1
And then the People of Israel were back at it again, doing what was evil in God's sight. God put them under the domination of the Philistines for forty years.
2
At that time there was a man named Manoah from Zorah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and childless.
3
The angel of God appeared to her and told her, "I know that you are barren and childless, but you're going to become pregnant and bear a son.
4
But take much care: Drink no wine or beer; eat nothing ritually unclean.
5
You are, in fact, pregnant right now, carrying a son. No razor will touch his head - the boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of his birth. He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression."
6
The woman went to her husband and said, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God - terror laced with glory! I didn't ask him where he was from and he didn't tell me his name,
7
but he told me, 'You're pregnant. You're going to give birth to a son. Don't drink any wine or beer and eat nothing ritually unclean. The boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of birth to the day of his death.'"
8
Manoah prayed to God: "Master, let the man of God you sent come to us again and teach us how to raise this boy who is to be born."
9
God listened to Manoah. God's angel came again to the woman. She was sitting in the field; her husband Manoah wasn't there with her.