Judges 13:2-7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 13:5

He shall begin to deliver Israel - Samson only began this deliverance, for it was not till the days of David that the Israelites were completely redeemed from the power of the Philistines. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 13:6

But I asked him not whence he was , neither told he me his name - This clause is rendered very differently by the Vulgate, the negative Not being omitted: Quem cum interrogassem quis esset, et unde venisset, et quo nomine vocaretur, noluit mihi dicere; sed hoc respondit . "Who, when I asked who he was and whence he came, and by what name he was called, would not tell me; but this he said," etc. The negative is also wanting in the Septuagint, as it stands in the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 13:2

Zorah - See the marginal reference.His wife was barren - To mark more distinctly the high providential destiny of the child that was eventually born. Compare the similar circumstances of the birth of Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, and John the Baptist. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 13:5

A Nazarite - See the marginal reference. and note. The common Nazarite vow was for a limited time, like Paul’s Acts 18:18; Acts 21:23-26. Others, like Samuel 1 Samuel 1:11, were Nazarites for life. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 13:6

A man of God - The designation of a prophet, of frequent use in the books of Samuel and Kings 1Sa 2:27; 1 Samuel 9:6-8, 1 Samuel 9:10; 1Ki 12:22; 1 Kings 13:1, 1 Kings 13:5-6, 1 Kings 13:11, and applied to Timothy by Paul in the New Testament 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 3:17.His countenance - Rather, “his appearance,” as the word is rendered in Daniel 10:18. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 13:2-3

Judges 13:2-3. Of the family of the Danites That is, of that tribe or people. His wife was barren, and bare not An emphatical repetition of the same thing in other words, which is a usual elegance both in Scripture and other authors. The angel The Son of God, yet distinguished from the Lord, because he appeared here in the form of a servant, as a messenger sent from God. The great Redeemer did in a particular manner concern himself about this typical redemption. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 13:4

Judges 13:4 . Now therefore beware She was to conform to the manner of life observed by the Nazarites, while she carried her infant in her womb, and perhaps while she nursed him; because, as it follows in the next verse, he was to be a perpetual Nazarite to God, from his conception to his death; which would have bear impossible if she had drunk wine or strong drink, because a child in the womb and its mother subsist by the same nourishment. Drink not wine nor strong drink Under which are... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 13:5

Judges 13:5. The child shall be a Nazarite Consecrated to God’s service in a peculiar manner. He shall begin to deliver Israel He did not complete the deliverance of the Israelites from the servile yoke of the Philistines; but the work was carried on and perfected by others, namely, by Eli, Samuel, and Saul, and especially by David. Samson galled them severely, but they still continued to oppress Israel, as they did when he was born, and the oppression continued, more or less, till the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 13:6

Judges 13:6. A man of God came unto me A prophet, or sacred person, sent with a message from God. Like the countenance of an angel, very terrible Or venerable, awful, full of majesty. Though Manoah’s wife had never seen an angel before, yet she might well say this, as it was a prevailing opinion among all people, that celestial beings were more excellent in their nature than mankind, and bore an extraordinary majesty in their countenances, which struck the human beholder with awe and... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 13:1-25

A man to fight the Philistines (13:1-25)The Philistines were by far the strongest enemy that Israel had yet met. Their forty years of rule lasted until the time of Samuel, and they continued to give trouble during the reigns of Saul and David (13:1).Samson was the man God chose to begin the job of breaking the Philistines’ rule. Before he was born, his mother was told by a messenger from God that she was to dedicate the child to God as a Nazirite for life. This meant that Samson was not to... read more

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