Tyndale Open Study NotesJudges 13

The Philistines, mentioned earlier (Judges 3:3; 10:7), were newcomers to Canaan, later called Palestine. This warlike group of sea people had Greek, not Canaanite, roots. They settled in the southwestern coastal areas around 1200 BC. From then on, Philistia became Israel’s natural enemy and increasingly threatened its national existence. Israel developed institutions like kingship partly to respond to the Philistine threat.

• Before migrating to the far north (Judges 18), the tribe of Dan tried to settle in Israel's southwest (Joshua 19:40–48). This led to direct conflict with the incoming Philistines.

• Zorah was west of Judah, in the area newly occupied by the Philistines. Both Dan and neighboring Judah submitted to Philistine control (Judges 14:4; 15:11).

Manoah's wife was promised a son who would be dedicated as a Nazirite from birth (see Numbers 6:1–21; compare 1 Samuel 1:11). Samson's uncut hair would play a key role in his story.

anything unclean: See Leviticus 11.

In the Bible, angels often appeared to women who could not have children (Judges 13:2). They announced that God would help them have a child (see Luke 1:5–25; compare Genesis 18; 1 Samuel 1).

Considering Judges 13:4–5, Manoah's question might seem repetitive. However, Judges 13:8 shows that Manoah felt a strong personal duty to raise the child. The angel responded kindly but emphasized the wife's responsibility. This explains why the angel first approached her, not Manoah.

Manoah would only let a visitor leave after offering a meal, following eastern hospitality customs. The angel insisted that any food be given as a sacrifice to the Lord. This, along with his reluctance to eat (compare with Gideon’s visitor, Judges 6:17–22), suggests this was a theophany (an appearance of God). Until then, Manoah had not recognized his visitor's divine nature.

The Lord’s name is a divine secret (Genesis 32:29; Exodus 3:13–14). God knows our names, but we use words of wonder and adoration to address him. The true essence of the infinite cannot be fully expressed or understood by the finite.

Humans cannot fully experience God's holy presence and survive (see Judges 6:20–24; Exodus 19:21; 33:20). The Old Testament often describes God appearing on earth in human form. These appearances point forward to God’s full and final appearance on earth in the incarnation of Jesus.

• Inspired leaders are filled with the divine spirit. Despite Samson’s obvious failures, the spirit worked powerfully in him.

• Mahaneh-dan (literally "camp of Dan") is mentioned again in Judges 18:12. The phrase might describe a temporary settlement rather than a fixed location.

• Zorah (Judges 13:2) and Eshtaol were in the valley of Sorek, about fifteen miles west of Jerusalem at the pass leading down to Philistine territory.