Judges 13: A Son Promised to Barren Hands
The angel of Yahweh appears to a barren woman and her husband Manoah, announcing the Nazirite son who will begin to save Israel.
Judges 13 (WEB)
1 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh; and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and didn’t bear.
3 Yahweh’s angel appeared to the woman, and said to her, “See now, you are barren, and don’t bear; but you shall conceive, and bear a son.
4 Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing:
5 for, behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome; and I didn’t ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name:
7 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.’”
8 Then Manoah entreated Yahweh, and said, “Oh, Lord, please let the man of God whom you did send come again to us, and teach us what we shall do to the child who shall be born.”
9 God listened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah, her husband, wasn’t with her.
10 The woman made haste, and ran, and told her husband, and said to him, “Behold, the man has appeared to me, who came to me that day.”
11 Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to the woman?” He said, “I am.”
12 Manoah said, “Now let your words happen. What shall the child’s way of life and mission be?”
13 Yahweh’s angel said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her beware.
14 She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe.”
15 Manoah said to Yahweh’s angel, “Please, let us detain you, that we may make a young goat ready for you.”
16 Yahweh’s angel said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I won’t eat of your bread; and if you will prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to Yahweh.” For Manoah didn’t know that he was Yahweh’s angel.
17 Manoah said to Yahweh’s angel, “What is your name, that when your words happen, we may honor you?”
18 Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is wonderful?”
19 So Manoah took the young goat with the meal offering, and offered it on the rock to Yahweh. Then the angel did a wonderful thing as Manoah and his wife looked on.
20 For when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, Yahweh’s angel ascended in the flame of the altar: and Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground.
21 But Yahweh’s angel didn’t appear to Manoah or to his wife any more. Then Manoah knew that he was Yahweh’s angel.
22 Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God.”
23 But his wife said to him, “If Yahweh were pleased to kill us, he wouldn’t have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hand, neither would he have shown us all these things, nor would at this time have told such things as these.”
24 The woman bore a son, and named him Samson: and the child grew, and Yahweh blessed him.
25 The Spirit of Yahweh began to move him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judges 13 (KJV)
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.
8 Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.
10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
11 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.
12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?
13 And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.
15 And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
16 And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord.
17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
18 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
21 But the angel of the Lord did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord.
22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
23 But his wife said unto him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.
25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judges 13 (ASV)
1 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah 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 Jehovah 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 no 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 upon his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to save 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 the angel of God, very terrible; and 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, and eat not any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb to the day of his death.
8 Then Manoah entreated Jehovah, and said, Oh, Lord, I pray thee, let the man of God whom thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.
10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and told her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
11 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.
12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass: what shall be the ordering of the child, and how shall we do unto him?
13 And the angel of Jehovah said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14 She may not eat of anything that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe.
15 And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, I pray thee, let us detain thee, that we may make ready a kid for thee.
16 And the angel of Jehovah said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt make ready a burnt-offering, thou must offer it unto Jehovah. For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of Jehovah.
17 And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name, that, when thy words come to pass, we may do thee honor?
18 And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore askest thou after my name, seeing it is wonderful?
19 So Manoah took the kid with the meal-offering, and offered it upon the rock unto Jehovah: and the angel did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of Jehovah ascended in the flame of the altar: and Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground.
21 But the angel of Jehovah did no more appear to Manoah or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Jehovah.
22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
23 But his wife said unto him, If Jehovah were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meal-offering at our hand, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would at this time have told such things as these.
24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and Jehovah blessed him.
25 And the Spirit of Jehovah began to move him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Summary
Israel again does evil, and Yahweh hands them over to the Philistines for forty years. Into this long oppression comes a quiet miracle. The angel of Yahweh appears to the barren wife of Manoah, of the tribe of Dan, promising that she will conceive and bear a son. This child is to be a Nazirite to God from the womb: no wine, no strong drink, no unclean food, and no razor on his head, for he will begin to save Israel from the Philistines. The woman tells Manoah, who prays that the man of God might come again and teach them how to raise the boy, and God graciously sends the angel back. Manoah offers a young goat and a meal offering on a rock, and as the flame rises toward heaven, the angel ascends in it, and the couple falls on their faces, realizing they have seen the angel of Yahweh. Manoah fears they will die because they have seen God, but his wife wisely reasons that Yahweh would not have received their offering or revealed these things if he meant to kill them. In time she bears a son and names him Samson; the child grows, Yahweh blesses him, and the Spirit of Yahweh begins to stir him. The chapter glows with grace: deliverance dawns not by human strength but by God's gift of a son.
Main Characters
- The angel of Yahweh — The mysterious messenger whose name is “wonderful,” who announces Samson's birth, receives the offering, and ascends in the altar flame, revealing the nearness of God himself.
- Manoah's wife — The barren, unnamed woman of Dan to whom the angel appears twice; she receives the promise with faith and reasons clearly when her husband fears death.
- Manoah — Samson's father, an earnest but uncertain man who prays for guidance, seeks to honor the messenger, and trembles when he realizes they have seen the angel of Yahweh.
Key Verse
Judges 13:5 (WEB)
for, behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
Lessons Learned
- God often begins his great rescues in hidden, unlikely places, like the womb of a barren woman.
- The Lord sets people apart for his purposes before they have done anything to earn it.
- True faith, like Manoah's wife, reasons from God's grace rather than from fear.
- Salvation is announced as God's initiative and gift, not as the achievement of human strength.
- God remembers the barren and forgotten. To a woman who is “barren, and didn’t bear” (Judges 13:2, WEB), the angel brings a promise of life, showing that God delights to give where there is no human hope.
- God consecrates before we contribute. The child is to be “a Nazirite to God from the womb” (Judges 13:5, WEB); his calling is grace, set in place before he draws a breath.
- Faith answers fear with God's character. When Manoah fears death, his wife reasons that Yahweh would not have “received a burnt offering” or shown “us all these things” if he meant to kill them (Judges 13:23, WEB).
- Salvation begins with God drawing near. The angel ascends “in the flame of the altar” (Judges 13:20, WEB) and Yahweh blesses the boy and stirs him by his Spirit (13:24-25), making clear the deliverer is God's own gift.
- What does it mean that Samson is to be a Nazirite “from the womb,” and what restrictions come with it?
- How do Manoah and his wife each respond to the angel's appearance, and what do their responses reveal about their faith?
- Why does the angel refuse to give his name, calling it “wonderful” (13:18)?
- How does this birth announcement to a barren woman fit a pattern we see elsewhere in Scripture?
- Where are you waiting for God to bring life or hope into a situation that feels as barren as it can be?
- A Nazirite vow set someone apart wholly for God; Samson is to keep it from before birth—no wine or strong drink, no unclean food, no razor on his head (13:4-5). His whole life is to be a living sign that he belongs to God for the rescue of Israel.
- Manoah prays earnestly but remains uncertain and fearful, while his wife receives the promise calmly and reasons clearly from God's grace when her husband panics (13:8, 22-23). The unnamed woman models steady faith.
- The angel's name is “wonderful” (13:18), a word that points beyond human comprehension and hints at the presence of God himself. The mystery invites worship rather than mastery; some things about God we are meant to adore, not explain.
- Barren women receiving promised sons recurs through Scripture—Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah—and points ultimately to the miraculous birth of Christ. Each shows that God's deliverers come as his gift, not human achievement. Help the group see the gospel pattern of life from barrenness.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name, even silently, a place of waiting or emptiness, and to rest in a God who brings life from barrenness. As leader, keep hope central and avoid pressing anyone to share more than they wish.