Bible Dictionary: Riddle

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Smith's Bible Dictionary

Riddle

It is known that all ancient nations, and especially Orientals, were fond of riddles. The riddles which the queen of Sheba came to ask of Solomon, (1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chronicles 9:1) were rather "hard questions" referring to profound inquiries. Solomon is said, however, to have been very fond of riddles. Riddles were generally proposed in verse, like the celebrated riddle of Samson. (Judges 14:14-19)

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Hebrews hodah). The oldest and, strictly speaking, the only example of a riddle was that propounded by Samson (Judges 14:12-18). The parabolic prophecy in Ezek. 17:2-18 is there called a "riddle." It was rather, however, an allegory. The word "darkly" in 1 Corinthians 13:12 is the rendering of the Greek enigma; marg., "in a riddle."

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A sieve with coarse meshes, usually of wire, for separating coarser materials from finer, as chaff from grain, cinders from ashes, or gravel from sand.

2. (n.) A board having a row of pins, set zigzag, between which wire is drawn to straighten it.

3. (v. t.) To separate, as grain from the chaff, with a riddle; to pass through a riddle; as, riddle wheat; to riddle coal or gravel.

4. (v. t.) To perforate so as to make like a riddle; to make many holes in; as, a house riddled with shot.

5. (n.) Something proposed to be solved by guessing or conjecture; a puzzling question; an ambiguous proposition; an enigma; hence, anything ambiguous or puzzling.

6. (v. t.) To explain; to solve; to unriddle.

7. (v. i.) To speak ambiguously or enigmatically.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

RIDDLE

rid'-'-l (chidhah; ainigma).

See GAMES.

Greek

135. ainigma -- a riddle
... a riddle. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: ainigma Phonetic Spelling:
(ah'-ee-nig-ma) Short Definition: a riddle, an enigma Definition: a riddle ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/135.htm - 6k

4617. siniazo -- to sift
... sift. From sinion (a sieve); to riddle (figuratively) -- sift. (siniasai) -- 1
Occurrence. 4616, 4617. siniazo. 4617a . Strong's Numbers.
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4617.htm - 5k

Strong's Hebrew

2420. chidah -- a riddle, an enigmatic, perplexing saying or ...
... chidah. 2421 . a riddle, an enigmatic, perplexing saying or question. Transliteration:
chidah Phonetic Spelling: (khee-daw') Short Definition: riddle. ...
/hebrew/2420.htm - 6k

284. Achichud -- "brother of a riddle," a Benjamite
... 283, 284. Achichud. 285 . "brother of a riddle," a Benjamite. Transliteration:
Achichud Phonetic Spelling: (akh-ee-khood') Short Definition: Ahihud. ...
/hebrew/284.htm - 6k

2330. chud -- to propound a riddle
... 2329, 2330. chud. 2331 . to propound a riddle. Transliteration: chud
Phonetic Spelling: (khood) Short Definition: propound. Word ...
/hebrew/2330.htm - 6k

280. achidah -- a riddle
... 279, 280. achidah. 281 . a riddle. Transliteration: achidah Phonetic Spelling:
(akh-ee-daw') Short Definition: enigmas. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/280.htm - 6k

7001. qetar -- a joint, knot
... doubt, joint. (Aramaic) from a root corresponding to qatar; a knot (as tied up),
ie (figuratively) a riddle; also a vertebra (as if a knot) -- doubt, joint. ...
/hebrew/7001.htm - 6k

Library

A Bible-Riddle
... A BIBLE-RIDDLE. ... This riddle was told by Samson on his wedding-day, and nobody would
ever have guessed it if his wife had not let the secret out. ...
/.../chidley/fifty-two story talks to boys and girls/a bible-riddle.htm

Introductory Notice by Professor MB Riddle, DD
... AN ANCIENT HOMILY, COMMONLY STYLED THE SECOND EPISTLE OF CLEMENT. Introductory Notice
by Professor MB Riddle, DD. section 1.--- text. In this volume, pp. ...
/.../unknown/the second epistle of clement/introductory notice by professor m.htm

Samson's Wedding Feast
... And Samson said unto them, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can declare
it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/iv samsons wedding feast.htm

Samson who did to Others as they did to Him
... And Samson said to them, "Let me now tell you a riddle. If you can ... But for
six days they could not solve the riddle. On the seventh ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/samson who did to others.htm

