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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Judges 13:1–7. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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 Philistines, their next neighbours, that lay among them, the first and chief of the nations which were devoted to destruction, but which God left to prove them (Jdg 3:1, Jdg 3:3), the five lords of the Philistines, an inconsiderable people in comparison with Israel (they had but five cities of any note), and yet, when God made use of them as the staff in his hand, they were very oppressive and vexatious. And this trouble lasted longer than any yet: it continued forty years, though probably not always alike violent. When Israel was in this distress Samson was born; and here we have his birth foretold by an angel. Observe,
I.His extraction.
He was of the tribe of Dan, Jdg 13:2. Dan signifies a judge or judgment, Gen 30:6. And probably it was with an eye to Samson that dying Jacob foretold, Dan shall judge his people, that is, "he shall produce a judge for his people, though one of the sons of the handmaids, as one, as well as any one, of the tribes of Israel," Gen 49:16. The lot of the tribe of Dan lay next to the country of the Philistines, and therefore one of that tribe was most fit to be made a bridle upon them. His parents had been long childless. Many eminent persons were born of mothers that had been kept a great while in the want of the blessing of children, as Isaac, Joseph, Samuel, and John Baptist, that the mercy might be the more acceptable when it did come. Sing, O barren! thou that didst not bear, Isa 54:1. Note, Mercies long waited for often prove signal mercies, and it is made to appear that they were worth waiting for, and by them others may be encouraged to continue their hope in God's mercy.
II.The glad tidings brought to his mother, that she should have a son.
The messenger was an angel of the Lord (Jdg 13:3), yet appearing as a man, with the aspect and garb of a prophet, or man of God. And this angel (as the learned bishop Patrick supposes, on Jdg 13:18) was the Lord himself, that is, the Word of the Lord, who was to be the Messiah, for his name is called Wonderful, Jdg 13:18, and Jehovah, Jdg 13:19. The great Redeemer did in a particular manner concern himself about this typical redeemer. It was not so much for the sake of Manoah and his wife, obscure Danites, that this extraordinary message was sent, but for Israel's sake, whose deliverer he was to be, and not only so (his services to Israel not seeming to answer to the grandeur of his entry) but for the Messiah's sake, whose type he was to be, and whose birth must be foretold by an angel, as his was. The angel, in the message he delivers, 1. Takes notice of her affliction: Behold now, thou art barren and bearest not. Hence she might gather he was a prophet, that though a stranger to her, and one she had never seen before, yet he knew this to be her grievance. He tells her of it, not to upbraid her with it, but because perhaps at this time she was actually thinking of this affliction and bemoaning herself as one written childless. God often sends in comfort to his people very seasonably, when they feel most from their troubles. "Now thou art barren, but thou shalt not be always so," as she feared, "nor long so." 2. He assures her that she should conceive and bear a son (Jdg 13:3) and repeats the assurance, Jdg 13:5. To show the power of a divine word, the strongest man that ever was was a child of promise, as Isaac, born by force and virtue of a promise, and faith in that promise, Heb 11:11; Gal 4:23. Many a woman, after having been long barren, has borne a son by providence, but Samson was by promise, because a figure of the promised seed, so long expected by the faith of the Old Testament saints, 3. He appoints that the child should be a Nazarite from his birth, and therefore that the mother should be subject to the law of the Nazarites (though not under the vow of a Nazarite) and should drink no wine or strong drink so long as this child was to have its nourishment from her, either in the womb or at the breast, Jdg 13:4, Jdg 13:5. Observe, This deliverer of Israel must be in the strictest manner devoted to God and an example of holiness. It is spoken of as a kindness to the people that God raised up of their young men for Nazarites, Amo 2:11. Other judges had corrected their apostasies from God, but Samson must appear as one, more than any of them, consecrated to God; and, notwithstanding what we read of his faults, we have reason to think that being a Nazarite