and that the marriage was consummated, it is clear this is assumed. Visit renders a Hebrew verb (paqad) that has many meanings: “pay a visit” or even “punish.” Here the sense is simply “Samson went to see his wife.” Contemporary English Version‘s “Samson went to visit the young woman he thought was still his wife” should not be followed, since it anticipates what has not yet been said and disrupts the suspense the narrator is creating.

With a kid: For kid see verse 6.19. Samson brought a young goat with him as a gift. This gift could have been a custom or it could be an appeasement for his earlier actions. Many versions add a verb here, for example, “bringing along a kid” (New Revised Standard Version). New International Version reverses the expressions, saying “Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife.” Good News Translation says “took her a young goat,” but this gift may have been for her, her father, or her family. Contemporary English Version implies that it was for her father by saying “He brought along a young goat as a gift and said to her father….” In most cultures such a gift would be offered to the father or oldest person present, but since the text does not make explicit who the goat was for, if possible, it is better to not specify this.

And he said: The context makes it clear that Samson is speaking to the father of Samson’s wife. Contemporary English Version makes this explicit and translators can follow this model if necessary.

I will go in to my wife in the chamber: Samson clearly wants to visit his wife in her bedroom. The Hebrew verb here is cohortative, so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “Let me go into the chamber to my wife,” which is certainly a euphemism for sexual relations. It is clear Samson wants to sleep with his wife. Some scholars believe that, having been distracted by the riddle episode, he has now come back to consummate his marriage. Samson refers to the young woman as his wife, unaware that she has been given to someone else. The chamber refers to his wife’s bedroom. Translators should try to use some euphemism, if possible referring to the place where she habitually slept.

But her father would not allow him to go in: The father of Samson’s wife refused to let Samson go into his daughter’s bedroom, thus preventing any sexual relations. But is a good rendering of the Hebrew waw conjunction here. Another possible contrastive connector is “However.” Not allow him is literally “not give him,” which may be rendered “not let him” (New International Version, Revised English Bible) or “not permit him.” The use of the verb “give” foreshadows the terrible news to come: the woman’s father has given her to another man. Go in renders the same Hebrew verb as in the previous clause. We might say simply “But her father refused,” but it is better to repeat the verb go in with its strong connotation.

Translation models for this verse are:

• Some time later, when the crops of wheat were ripe, Samson went back to visit his wife. He took a young goat as a gift. He said, “Let me go in to my wife’s room.” But her father would not allow him to enter.

• After a time, when it was time to harvest the wheat, Samson went to visit his wife in Timnah, taking along a gift of a young goat. He said to the woman’s father, “I’m going into my wife’s bedroom.” But her father would not let him go in.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .