Judges13
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
2And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
3And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
4Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
5for, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
6Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of the angel of God, very terrible; and I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
7but he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb to the day of his death.
8Then Manoah entreated Jehovah, and said, Oh, Lord, I pray thee, let the man of God whom thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
9And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.
10And the woman made haste, and ran, and told her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
11And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.
12And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass: what shall be the ordering of the child, and how shall we do unto him?
13And the angel of Jehovah said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14She may not eat of anything that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe.
15And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, I pray thee, let us detain thee, that we may make ready a kid for thee.
16And the angel of Jehovah said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt make ready a burnt-offering, thou must offer it unto Jehovah. For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of Jehovah.
17And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name, that, when thy words come to pass, we may do thee honor?
18And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore askest thou after my name, seeing it is wonderful?
19So Manoah took the kid with the meal-offering, and offered it upon the rock unto Jehovah: and the angel did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of Jehovah ascended in the flame of the altar: and Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground.
21But the angel of Jehovah did no more appear to Manoah or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Jehovah.
22And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
23But his wife said unto him, If Jehovah were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meal-offering at our hand, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would at this time have told such things as these.
24And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and Jehovah blessed him.
25And the Spirit of Jehovah began to move him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Judges 13.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The Philistines, Samson announced. (1–7). The angel appears to Manoah. (8–14). Manoah's sacrifice. (15–23). Birth of Samson. (24, 25).
vv1-7
Israel did evil: then God delivered them again into the hands of the Philistines. When Israel was in this distress, Samson was born. His parents had been long childless. Many eminent persons were born of such mothers. Mercies long waited for, often prove signal mercies; and by them others may be encouraged to continue their hope in God's mercy. The angel notices her affliction. God often sends comfort to his people very seasonably, when they feel their troubles most. This deliverer of Israel must be devoted to God. Manoah's wife was satisfied that the messenger was of God. She gave her husband a particular account, both of the promise and of the precept. Husbands and wives should tell each other their experiences of communion with God, and their improvements in acquaintance with him, that they may help each other in the way that is holy.
vv8-14
Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet, as Manoah, have believed. Good men are more careful and desirous to know the duty to be done by them, than to know the events concerning them: duty is ours, events are God's. God will guide those by his counsel, who desire to know their duty, and apply to him to teach them. Pious parents, especially, will beg Divine assistance. The angel repeats the directions he had before given. There is need of much care for the right ordering both of ourselves and our children, that we may be duly separate from the world, and living sacrifices to the Lord.
vv15-23
What Manoah asked for instruction in his duty, he was readily told; but what he asked to gratify his curiosity, was denied. God has in his word given full directions concerning our duty, but never designed to answer other questionings. There are secret things which belong not to us, of which we must be quite contented to be ignorant, while in this world. The name of our Lord is wonderful and secret; but by his wonderful works he makes himself known as far as is needful for us. Prayer is the ascent of the soul to God. But without Christ in the heart by faith, our services are offensive smoke; in him, acceptable flame. We may apply this to Christ's sacrifice of himself for us; he ascended in the flame of his own offering, for by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, Heb 9:12. In Manoah's reflections there is great fear; We shall surely die. In his wife's reflection there is great faith. As a help meet for him, she encouraged him. Let believers who have had communion with God in the word and prayer, to whom he has graciously manifested himself, and who have had reason to think God has accepted their works, take encouragement from thence in a cloudy and dark day. God would not have done what he has done for my soul, if he had designed to forsake me, and leave me to perish at last; for his work is perfect. Learn to reason as Manoah's wife; If God designed me to perish under his wrath, he would not give me tokens of his favour.
Key Words
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
יָסַף: to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
רַע: bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
עַיִן: an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
יָד: a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
פְּלִשְׁתִּי: a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth
אַרְבָּעִים: forty
Cross References
Judges 13Establishes the standard legal requirements for a Nazarite vow, which Samson was called to from birth.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct law specifying that no razor shall touch the head of a dedicated Nazarite.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Connects the Angel's 'secret' (or 'Wonderful') name with the Messianic title in Isaiah.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallel inquiry of a divine messenger's name, where the name is likewise withheld as secret.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Similar miraculous sign of fire consuming a sacrifice and the Angel's sudden departure.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel terror of Gideon realizing he had seen the Angel of the Lord face-to-face.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The foundational law that no man can see God's face and live, prompting Manoah's terror.
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament parallel of John the Baptist, who was also forbidden wine from the womb.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Hannah's parallel vow dedicating her unborn son Samuel as a lifelong Nazarite.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Abrahamic precedent of offering hospitable food to travelers who were actually divine visitors.
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament Hall of Faith commendation of Samson as a divinely raised deliverer.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Confirms Samson only began deliverance, judging Israel twenty years during the forty-year Philistine oppression.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Geographical identification of Zorah on the border of Judah and Dan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Illustrates how the Spirit of the Lord actively empowered Samson for acts of physical deliverance.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB