Judges 13:3

3 The angel of the LORD appeared to Manoah's wife. He said, "You are not able to have children. But you are going to become pregnant. You will have a baby boy.

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 Once again the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. So the LORD handed them over to the Philistines for 40 years.

2 A certain man from Zorah was named Manoah. He was from the tribe of Dan. Manoah had a wife who wasn't able to have children.

3 The angel of the LORD appeared to Manoah's wife. He said, "You are not able to have children. But you are going to become pregnant. You will have a baby boy.

4 Make sure you do not drink any kind of wine. Also make sure you do not eat anything that is 'unclean.'

5 "You will become pregnant. You will have a son. He must not use a razor on his head. He must not cut his hair. That is because the boy will be a Nazirite. He will be set apart to God from the day he is born. He will begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines."