‘And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day, before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” '
Late on the last day they provided the answer to his riddle, and we can hear in their answer their mocking tones, but neither would doubt where the answer had really come from. Samson now saw his hope of added status (compare Genesis 45:22; 2 Kings 5:23) disappear and himself soon to be greatly in debt. As with many riddles once the answer was given it was obvious. See Psalms 19:10; Psalms 119:103; Proverbs 30:30.
“The men of the city.” These were his companions, who were Philistine inhabitants of Timnah (or had possibly been brought from Ashkelon?), although others may have joined with them to enjoy his discomfiture. The riddle had probably become a talking point in the town. Not all would have known of the threats offered to the girl.
“Before the sun went down.” There may be intended to be a hint here that the sun was going down in more ways than one, that things would soon become very dark for Samson, the sun boy, although the word for sun here is not shemesh, but a rarer word, possibly with the aim of avoiding being too obvious). But the main point was that the riddle was solved just in time. (The alteration to the text to read ‘before he went into the (bridal) chamber' is unnecessary and misses the point, although it would stress the point that he in fact never did so).
‘And he said to them, “If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.” '
Samson's answer was abrupt and very vivid. They had put the yoke on his woman to plough up the secret. It indicated both the unfair pressure they had exercised and the foulness of their behaviour. In his view this was both an insult to him, and an act of aggression which justified him in retaliation.