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MANOAH.—The father of Samson, of the town of Zorah, and of the family of the Danites (Jdg_13:1-23; Jdg_14:2-3; Jdg_14:5-6; Jdg_14:9-10; Jdg_16:31). We learn but little of his character and occupation from the Bible narrative. He was a worshipper of Jehovah, and a man of reverent piety; he was hospitable, like his ancestor Abraham; he shared the dislike of his people for the alien surrounding tribes, and strongly deprecated an alliance between his son and the Philistines. The second narrative gives us the following information about him. His wife was barren, but she was warned by a Divine messenger that she was destined to bear a son who was to be a Nazirite and dedicated to Jehovah. The messenger appeared again when Manoah also was present, and repeated his prophecy (Jdg_13:2-23). We hear of Manoah on four more occasions: we find him remonstrating with his son about the proposed Philistine marriage (Jdg_14:2-3); he accompanied his son on the preliminary visit to Timnah (Jdg_14:5; Jdg_14:8), and again to the marriage itself (Jdg_14:9-10). He did not survive his son, who was buried by his side (Jdg_16:31). Cf. art. Samson.
These scanty details are somewhat amplified by Josephus (Ant. V. viii. 2, 3), who was apparently following some ancient Jewish tradition.
T. A. Moxon.