Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Judges 13
Judges 13:5For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.
This verse lays out the divine commission for the promised child, Samson. He is to be a Nazirite - someone specially dedicated to God - and his life's purpose will be to start the process of freeing Israel from the Philistines.Judges 13:18And the angel of the Lord said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?"
When asked for his name, the angel's reply, 'Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?' reveals his divine nature. The name is beyond human understanding, pointing to the awesome and mysterious character of God Himself.Judges 13:23But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.”
Manoah's wife responds to her husband's fear with great wisdom and faith. She correctly reasons that if God intended to harm them, He wouldn't have accepted their offering or revealed His amazing plans to them.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Nation in Silent Despair
The book of Judges follows a grim, repeating cycle: Israel sins, God allows them to be oppressed, the people cry out, and God raises up a judge to save them. Chapter 13 begins with a familiar note - Israel 'again did what was evil' - but with a key difference. After forty years of Philistine domination, the longest oppression in the book, the people have not cried out for help. The silence is deafening, suggesting a nation that has grown accustomed to its grim reality.
A Barren Couple's Private Pain
Against this backdrop of national hopelessness, the story zooms in on a personal one. We meet Manoah and his wife, a couple from the tribe of Dan, living on the tense border with the Philistines. Their personal tragedy is that she is barren and childless, a source of deep pain and shame in their culture. It is into this double layer of despair - national and personal - that God chooses to intervene, showing that His plans are not limited by human circumstances.
The Announcement of a Deliverer
The narrative of Judges 13 unfolds in the fields of Zorah, a small town in the territory of Dan. Israel is suffering under forty years of Philistine rule, and a childless couple, Manoah and his wife, are about to have their lives changed forever. The chapter details a series of divine encounters that announce the birth of Samson, the final judge of Israel, who is destined to begin the fight for freedom.
A Promise to a Barren Woman (Judges 13:1-7)
1 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children.
3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, "Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.
4 Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean,
5 For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.
6 Then the woman came and told her husband, "A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name,
7 But he said to me, 'Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.'"
Commentary:
An angel promises a barren woman she will bear a son, Samson, who will be a Nazirite dedicated to saving Israel.
A Husband's Prayer for Clarity (Judges 13:8-14)
8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born."
9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her.
10 And the woman ran quickly and told her husband, "Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me."
11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to this woman?" And he said, "I am."
12 And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child's manner of life, and what is his mission?”
13 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful.
14 She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.”
Commentary:
Manoah prays for the angel to return for more instructions, and the angel reappears, confirming the original message given to his wife.
The Angel's Wonderful Identity (Judges 13:15-23)
15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.”
16 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.” (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.)
17 And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?”
18 And the angel of the Lord said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?"
19 So Manoah took a young goat with a grain offering and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to the one who works wonders, and Manoah and his wife were watching.
20 For when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar.
21 The angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord.
22 And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.”
23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.”
Commentary:
Manoah and his wife offer a sacrifice, and the angel reveals his divine nature by ascending in the flame, leaving them in awe and fear.
The Promise Fulfilled (Judges 13:24-25)
24 And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him.
25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Commentary:
Samson is born as promised, and as he grows, the Spirit of the Lord begins to empower him for his future mission.
God's Plan in a Hopeless Age
God's Sovereign Initiative
Unlike other stories in Judges where Israel cries out for a deliverer, here they are silent. God acts first. He initiates the plan of salvation out of His own mercy and faithfulness to His covenant people, demonstrating that He is the primary actor in the story of redemption.
The Angel of the Lord
This mysterious figure speaks and acts as God, accepts worship, and has a name that is 'wonderful.' Many theologians see these appearances in the Old Testament as pre-incarnate manifestations of Jesus Christ. The encounter reveals God's desire to draw near to His people in a personal, tangible way.
