The big picture
Manoah, an Israelite man, and his wife live in Zorah. This town belongs to Dan, one of Israel's tribes. They have no child. Israel, God's people, has again done evil and lives under the Philistines, a ruling enemy people. God's angel visits the wife with news of a son. The child will be set apart for God before birth. His parents seek guidance, and a strange sign helps them understand who has brought the promise.
In this chapter
- A Child Is Promised and Set Apart Judges 13:1-7
The Philistines rule Israel for forty years because Israel has done evil.
- Manoah Asks How to Raise the Child Judges 13:8-14
Manoah asks God to send the messenger again and teach them how to care for the promised child.
- The Flame Reveals the Messenger Judges 13:15-25
Manoah offers food, but the visitor says any burnt offering must go to God.
Central truth
God promises a child who will begin Israel's rescue, and his parents learn to receive both the promise and its instructions.
Scripture beside the summary
Judges · King James Version · 25Judges 13:1-7
A Child Is Promised and Set Apart
The Philistines rule Israel for forty years because Israel has done evil. God's angel appears to Manoah's wife, who has not borne a child. He says she will have a son. She must avoid wine, strong drink and unclean food, meaning food forbidden for worshipping people. No razor is to touch the child's head. He will be a Nazarite, a person set apart for God, from birth. He will begin freeing Israel from the Philistines. She tells Manoah about the awe she felt and the instructions she received.
In everyday life
A foster parent receives news that a child will soon enter her care. Along with the news comes a list of daily needs that must shape the household. She shares the details with her husband before making plans. Welcome involves attention as well as joy. Manoah's wife receives a divine promise about a child born to her.
Notice
Judges 13:5 The child is to begin Israel's rescue from the Philistines. The promise does not say that he will finish the whole task within his lifetime.
Judges 13:1-7
King James Version1And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD 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 the LORD 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 not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
5For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver 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 an angel of God, very terrible: but 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, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
Judges 13:8-14
Manoah Asks How to Raise the Child
Manoah asks God to send the messenger again and teach them how to care for the promised child. God hears him. The angel returns to his wife while she sits in a field. She runs to bring Manoah, who asks about the child's way of life and duties. The angel points him back to the commands already given to her. She must avoid vine products, strong drink and unclean food. The second visit confirms the first instructions. It does not replace the wife as the one who first received them.
In everyday life
The nursery volunteer asks a visiting specialist to repeat care instructions before a new child arrives. Her partner has already heard them, but she wants to understand the daily work herself. The specialist repeats the same clear steps. Asking again brings shared attention to a real duty. Manoah seeks instruction from God's messenger about a promised son.
Notice
Judges 13:13 The angel directs Manoah back to what his wife was told. Her earlier encounter already carried the instructions the household needs to follow with care.
Judges 13:8-14
King James Version8Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which 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 shewed 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. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?
13And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14She may not eat of any thing 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.
Judges 13:15-25
The Flame Reveals the Messenger
Manoah offers food, but the visitor says any burnt offering must go to God. Manoah still does not know he is an angel. The visitor does not give the name Manoah seeks. When Manoah offers a goat and grain, the angel rises in the flame. The couple fall down in awe. Manoah fears they will die because they have seen God. His wife reasons that God accepted their offering and gave promises about the future. Their son Samson is born and blessed. God's spirit begins to stir him.
In everyday life
A grant recipient opens an approval letter but fears an earlier error will cancel the award. Her sister points to the signed agreement and the first payment already sent. Those concrete signs challenge fear's version of the exchange. She listens and begins to breathe more calmly. Manoah's wife reasons from God's accepted offering and promise after seeing an angel.
Notice
Judges 13:23 Manoah's wife weighs the feared outcome against God's recent acts. A promise of a child and an accepted offering give her grounds to answer his panic.
Judges 13:15-25
King James Version15And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
16And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
17And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
18And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
19So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: 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 the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
21But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
22And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
23But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
24And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
25And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Judges 13:1 begins with “And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.”
Where the chapter turns
Judges 13:12 forms a natural hinge: “And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?”
The final note
Judges 13:25 leaves the reader with “And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, Manoah, angel, wife, woman, drink help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