of God's making he did, in the course of his conversation, exemplify, not only the ceremony, but the substance of that separation to the Lord in which the Nazariteship did consist, Num 6:2. Those that would save others must by singular piety distinguish themselves. Samuel, who carried on Israel's deliverance from the Philistines, was a Nazarite by his mother's vow (Sa1 1:11), as Samson by the divine appointment. The mother of this deliverer must therefore deny herself, and not eat any unclean thing; what was lawful at another time was now to be forborne. As the promise tried her faith, so this precept tried her obedience; for God requires both from those on whom he will bestow his favours. Women with child ought conscientiously to avoid whatever they have reason to think will be any way prejudicial to the health or good constitution of the fruit of their body. And perhaps Samson's mother was to refrain from wine and strong drink, not only because he was designed for a Nazarite, but because he was designed for a man of great strength, which his mother's temperance would contribute to. 4. He foretels the service which this child should do to his country: He shall begin to deliver Israel. Note, It is very desirable that our children may be not only devoted entirely to God themselves, but instrumental for the good of others, and the service of their generation - not recluses, candles under a bushel, but on a candlestick. Observe, He shall begin to deliver Israel. This intimated that the oppression of the Philistines should last long, for Israel's deliverance from it should not so much as begin, not one step be taken towards it, till this child, who was now unborn, should have grown up to a capacity of beginning it. And yet he must not complete the deliverance: he shall only begin to deliver Israel, which intimates that the trouble should still be prolonged. God chooses to carry on his work gradually and by several hands. One lays the foundation of a good work, another builds, and perhaps a third brings forth the top stone. Now herein Samson was a type of Christ, (1.) As a Nazarite to God, a Nazarite from the womb. For, though our Lord Jesus was not a Nazarite himself, yet he was typified by the Nazarites, as being perfectly pure from all sin, not so much as conceived in it, and entirely devoted to his Father's honour. Of the Jewish church, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, because to them pertained the promise of him, Rom 9:4, Rom 9:5. By virtue of that promise,. he long lay as it were in the womb of that church, which for many ages was pregnant of him, and therefore, like Samson's mother, during that pregnancy was made a holy nation and a peculiar people, and strictly forbidden to touch any unclean thing for his sake, who in the fulness of time was to come from them. (2.) As a deliverer of Israel; for he is Jesus a Saviour, who saves his people from their sins. But with this difference: Samson did only begin to deliver Israel (David was afterwards raised up to complete the destruction of the Philistines), but our Lord Jesus is both Samson and David too, both the author and finisher of our faith.
III.The report which Manoah's wife, in a transport of joy, brings in all haste to her husband, of this surprising message Jdg 13:6, Jdg 13:7.
The glad tidings were brought her when she was alone, perhaps religiously employed in meditation or prayer; but she could not, she would not, conceal them from her husband, but gives him an account,
1.Of the messenger. It was a man of God, Jdg 13:6. His countenance she could describe; it was very awful: he had such a majesty in his looks, such a sparkling eye, such a shining face, so powerfully commanding reverence and respect, that according to the idea she had of an angel he had the very countenance of one. But his name she can give no account of, nor to what tribe or city of Israel he belonged, for he did not think fit to tell her, and, for her part, the very sight of him struck such an awe upon her that she durst not ask him. She was abundantly satisfied that he was a servant of God; his person and message she thought carried their own evidence along with them, and she enquired no further.
2.Of the message. She gives him a particular account both of the promise and of the precept (Jdg 13:7), that he also might believe the promise and might on all occasions be a monitor to her to observe the precept. Thus should yoke-fellows communicate to each other their experiences of communion with God, and their improvements in acquaintance with him, that they may be helpful to each other in the way that is called holy.
