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Judges 13

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1Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD, so He delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

2Now there was a man from Zorah named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, whose wife was barren and had no children.

3The 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.

4Now please be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, and not to eat anything unclean.

5For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall touch his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

6So the woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me. His appearance was like the angel of God, exceedingly awesome. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name.

7But he said to me, ‘Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day of his death.’”

8Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, “Please, O Lord, let the man of God You sent us come to us again to teach us how to raise the boy who is to be born.”

9And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God returned to the woman as she was sitting in the field; but her husband Manoah was not with her.

10The woman ran quickly to tell her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has reappeared!”

11So Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he asked, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife?” “I am,” he said.

12Then Manoah asked, “When your words come to pass, what will be the boy’s rule of life and mission?”

13So the angel of the LORD answered Manoah, “Your wife is to do everything I told her.

14She must not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor drink any wine or strong drink, nor eat anything unclean. She must do everything I have commanded her.”

15“Please stay here,” Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “and we will prepare a young goat for you.”

16And the angel of the LORD replied, “Even if I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD.” For Manoah did not know that it was the angel of the LORD.

17Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes to pass?”

18“Why do you ask my name,” said the angel of the LORD, “since it is beyond comprehension?”

19Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered them on a rock to the LORD. And as Manoah and his wife looked on, the LORD did a marvelous thing.

20When the flame went up from the altar to the sky, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground.

21And when the angel of the LORD did not appear again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realized that it had been the angel of the LORD.

22“We are going to die,” he said to his wife, “for we have seen God!”

23But his wife replied, “If the LORD had intended to kill us, He would not have accepted the burnt offering and the grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things or spoken to us this way.”

24So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him.

25And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him at Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

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Judges 13:1-7 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.

Judges 13:8-14 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.

Judges 13:15-23 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, Heb 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.

Judges 13:24-25 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.

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Altars: Natural Rocks Sometimes Used As Judges 13:19, 20

Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered them on a rock to the LORD. And as Manoah and his wife looked on, the LORD did a marvelous thing. / When the flame went up from the altar to the sky, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground.

Angel (A Spirit): A Celestial Spirit: Aspects of Judges 13:6

So the woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me. His appearance was like the angel of God, exceedingly awesome. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name.

Angel (A Spirit): Appearances of To Manoah Judges 13:6, 15–20

So the woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me. His appearance was like the angel of God, exceedingly awesome. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name. / “Please stay here,” Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “and we will prepare a young goat for you.” / When the flame went up from the altar to the sky, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground.

Angel (Holy Trinity): One of the Holy Trinity: Called Angel of the Lord Judges 13:3, 6, 9, 13–21

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. / So the woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me. His appearance was like the angel of God, exceedingly awesome. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name. / And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God returned to the woman as she was sitting in the field; but her husband Manoah was not with her.

Children: Dedicated to God in Infancy: Samson Judges 13:5, 7

For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall come over his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” / But he said to me, ‘Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day of his death.’”

Children: Samson Judges 13:24

So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him.

Conception: Miraculous: Manoah's Wife Judges 13:3–24

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. / Now please be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, and not to eat anything unclean. / For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall come over his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

Curiosity of Manoah, to Know the Name of an Angel Judges 13:17, 18

Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes to pass?” / “Why do you ask my name,” said the angel of the LORD, “since it is beyond comprehension?”

Drinking Beer Judges 13:4

Now please be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, and not to eat anything unclean.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Judges 13:7

But he said to me, ‘Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day of his death.’”

Extraordinary Judges: Names of Samson Judges 13:24, 25

So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him. / And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him at Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Faith: Manoah's Wife Judges 13:23

But his wife replied, “If the LORD had intended to kill us, He would not have accepted the burnt offering and the grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things or spoken to us this way.”

Fire: Miraculous: Angel Ascended In Judges 13:20

When the flame went up from the altar to the sky, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground.

Goat: Manoah Judges 13:19

Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered them on a rock to the LORD. And as Manoah and his wife looked on, the LORD did a marvelous thing.

God: Personality of Judges 13:16

And the angel of the LORD replied, “Even if I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD.” For Manoah did not know that it was the angel of the LORD.

God: Unsearchable Judges 13:18

“Why do you ask my name,” said the angel of the LORD, “since it is beyond comprehension?”

Good Children: Samson Judges 13:24

So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him.

Hospitality: Manoah Judges 13:15

“Please stay here,” Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “and we will prepare a young goat for you.”

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Burnt offering Hebrew olah; i.e., "ascending," the whole being consumed by fire,… Mahaneh-dan Judg. 18:12 = "camp of Dan" 13:25 (R.V., "Mahaneh-dan"), a… Philistines (Gen. 10:14, R.V.; but in A.V., "Philistim"), a tribe allied… Offering An oblation, dedicated to God. Thus Cain consecrated to God… Husband I.e., the "house-band," connecting and keeping together the whole family.… Sitting The attitude generally assumed in Palestine by those who were… Eshtaol Narrow pass or recess, a town (Josh. 15:33) in the… Beyond When used with reference to Jordan, signifies in the writings… Manoah Rest, a Danite, the father of Samson (Judg. 13:1-22, and… Israel The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at… Samson Of the sun, the son of Manoah, born at Zorah.… Spirit (Heb. ruah; Gr. pneuma), properly wind or breath. In 2… Barren For a woman to be barren was accounted a severe… Grain Used, in Amos 9:9, of a small stone or kernel;… Field (Heb. sadeh), a cultivated field, but unenclosed. It is applied… Drink The drinks of the Hebrews were water, wine, "strong drink,"… Birth As soon as a child was born it was washed,… Zorah Place of wasps, a town in the low country of…