Samson Tells a Riddle at his Feast

Samson wants to marry a daughter of the Philistines, against his parents' wishes. At their wedding feast, our hero tells a riddle to some youths, who have been sent by the enemy to keep an eye on the invincible giant. Samson is on to them, and asks them this riddle: "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness."

Only Samson could possibly know the answer, as he was referring to the lion he killed earlier and in whose carcass he had later found a swarm of bees.

The composition strongly resembles that of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. In the center, the serene bride. On the right, the youths with Samson (with his characteristic long hair). On the left, the other wedding guests.