Shofetim 13

1 3 And the Bnei Yisroel did harah again in the sight of Hashem; and Hashem delivered them into the yad Pelishtim arba’im shanah.

2 And there was a certain ish from Tzorah, of the mishpakhat HaDanai, whose shem was Manoach; and his isha was barren and bore not.

3 And the Malach Hashem appeared unto the isha, and said unto her, Hinei now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear ben.

4 Now therefore be shomer and drink not yayin nor shekhar (strong drink), and eat not kol tameh;

5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear ben; and no morah (razor) shall come on his rosh; for the na’ar shall be a Nazir Elohim from the beten (womb); and he shall begin to save Yisroel from the yad Pelishtim.

6 Then the isha came and told her ish, saying, An Ish HaElohim came unto me, and his appearance was like the appearance of a Malach HaElohim, norah me’od; but I asked him not where he came from, neither told he me shmo;

7 But he said unto me, See thou shalt conceive, and bear ben; and now drink no yayin nor shekhar, neither eat any tumah; for the na’ar shall be Nazir Elohim from the beten to the yom moto (day of his death).

8 Then Manoach prayed entreating Hashem, and said, O Adonoi, let the Ish HaElohim which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we must do unto the na’ar that shall be born.

9 And HaElohim paid heed to the kol Manoach; and the Malach HaElohim came again unto the isha as she sat in the sadeh; but Manoach her ish was not with her.

10 And the isha made haste, and ran, and told her ish, and said unto him, Hinei, the ish hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.

11 And Manoach arose, and went after his isha, and came to the ish, and said unto him, Art thou the ish that didst speak unto the isha? And he said, I am.

12 And Manoach said, Now let thy devar come to pass. How shall be the mishpat hana’ar (proper treatment of the child), and his ma’aseh (work, [life’s] work)?

13 And the Malach Hashem said unto Manoach, Of all that I said unto the isha let her be shomer (beware, guard, keep watch over).

14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the gefen, neither let her drink yayin or shekhar, nor eat any tumah; all that I commanded her let her be shomer to do.

15 And Manoach said unto the Malach Hashem, Now, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a young goat for thee.

16 And the Malach Hashem said unto Manoach, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy lechem; and if thou wilt offer an olah (burnt offering), thou must offer it unto Hashem. For Manoach knew not that he was Malach Hashem.

17 And Manoach said unto Malach Hashem, Mi shmehchah? That when thy devar come to pass we may do thee honor?

18 And the Malach Hashem said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my shem, seeing it is FELI (supremely wonderful [see Isa 9:5(6); Ex 15:11])?

19 So Manoach took a young goat with a minchah, and offered it upon the tzur unto Hashem; and wonderously did He act; and Manoach and his wife looked on.

20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward Shomayim from off the Mizbe’ach, that the Malach Hashem ascended in the flame of the Mizbe’ach. And Manoach and his wife looked on, and fell on their faces to the ground [cf Ac 1:9].

21 But the Malach Hashem did no more appear to Manoach and to his isha. Then Manoach knew that He was the Malach Hashem.

22 And Manoach said unto his isha, We shall surely die, because we have seen Elohim.

23 But his isha said unto him, If Hashem were pleased to kill us, He would not have received an olah (burnt offering) and a minchah from yadenu (our hands), neither would He have showed us all these things, nor at this time would have told us such things as these.

24 And the isha bore ben, and called shmo Shimshon; and the na’ar grew, and Hashem blessed him.

25 And the Ruach Hashem began to impel him at times in Machaneh Dan between Tzorah and Eshtaol.

Shofetim 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

The Philistines, Samson announced. (1-7) The angel appears to Manoah. (8-14) Manoah's sacrifice. (15-23) Birth of Samson. (24,25)

Verses 1-7 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.

Verses 8-14 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.

Verses 15-23 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, ( Hebrews 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.

Verses 24-25 The Spirit of the Lord began to move Samson when a youth. This was evidence that the Lord blessed him. Where God gives his blessing, he gives his Spirit to qualify for the blessing. Those are blessed indeed in whom the Spirit of grace begins to work in the days of their childhood. Samson drank no wine or strong drink, yet excelled in strength and courage, for he had the Spirit of God moving him; therefore be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 13

This chapter relates the birth of Samson, another of the judges of Israel, which was foretold by an angel to his mother, who told her husband of it, Jud 13:1-7 upon whose entreaty the angel appeared again, and related the same to them both, Jud 13:8-14 and who was very, respectfully treated by the man, and by the wonderful things he did was known by him to be an angel of the Lord, which greatly surprised him, Jud 13:15-23 and the chapter is closed with an account of the birth of Samson, and of his being early endowed with the Spirit of God, Jud 13:24,25.