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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Judges 13:1 - 13:7
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The First Appearance of the Angel
v. 1. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, they fell back into their former ways of idolatry, adding to the transgression of their fathers; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years, the tribes most concerned in this oppression being Dan and Judah with Simeon.
v. 2. And there was a certain man of Zorah, Jos_19:41, of the family of the Danites, the tribes nearest to the territory of the Philistines, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and bare not, a fact which was regarded as a painful visitation of the Lord, if not as a distinct curse.
v. 3. And the Angel of the Lord, He who is equal with God in essence, who always revealed Himself when help and salvation was needed, appeared unto the woman and said unto her, Behold, now, thou art barren and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive and bear a son, an announcement much like that made to Abraham, to Zacharias, and to Mary.
v. 4. Now, therefore, beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, the latter being a very intoxicating beverage usually made of barley, dates, and honey, and eat not any unclean thing, Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14;
v. 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, from his birth to his death, Num_6:5. And he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. It was only a beginning which he made, for his victories were not full and final, the complete deliverance being effected later.
v. 6. Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, the word used for a prophet or for one in the most intimate relation toward God, and his countenance, his appearance, was like the countenance of an angel of God, that is, the special Angel, in whom the invisible God reveals Himself to men, this fact being well known among the children of Israel, ver y terrible, inspiring the greatest awe and reverence; but I asked him not whence he was, not daring to ask for this information, neither told he me his name;
v. 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. As a man set apart to God by a vow, consecrated to His service, the son who was to be born should lead his entire life. The children of Christian parents are also consecrated to the Lord, even before their birth, and should spend their entire life in His service.