Judges 13:3

3 The Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, "It is true that you are barren and have no children, but you will conceive and give birth to a son.

Judges 13:3 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 13:3

And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman
According to Josephus ^F11, it was in a plain without the city; and that he appeared in the form of a man is certain from ( Judges 13:6 ) but was not a mere man, a prophet of the Lord, nor a created angel, but the uncreated one, the Angel of the covenant, the Son and Word of God, who often appeared in an human form; since his name is said to be "Wonderful", and he to do wonderful things, and is called "Jehovah", ( Judges 13:18 Judges 13:23 ) ,

and said unto her, behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not;
barren at that time, and so she had been ever since she was married to that time; and this is observed, that it might appear the more wonderful that she should after this have a child:

but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son;
which to do, must be ascribed to divine power, that one in her circumstances should bear a son; as the prediction of it was owing to divine omniscience, and a proof of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 2.

Judges 13:3 In-Context

1 The Israelites again did what was evil in the Lord's sight, so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines 40 years.

2 There was a certain man from Zorah, from the family of Dan, whose name was Manoah; his wife was barren and had no children.

3 The Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, "It is true that you are barren and have no children, but you will conceive and give birth to a son.

4 Now please be careful not to drink wine or other alcoholic beverages, or to eat anything unclean;

5 for indeed, you will conceive and give birth to a son. You must never cut his hair, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from birth, and he will begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines."