2 There was a certain man of Zorah , of the family of the Danites , whose name was Manoah ; and his wife was barren and had borne no children. 3 Then the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, "Behold now , you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son . 4 "Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink , nor eat any unclean thing . 5 " For behold , you shall conceive and give birth to a son , and no razor shall come upon his head , for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb ; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines ." 6 Then the woman came and told her husband , saying , " A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God , very awesome . And I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name . 7 "But he said to me, 'Behold , you shall conceive and give birth to a son , and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing , for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death .' "
8 Then Manoah entreated the Lord and said , "O Lord , please e let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born ." 9 God listened to the voice of Manoah ; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field , but Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband , "Behold , the man who came the other day has appeared to me."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 13:2-10
Commentary on Judges 13:1-7
(Read Judges 13:1-7)
Israel did evil: then God delivered them again into the hands of the Philistines. When Israel was in this distress, Samson was born. His parents had been long childless. Many eminent persons were born of such mothers. Mercies long waited for, often prove signal mercies; and by them others may be encouraged to continue their hope in God's mercy. The angel notices her affliction. God often sends comfort to his people very seasonably, when they feel their troubles most. This deliverer of Israel must be devoted to God. Manoah's wife was satisfied that the messenger was of God. She gave her husband a particular account, both of the promise and of the precept. Husbands and wives should tell each other their experiences of communion with God, and their improvements in acquaintance with him, that they may help each other in the way that is holy.
Commentary on Judges 13:8-14
(Read Judges 13:8-14)
Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet, as Manoah, have believed. Good men are more careful and desirous to know the duty to be done by them, than to know the events concerning them: duty is ours, events are God's. God will guide those by his counsel, who desire to know their duty, and apply to him to teach them. Pious parents, especially, will beg Divine assistance. The angel repeats the directions he had before given. There is need of much care for the right ordering both of ourselves and our children, that we may be duly separate from the world, and living sacrifices to the Lord.