Faith Amidst Fear
The chapter beautifully contrasts Manoah's fear-based reaction with his wife's faith-filled logic. While Manoah sees a death sentence in seeing God (Judges 13:22), his wife sees a promise of life (Judges 13:23). Her wisdom shows that a true understanding of God's character is the foundation for unshakable faith.
Consecration for a Purpose
Samson was set apart as a Nazirite from the womb, a lifelong dedication to God for a specific task. This concept of being 'set apart' (or holy) is central to the Bible. It shows that God calls and equips specific people for His unique purposes in the world.
Lessons from Samson's Beginning
This chapter shows that God specializes in working in situations of barrenness, both personal and national. Just as He brought life from a barren womb in a defeated nation (Judges 13:3), He can bring hope and purpose into your life when things feel empty or stagnant. His action is not dependent on our strength, but on His promise.
Manoah's wife provides a powerful example of faith-based reasoning. When faced with the terrifying reality of seeing God, she didn't let fear dictate her conclusion. Instead, she looked at God's recent actions - accepting their gift and giving a promise - and concluded that His intentions must be good (Judges 13:23). We can apply this by interpreting our difficult circumstances through the lens of God's proven character and promises.
Samson's Nazirite vow was an outward sign of his inner dedication to God's mission. For believers today, being set apart isn't about external rules like not cutting your hair, but about an internal commitment to live for God's purposes. It means dedicating your unique gifts, relationships, and work to honoring Him, trusting that His Spirit is stirring in you just as it did in Samson (Judges 13:25).
God's Promise in Our Hopelessness
Judges 13 declares that God's redemptive work often begins in the quietest and darkest of places. He doesn't wait for perfect conditions or even for our desperate cries. He steps into national oppression and personal barrenness with a promise. The message is that God sees, He remembers, and He acts to bring forth life and deliverance. He prepares a rescuer, showing that His plans are always moving forward, even when all seems lost.
What This Means for Us Today
The announcement to Manoah and his wife was an invitation to trust God and participate in His incredible plan. They were called to raise a child who would change the course of their nation's history. In the same way, God invites us to believe His promises, even when they seem impossible, and to embrace the unique role He has for us in His unfolding story.
- Where in your life do you need to trust God's promise, even if it seems like nothing is happening?
- Like Manoah's wife, how can you use faith-filled reasoning to overcome fear?
- What unique purpose might God be stirring in you for His glory?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter details the tragic infighting between Jephthah and the Ephraimites, highlighting the deep division and moral decay in Israel just before Samson's story begins.
The narrative continues directly as the Spirit-empowered Samson begins his tumultuous and confrontational ministry as a judge.
Connections Across Scripture
This passage recounts the angelic announcement of John the Baptist's birth to another barren couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, drawing a strong parallel to this story.
This chapter provides the specific laws and regulations for the Nazirite vow, giving the background for the special consecration required of Samson.
The story of Hannah, another barren woman, who prays for a son and dedicates him to the Lord, resulting in the birth of the prophet Samuel.
Theological Themes
This prophecy describes the coming Messiah with the name 'Wonderful Counselor,' echoing the angel's statement that his own name is 'wonderful.'
Discussion Questions
- In this story, God sends a deliverer even though the people of Israel didn't ask for one. What does this tell us about God's character and His motivation for saving people?
- Manoah's wife is the first to receive the divine message and shows greater spiritual insight than her husband. What can we learn from her example about faith, wisdom, and who God chooses to use?
- Samson was set apart for a special purpose from before he was born. How does the idea of having a God-given purpose from birth change the way you view your own life and potential?
Glossary
places
figures
Manoah
An Israelite man from the tribe of Dan who became the father of Samson.
Samson
The final judge mentioned in the Book of Judges, known for his supernatural strength and his role in fighting the Philistines.
Angel of the Lord
A divine messenger who appears in the Old Testament, often speaking and acting with the authority of God Himself.
Philistines
A powerful, non-Israelite people who occupied the coastal region of Canaan and were frequent enemies of Israel.