Historical interpretation
Three Centuries of Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
After the spirit of the Hebrews had been so subdued by the pressure of a long subjection that no one dared with a manly spirit to rouse them to liberty, Samson, fore-ordained by the Divine oracle, was raised up to them. A great man he was, not one of the multitude, but first among the few, and beyond controversy far excelling all in bodily strength. And he is to be regarded by us with great admiration from the beginning, not because in his early abstinence from vice he gave signal proofs of temperance and sobriety, nor on account of his long preserving as a Nazarite his locks unshorn, but because from his very youth, which in others is an age of softness, he achieved illustrious deeds of virtue, perfect beyond the measure of human nature. By these he gained credence to the Divine prophecy, that it was not for nothing that such grace had gone before upon him, that an Angel came down by whom his birth beyond their hopes was announced to his parents, to be the leader and protector of his countrymen, now for a length of years harassed by the tyranny of the Philistines.
His father was of the tribe of Dan, a man fearing God, born of no mean rank, and eminent above others, his mother was barren of body, but in virtues of the mind not unfruitful; seeing that in the sanctuary of her soul she was counted worthy to receive the visit of an Angel, obeyed his command and fulfilled his prophecy. Not enduring however to know the secrets even of God apart from her husband she mentioned to him that she had seen a man of God, of beautiful form, bringing her the Divine promise of future offspring, and that she, confiding in this promise, was led to share with her husband her faith in the heavenly promises.
Thus Jacob, the patriarch Joseph, Samson, [who was] the bravest of the chieftains, and Samuel, [who was] the most distinguished of the prophets, [all] had as their progenitors [mothers who were] for a long time barren in body but always fruitful in virtues. In this way their dignity would be known from the miraculous nativity of those who were born, and it might be proven that they would be famous in their lives, since at the very outset of their lives they transcended the norms of the human condition.
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Summary
Judges 13:3 inaugurates the narrative of Samson, detailing the miraculous appearance of the Angel of the LORD to Manoah's previously barren wife, announcing her impending conception and the birth of a son. This divine intervention is a pivotal moment, highlighting God's sovereign hand in human affairs and His unwavering commitment to His covenant people, even amidst Israel's profound spiritual decline and oppression under the Philistines. It sets the stage for the emergence of a divinely appointed deliverer, marking the beginning of God's redemptive work to liberate His people.
Context
Literary Context
Judges 13:3 is strategically placed within the cyclical framework of the Book of Judges, which consistently illustrates Israel's pattern of apostasy, subsequent divine judgment through foreign oppression, their cries for deliverance, and God's merciful response in raising up a judge. Chapter 13 introduces Samson, the final major judge, whose story initiates Israel's deliverance from forty years of Philistine domination, as established in Judges 13:1. This verse, therefore, serves as the divine catalyst for the entire Samson narrative, establishing his miraculous origins as a clear sign of God's direct involvement in His people's history, despite their persistent disobedience. It represents a direct, supernatural intervention that bypasses human expectation and initiates a new and crucial phase of God's redemptive plan for Israel.
Historical & Cultural Context
During the period of Judges 13, Israel had endured four decades of Philistine rule, a time marked by severe oppression and a significant loss of national autonomy. The Philistines were a formidable maritime people, possessing advanced technology, particularly in ironworking, which afforded them military superiority and a distinct cultural identity from the Israelites. Within this oppressive national context, the personal state of barrenness for Manoah's wife carried immense cultural and theological weight. In ancient Israelite society, childlessness was frequently perceived as a sign of divine disfavor, often bringing profound shame and sorrow to a woman and her family. The miraculous conception of a child to a barren woman, therefore, served as a powerful demonstration of God's power to transcend natural limitations and bring forth life where it was naturally impossible, frequently preceding the birth of a figure of great significance in salvation history, as evidenced in numerous other biblical narratives.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully introduces several foundational themes that resonate throughout the Book of Judges and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it emphatically highlights Divine Sovereignty and Intervention, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people, even in their unfaithfulness. The appearance of the Angel of the LORD signifies God's direct initiative in raising a deliverer for Israel, despite their spiritual decline. Secondly, the profound motif of Overcoming Barrenness is central, underscoring God's power to transcend natural limitations and bring forth life from seemingly impossible situations. This theme emphasizes that the coming son is a divine gift, not a human achievement, thereby setting him apart for a special, divinely ordained purpose. This miraculous birth also powerfully foreshadows the Promise of a Deliverer, indicating that God's plan for salvation is actively unfolding, even if through unconventional means and through flawed instruments, as Samson's life would later demonstrate, beginning the process of delivering Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13:5).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This recurring and highly significant title in the Old Testament refers to a divine messenger, often interpreted by theologians as a theophany or a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. The figure consistently speaks with divine authority, sometimes receives worship, and is indistinguishable from God Himself in action and speech (e.g., Judges 6:12-14). In Judges 13:3, this appearance signifies God's direct, personal, and authoritative communication, emphasizing the divine origin and paramount importance of the message being delivered.
