Judges 14:17

The seven days. Perhaps we should accept here the marginal reading, “the rest of the seven days,” because according to v. 14 pressure was not put on her by her countrymen until after three days. This marginal reading is based on the fact that in Hebrew part of a period may stand for the whole. On the other hand, the manuscripts and versions agree on the reading “seven,” and the statement may be designed to be general, showing the emotional state of his wife during the entire feast. She herself had probably been pleading from the first to be let in on the secret. In fact, the wedding attendants may have immediately resorted to the strategy of obtaining the information through her, and when it was not forthcoming in a few days resorted to the threat recorded in v. 15.

Lay sore upon him. Literally, “she urged him insistently.” He had conquered the lion, but this Philistine woman was too much for him.