Introductory Notice to the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.
... with the Constitutions In order to give sufficient time, I entrusted the task, a
year ago, to the well-qualified head and hands of Professor Riddle of Hartford ...
/.../the teaching of the twelve apostles/introductory notice to the teaching.htm

The Christian's Heaviness and Rejoicing
... Of all riddles, the greatest riddle is a Christian man. As to his pedigree,
what a riddle he is! ... He is a riddle in his own existence. ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the christians heaviness and rejoicing.htm

Mr. ...
... "I don't know what a riddle is," said Diamond. ... Mr. Raymond liked the old-fashioned
riddle best, and had written a few"-one of which he now read. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 22 mr .htm

The Story of Samson, the Strong Man
... "I will give you a riddle," said Samson. ... And this was Samson's riddle: "Out of the
eater came forth meat, And out of the strong came forth sweetness.". ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of samson the.htm

Concerning the Fortitude of Samson, and what Mischiefs He Brought ...
... Now as they were drinking merrily and playing, Samson said, as was usual at such
times, "Come, if I propose you a riddle, and you can expound it in these seven ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 concerning the fortitude.htm

He Got up in the Morning as Soon as He Heard the Men Moving In...
... Now when Diamond had only to go straight ahead, and had not to mind so much what
he was about, his thoughts always turned to the riddle Mr. Raymond had set him ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 24 he got up.htm

Thesaurus

Riddle (11 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Hebrews hodah). The oldest and, strictly speaking, the
only example of a riddle was that propounded by Samson (Judges 14:12-18). ...
/r/riddle.htm - 11k

Expound (7 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To lay open the meaning of; to explain; to clear of obscurity; to interpret;
as, to expound a text of Scripture, a law, a word, a meaning, or a riddle. ...
/e/expound.htm - 8k

Explained (25 Occurrences)
... You have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and haven't told it me."
He said to her, "Behold, I haven't told it my father nor my mother, and ...
/e/explained.htm - 13k

Dark (234 Occurrences)
... DARK SAYINGS. (Proverbs 1:6 Psalm 78:2; singular, Psalm 49:4, 5; chidhoth, singular
chidhah, elsewhere rendered "riddle," "proverb"): In the heading to the ...
/d/dark.htm - 44k

Propound (3 Occurrences)
... church. Multi-Version Concordance Propound (3 Occurrences). Judges 14:12
Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle now. If you ...
/p/propound.htm - 7k

Changes (27 Occurrences)
... shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.'" (WEB BBE RSV). Judges 14:12 Samson
said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can ...
/c/changes.htm - 14k

Sayings (134 Occurrences)
... DARK SAYINGS. (Proverbs 1:6 Psalm 78:2; singular, Psalm 49:4, 5; chidhoth, singular
chidhah, elsewhere rendered "riddle," "proverb"): In the heading to the ...
/s/sayings.htm - 41k

Games (2 Occurrences)
... 7. Riddles: Riddles (chidhah; ainigma): Riddle-making and riddle-guessing were in
favor in the ancient East, both in educated circles and in comparatively ...
/g/games.htm - 40k

Wraps (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Wraps (6 Occurrences). Judges 14:12 Samson said
to them, "Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can declare ...
/w/wraps.htm - 8k

Weepeth (29 Occurrences)
... Judges 14:16 And Samson's wife weepeth for it, and saith, 'Thou hast only hated
me, and hast not loved me; the riddle thou hast put forth to the sons of my ...
/w/weepeth.htm - 15k

Bible Concordance

Riddle (11 Occurrences)

Judges 14:12 Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 14:13 but if you can't declare it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing." They said to him, "Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 14:14 He said to them, "Out of the eater came forth food. Out of the strong came forth sweetness." They couldn't in three days declare the riddle.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Judges 14:15 It happened on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Is it not so?"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 14:16 Samson's wife wept before him, and said, "You just hate me, and don't love me. You have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and haven't told it me." He said to her, "Behold, I haven't told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 14:17 She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 14:18 The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" He said to them, "If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, you wouldn't have found out my riddle."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 14:19 The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and struck thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 49:4 I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.
(WEB DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 17:2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Habakkuk 2:6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with pledges!
(See JPS DBY)

Subtopics

Riddle

Riddle by Agur

Riddle used As a Test of Wit: At Samson's Feast

Related Terms

Expound (7 Occurrences)

Explained (25 Occurrences)

Dark (234 Occurrences)

Propound (3 Occurrences)

Changes (27 Occurrences)

Sayings (134 Occurrences)

Games (2 Occurrences)