Samson's wife wept before him, and said, You do but 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?
Samson’s loyalty to his parents above his "wife" is understandable since he had not yet consummated his marriage to her (Judges 14:16). Samson’s "wife" was afraid that her guests would kill her and her family because of Samson’s riddle. Ironically, Samson could have defended her and her family easily with his great strength. Evidently the Philistines thought she had some part in proposing the riddle and either knew the answer to it or could find out what the answer was.