Judges 13:1-5

Judges 13:1

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

 

The Israelites were fulfilling their normal pattern.  As soon as one of their judges die, they almost immediately started doing evil in the sight if the Lord.  This was probably another case of them committing idolatry so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for a total of forty years.  You think by now they would have looked at their history and reject idolatry because of all the trouble it has gotten them into.

 

Judges 13:2

And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.

 

Zorah was located about 15 miles (24 km) west of Jerusalem and about 20 miles (32 km) east of Ashdod in Philistia.  The man’s name was Manoah and his name means “rest or quiet.”  He was of the tribe of Dan but he had no children as of this time since his wife was barren.

 

Judges 13:3

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

 

Just as in the case of Abraham, the Lord appeared and stated that they were going to experience the birth of a special child.  God promised them that they would have a child even though she was barren at this time.  This is a situation just like with Mary as the angel of the Lord approached her and told her she was going to have a child, the Messiah.  Samson would also act as a type of Messiah as he was going to deliver Israel from the Philistines.

 

Judges 13:4

Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:

 

The Lord gave specific instructions to her that she was not to drink any type of wine or intoxicating beverage and was to reject any food which was considered unclean under the law.  Samson was to be born a Nazarite.  {2} Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:  {3} He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.  (Numbers 6:2-3, KJV)  So not only was he to obey the law of the Nazarite after he was born, but his mother must also obey that law while she is carrying him.

 

Judges 13:5

For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

 

All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no rasor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.  (Numbers 6:5, KJV)  Once he is born, he is not to cut his hair or shave his head since he will be a Nazarite unto God from the moment that he comes out of the womb.  His purpose for coming into this world was going to be for the express purpose of freeing Israel from the Philistines.  It seems that his ministry will begin at the age of twenty because he will judge Israel for twenty of the forty years.  And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.  (Judges 15:20, KJV)

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