This word starkly describes Manoah's wife's natural inability to bear children, indicating a state of being sterile or as if extirpated in the generative organs. Its inclusion is crucial, as it immediately sets the stage for a truly miraculous intervention. In the ancient Near East, barrenness was a source of great sorrow and social stigma. The divine declaration of her barrenness, immediately preceding the promise of conception, highlights God's absolute power to reverse human limitations and to bring forth life where it is naturally impossible, thereby magnifying the miracle and underscoring the divine origin of the promised son.
This verb signifies the act of becoming pregnant, literally or figuratively. In the specific context of a woman explicitly stated to be "barren," this word points directly to a supernatural act of creation and life-giving. It is not a natural conception but a divinely initiated one, emphasizing that the son to be born is a direct, unmerited gift from God, intended for a specific, holy purpose that transcends human capability.
Verse Breakdown
"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman"
This opening clause immediately establishes the divine initiative and the supernatural nature of the event. The "Angel of the LORD" signifies God's direct presence and authoritative communication. The recipient, "the woman" (Manoah's wife, notably unnamed in the text), highlights that God's choice is sovereign and not based on human prominence or merit, but solely on His divine plan for Israel's deliverance.
"and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not"
This part of the message confirms the woman's current, desperate state, underscoring the natural impossibility of her conceiving. The phrase "Behold now" (or "Indeed" in some translations) emphasizes the undeniable reality of her barrenness, serving to magnify the miraculous nature of the subsequent promise. This stark declaration makes it unequivocally clear that the coming conception is entirely God's doing, not a result of human effort or any change in natural circumstances.
"but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son"
This is the core of the divine promise, a direct and absolute reversal of her barren condition. The future tense "shalt conceive, and bear" conveys a definite, divinely ordained outcome that is certain to occur. The specific mention of "a son" indicates the gender and purpose of the child, who will be Samson, the one destined to "begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines" (Judges 13:5). This promise brings profound hope and marks the tangible beginning of God's redemptive work through a new generation.
Literary Devices
Judges 13:3 employs several powerful literary devices that amplify its theological significance. The most prominent is Divine Announcement, where a supernatural being directly communicates God's will and future plans to a human recipient. This device immediately establishes the extraordinary nature of the event and the divine origin of Samson's life and mission. There is also clear Foreshadowing, as the miraculous birth of a son to a barren woman immediately signals that this child will be profoundly significant, destined for a special purpose, and will play a crucial role in God's unfolding plan for Israel's deliverance. Furthermore, a subtle yet potent Irony is present: Israel is oppressed and in a state of spiritual barrenness, yet God chooses a physically barren woman to bring forth their deliverer, highlighting God's ability to work through weakness and seemingly impossible situations to achieve His purposes. The entire scene functions as a Theophany, or a manifestation of God, through the Angel of the LORD, underscoring the direct and personal involvement of the Almighty in the unfolding human drama.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Judges 13:3 stands as a profound testament to God's unwavering sovereignty and faithfulness, even when His people are mired in deep spiritual apostasy and national oppression. The appearance of the Angel of the LORD to a barren woman, announcing a miraculous birth, is a recurring and powerful motif in biblical history, consistently highlighting that God's redemptive plan is initiated and sustained solely by His divine power, not by human ability, merit, or natural circumstances. This consistent pattern underscores that the most significant figures in salvation history are often born through supernatural intervention, thereby demonstrating that their lives and ministries are divinely appointed, uniquely empowered, and ultimately for God's glory. It profoundly emphasizes that God works through the impossible to reveal His glory and to fulfill His covenant promises, bringing forth hope and deliverance in moments of profound human despair and national crisis.
