Judges 13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 13

At this chapter begins the story of Samson, the last of the judges of Israel whose story is recorded in this book, and next before Eli. The passages related concerning him are, from first to last, very surprising and uncommon. The figure he makes in this history is really great, and yet vastly different from that of his predecessors. We never find him at the head either of a court or of an army, never upon the throne of judgment nor in the field of battle, yet, in his own proper person, a... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 13:1-7

The first verse gives us a short account, such as we have too often met with already, of the great distress that Israel was in, which gave occasion for the raising up of a deliverer. They did evil, as they had done, in the sight of the Lord, and then God delivered them, as he had done, into the hands of their enemies. If there had been no sin, there would have needed no Saviour; but sin was suffered to abound, that grace might much more abound. The enemies God now sold them to were the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 13:8-14

We have here an account of a second visit which the angel of God made to Manoah and his wife. I. Manoah earnestly prayed for it, Jdg. 13:8. He was not incredulous of the story his wife told him; he knew she was a virtuous woman, and therefore the heart of her husband did safely trust in her; he knew she would not go about to impose upon him, much less was he, as Josephus unworthily represents him, jealous of his wife's conversation with this stranger; but, 1. He takes it for granted that this... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 13:15-23

We have here an account, I. Of what further passed between Manoah and the angel at this interview. It was in kindness to him that while the angel was with him it was concealed from him that he was an angel; for, had he known it, it would have been such a terror to him that he durst not have conversed with him as he did (Jdg. 13:16): He knew not that he was an angel. So Christ was in the world, and the world knew him not. Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself. We could not bear the sight of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 13:24-25

Here is, 1. Samson's birth. The woman that had been long barren bore a son, according to the promise; for no word of God shall fall to the ground. Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 2. His name, Samson, has been derived by some, from Shemesh, the sun, turned into a diminutive, sol exiguus?the sun in miniature, perhaps because, being born like Moses to be a deliverer, he was like him exceedingly fair, his face shone like a little sun; or his parents so named him in remembrance of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 13

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, Judges 13:1 upon whose entreaty the angel appeared again, and related the same to them both, Judges 13:8 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, Judges 13:15 and the chapter is closed with an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 13:1

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord ,.... Committed idolatry, which was the evil they were prone unto, and were frequently guilty of: and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines forty years : which according to Josephus F6 Ibid. (Antiqu. l. 5.) c. 8. sect. 1. are to be reckoned from the death of the last judge, and the time of Samson's birth; or rather from some time after the death of Jephthah, particularly taking in the two last years of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 13:2

And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites ,.... Of the tribe of Dan, in which tribe Zorah was, and seems to have lain both on the borders of Judah and Dan, Joshua 15:33 ; See Gill on Joshua 15:33 ; see Gill on Joshua 19:41 , and this man was not a mean man, but of rank and figure, a principal man in the country, according to Josephus F7 Antique. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 2. ; though the Talmudists F8 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 61. 1. say he was a plebeian: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 13:3

And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman ,.... According to Josephus F11 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 2. , it was in a plain without the city; and that he appeared in the form of a man is certain from Judges 13:6 but was not a mere man, a prophet of the Lord, nor a created angel, but the uncreated one, the Angel of the covenant, the Son and Word of God, who often appeared in an human form; since his name is said to be "Wonderful", and he to do wonderful things, and is called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 13:4

Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink ,.... Any liquor inebriating and intoxicating, neither new wine nor old wine, as the Targum, and so Jarchi; the reason of this appears in the next verse, because the child she should conceive and bear was to be a Nazarite, and to be one from his mother's womb; and from all such liquors, Nazarites, according to the law, were to abstain, Numbers 6:3 . and eat not any unclean thing ; meaning not so much such sort of... read more

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