Judges 13:2-5

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

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 13:5

For, lo, thou shalt conceive and bear a son ,.... Which is not only repeated for the confirmation of it, but that she might take notice that he was to be a Nazarite, and therefore must conform to everything agreeable to the law of the Nazarites, and take care that it was observed in him: and no razor shall come on his head ; to cut off the hair of it, not from the time of his birth to his death; for he was to be a perpetual Nazarite: other Nazarites during the time of their Nazariteship... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 13:2

A certain man of Zorah - A town in the tribe of Judah, but afterwards given to Dan. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 13:3

The angel of the Lord - Generally supposed to have been the same that appeared to Moses, Joshua, Gideon, etc., and no other than the second person of the ever-blessed Trinity. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 13:4

Beware - drink not wine - As Samson was designed to be a Nazarite from the womb, it was necessary that, while his mother carried and nursed him, she should live the life of a Nazarite, neither drinking wine nor any inebriating liquor, nor eating any kind of forbidden meat. See the account of the Nazarite and his vow in the notes on Numbers 6:2 ; (note), etc. read more

Adam Clarke

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

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

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