Reflection and Application
Judges 13:3 offers profound encouragement and insightful application for contemporary believers. Just as God intervened in the naturally impossible situation of Manoah's wife, He remains absolutely sovereign over all circumstances, fully capable of bringing forth life, purpose, and renewal from what appears to be barren, hopeless, or utterly impossible. This verse powerfully reminds us that God's timing and methods often defy human expectation, and His power infinitely transcends our limitations and natural understanding. It calls us to cultivate a deep, abiding trust in His divine plan, even when our personal or communal circumstances seem bleak, stagnant, or without a clear path forward. Moreover, the divine initiative in announcing Samson's birth reminds us that God is actively involved in raising up individuals for His specific purposes, often preparing them in unique, unexpected, and even miraculous ways. We are invited to discern and align ourselves with His sovereign will, recognizing that His hand is perpetually at work, even in the most challenging and seemingly unproductive seasons of life, bringing forth new beginnings and fulfilling His redemptive purposes through His chosen instruments.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who was "the woman" mentioned in Judges 13:3?
The woman mentioned in Judges 13:3 is Manoah's wife, though she remains notably unnamed throughout the biblical text. Her anonymity serves to emphasize God's sovereign choice and initiative in the miraculous conception, rather than focusing on her personal identity or merit. Her previously barren state is the key characteristic highlighted, setting the stage for God's extraordinary power to be displayed in reversing a natural impossibility.
What is the significance of "the angel of the LORD" in this verse?
The "Angel of the LORD" (Hebrew: mălʼâk Yᵉhôvâh) is a highly significant and mysterious figure in the Old Testament, often understood by theologians as a theophany, or a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. This figure consistently speaks and acts with divine authority, sometimes even receiving worship, as seen in other encounters like the one with Gideon in Judges 6:12. In Judges 13:3, the Angel's appearance underscores that the announcement of Samson's birth is not merely a message from a created being, but a direct, authoritative word from God Himself, initiating His divine plan for Israel's deliverance.
Why is barrenness such a recurring theme in the Bible, especially before the birth of significant figures?
The theme of barrenness, consistently followed by miraculous conception, is a powerful and recurring motif throughout the Bible because it serves to highlight God's supernatural power and His ability to bring life out of utterly impossible situations. It underscores that the child born is a divine gift, not a natural outcome of human ability or circumstance, thus emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty and the special, divinely appointed purpose of the individual. Prominent examples include Sarah (mother of Isaac), Hannah, and Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist). In each case, human inability makes God's miraculous intervention and faithfulness more profoundly evident, preparing the way for a pivotal figure in salvation history.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Judges 13:3, with its dramatic announcement of a miraculous birth to a barren woman by the Angel of the LORD, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "Angel of the LORD," often understood as a pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ Himself, powerfully foreshadows God's ultimate self-revelation and decisive intervention in human history through His Son. Just as Samson's birth was miraculous and divinely purposed to begin Israel's deliverance from the Philistines, so too was Jesus' birth uniquely miraculous, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary, as announced by an angel in Luke 1:34-35. This unparalleled birth signifies His divine origin and His singular mission. While Samson's deliverance was partial, temporary, and flawed, Jesus is the perfect, complete, and ultimate Deliverer, born not to save Israel from a physical enemy, but to "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). He is the true "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), conquering sin, death, and the power of the devil (Hebrews 2:14-15), thereby bringing about a complete and eternal salvation that far surpasses any temporary rescue achieved by the judges of old.