Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comFausset Bible Dictionary: Manoah
Subjects in this Topic:
A Danite of Zorah, father of Samson (Judges 13). The Angel of Jehovah appeared unto his wife, announcing that a son should be born to her, to be reared as a Nazarite. On her telling Manoah he entreated Jehovah to send again "the man of God" (as Manoah supposed him to be) to "teach what they should do unto the child to be born." God graciously granted his wish, and he asked the Angel, "how shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?" So parents ought to seek God's direction, how to rear their children for God. The Angel directed him and all parents: "of all that I said ... beware, ... all that I commanded ... observe" (compare ).
Manoah begged Him to stay until he got ready a kid. The divine Angel told him (as Manoah thought He was a man and knew not He was the Angel of Jehovah, and He being jealous for God's honor would not accept it as man; compare ) he must offer his burnt offering to Jehovah. Manoah then asked His name. The Angel replied, "it is secret" ("wonderful," margin; ); compare ; -7; it is a secret known to God's children (; ; ). "He did wondrously" according to His name, for He made a flame rise from the rock to consume the offering and (compare ) ascended in the flame; compare ; ; ; ; .
Manoah feared he should die, as having seen God (). His wife with greater spiritual instinct replied: "if Jehovah were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt offering at our hands, neither would He have showed us all these things, nor as at this time have told us such things." Manoah and his wife remonstrated with Samson on choosing a Philistine as his wife (-3); but they accompanied him to the marriage feast at Timnath. Manoah probably died before his son; since not Manoah but Samson's brothers brought Samson's body to the tomb between Zorah and Eshtaol.