Chapter 13

The end of Chapter 12 saw three judges after Jephthah, with little information about events during their time.  It would seem that Israel may have stayed true to God during this time.  Chapter 13, though, opens this way:

1 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. [Jdg 13:1 ESV]

Israel turns away yet again, and God lets the Philistines overcome them and oppress them for 40 years.

An angel appears to Manoah's wife and tells her she won't be barren any longer but will have a son.  While pregnant, she is to drink no alcohol, nor eat anything unclean.  From conception Samson is to be a Nazirite.  He will begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. 

2021 - This is such a common theme in the Bible, this long time barren woman giving birth to a son with a calling from God, or a mission from God.  Isaac was perhaps the first example of this, born to a barren Sarai.  One of Isaac's wives.  Jacob loved Leah better, but Leah was barren for a long time.  And now Samson's mother, who is not named.  Next we will see Samuel's mother, also barren into her old age.  Interesting that we see this so many times in the Bible.

Manoah prays that the angel that appeared to his wife will appear to him also, as he has more questions...or perhaps thought his wife had left something out.  In any case, the angel reappears, first to Manoah's wife alone, and then she goes and brings Manoah back to where the angel has appeared.  The angel just repeats what he told Manoah's wife to start with.  Ahh...Manoah apparently thought this was just a man, and didn't realize that he was an angel from God.  This becomes apparent in this second conversation.  So they recognize now that God is raising up their son.  It is also interesting that when they offer this angel food, he won't eat.  Says he'll stay, but won't eat the food.  Encourages them instead to offer a burnt offering.  When the child is born, they name him Samson.  This is the tribe of Dan.

2024 - This is the first judge who's coming was prophesied.  The first one selected as judge even before his conception.  He was to be a deliverer from the very first - he was born for it.  Isaac was predicted...but not like Samson.  Jesus is a prophesied deliverer also.  But was Samuel?  Samson is in a very small group here.  It would be a good study, looking  up the ones who's calling was set before they were born.  A good compare and contrast study.

This map from MSB: