TRV
Translation
King James Version
But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
KJV (with Strong's)
But he said H559 unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive H2030, and bear H3205 a son H1121; and now drink H7941 no wine H3196 nor strong drink H8354, neither eat H398 any unclean H2932 thing: for the child H5288 shall be a Nazarite H5139 to God H430 from the womb H990 to the day H3117 of his death H4194.
Complete Jewish Bible
But he said to me, 'Listen! You will conceive and bear a son, so now don't drink any wine or other intoxicating liquor, and don't eat anything unclean, because the child will be a nazir for God from the womb until the day he dies.'"
Berean Standard Bible
But he said to me, ‘Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day of his death.’”
American Standard Version
but he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb to the day of his death.
World English Bible Messianic
but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”
Geneva Bible (1599)
But he saide vnto me, Beholde, thou shalt conceiue, and beare a sonne, and nowe thou shalt drinke no wine, nor strong drinke, neither eate any vncleane thing: for the childe shalbe a Nazarite to God from his birth to the day of his death.
Young's Literal Translation
and he saith to me, Lo, thou art pregnant, and bearing a son, and now do not drink wine and strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing, for a Nazarite to God is the youth from the womb till the day of his death.'
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Commentary on Judges 13 verses 1–7
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.
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.
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.
4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor 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.
6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
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.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
Letter 19.10-11
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.
BedeAD 735
Homilies on the Gospels 2.19
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.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Judges 13:7 records the Angel of the Lord's second appearance to Manoah's barren wife, reiterating and expanding the divine decree concerning the son she is miraculously to conceive. This pivotal verse establishes the child's lifelong dedication as a Nazarite to God from birth, setting the stage for his unique role as Israel's deliverer from Philistine oppression and underscoring the mother's critical responsibility in maintaining the conditions of this divine consecration.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several significant literary devices. It functions as an Annunciation Narrative, a common biblical pattern where the birth of a significant figure is announced by a divine messenger to a barren woman, often accompanied by specific instructions and a prophecy about the child's future. This narrative structure highlights divine intervention and the miraculous nature of the birth. Foreshadowing is evident as the declaration of Samson's lifelong Nazarite status and the accompanying dietary restrictions for his mother directly foreshadow his unique strength and the eventual tragic consequences of his failure to fully adhere to the vow. The entire verse serves as a Divine Mandate, a direct command from God (via His Angel) that establishes the terms of Samson's life and mission, emphasizing God's sovereign will. Finally, the Symbolism of the Nazarite vow itself is profound, representing separation, consecration, and dedication to God, making Samson a living symbol of Israel's potential for devotion and the consequences of its failure.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 13:7 profoundly illustrates God's sovereign election and His meticulous preparation of individuals for His redemptive purposes. It reveals a God who is not bound by human limitations, intervening miraculously to bring forth a deliverer for His people. The concept of a lifelong Nazarite, consecrated from the womb, speaks to the biblical theme of divine calling and predestination, where God's plan for an individual's life is established before their birth. This verse underscores that true strength and effectiveness in God's service flow from a life set apart and consecrated to Him, even if the individual later falters. It also highlights the profound spiritual impact of parental choices and obedience in shaping the environment for a child's divine purpose.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 13:7 offers profound insights into God's intentionality and our role in His divine plan. It reminds us that God often has a purpose for our lives, even before we are aware of it, and that He actively works to prepare us for that calling. While the literal Nazarite vow is not a practice for believers today, the underlying principle of consecration—being set apart for God's purposes—remains a vital truth for all who follow Christ. This involves a deliberate choice to abstain from influences that defile or distract from God's will and to dedicate our lives, bodies, and choices to His glory. Furthermore, the instructions given to Samson's mother highlight the immense spiritual responsibility of parents. Our choices, lifestyle, and spiritual environment profoundly impact the spiritual formation and destiny of our children, even from their earliest stages. We are called to create a home that fosters consecration and obedience to God, preparing the next generation to walk in His divine purpose.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was a Nazarite vow, and how was Samson's different?
Answer: A Nazarite vow (from the Hebrew nâzîyr, meaning "separated" or "consecrated") was a voluntary vow taken by an Israelite, typically for a limited period, to dedicate themselves specially to the Lord. As outlined in Numbers 6, it involved three main prohibitions: abstaining from all grape products (wine, vinegar, grapes, raisins), not cutting one's hair, and avoiding contact with dead bodies. Samson's Nazarite vow was unique in two significant ways: first, it was not self-imposed but divinely ordained by the Angel of the Lord; second, it was a lifelong vow, beginning "from the womb to the day of his death," setting him apart for God's special purpose from conception.
Why were the dietary restrictions placed on Samson's mother?
Answer: The dietary restrictions placed on Samson's mother—"drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]"—were directly tied to the Nazarite vow that the child would undertake from birth. Since the child was to be a lifelong Nazarite, consecrated to God even in the womb, the mother's diet and lifestyle were crucial in maintaining the conditions of this consecration. Her physical purity and adherence to the Nazarite prohibitions ensured that the child, through her, would be set apart for God even before his birth, emphasizing the sacredness of the divine mandate and the importance of the mother's role in the child's spiritual preparation.
How does Samson's story relate to other miraculous births in the Bible?
Answer: Samson's birth, announced by an angel to a previously barren woman, aligns with a significant pattern of miraculous births in the Bible that precede the lives of key figures in God's redemptive plan. Similar accounts include the birth of Isaac to Sarah, Samuel to Hannah, and later, John the Baptist to Elizabeth. These narratives underscore God's sovereignty over life, His ability to overcome human limitations, and His intentionality in raising up chosen individuals for specific divine purposes, often as deliverers or prophets, paving the way for His ultimate plan of salvation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Judges 13:7, with its declaration of a divinely chosen, consecrated deliverer set apart from the womb, powerfully foreshadows the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Samson was a Nazarite by divine decree, consecrated to begin Israel's deliverance, Jesus is the ultimate, eternally consecrated Son of God, set apart not merely from the womb but from eternity to accomplish the ultimate deliverance. Just as Samson's birth was miraculous, Jesus's conception was uniquely divine, announced by an angel, and brought forth by the Holy Spirit, as recorded in Luke 1:31-35. Where Samson's Nazarite vow involved external prohibitions and was ultimately broken, Jesus embodied perfect consecration and obedience, living a life entirely set apart for God's will, fulfilling all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). He is the true and greater Nazarite, the one truly "separated" and "holy" (Hebrews 7:26), whose life, death, and resurrection perfectly accomplish the deliverance from sin and death that Samson could only begin. Through His perfect sacrifice, Jesus not only delivers us but also consecrates us, setting us apart for God as His holy people (Hebrews 10:10), fulfilling the deepest meaning of being "set apart to God."