Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Judges · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Verſ. 1. ANd the children of Iſrael did evil again in the ſight of the Lord, &c.] This Apoſtacie of the children of Iſrael was doubtleſſe in the dayes of Ibzan the next Judge after Jephthah, chap. 12. verſ. 8. as may appear by the computation of thoſe fourtie years wherein the Philiſtines oppreſſed Iſrael, mentioned in the following words. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philiſtines fourtie years; for the twenty years wherein Samſon judged Iſrael muſt neceſſarily be accounted one half of theſe fourtie years of the Philiſtines oppreſſion, as is evident chap. 15. verſ. 20. And he judged Iſrael in the dayes of the Philiſtines twenty years: and the other half to wit the other twenty years muſt needs begin before Samſon was born, to wit, about the fifth yeare of Ibzans judging Iſrael; for when the Angel appeared to Samſons mother, the Philiſtines oppreſſed Iſrael: whence he tells her for her comfort, verſe 5. that he ſhould deliver Iſrael out of the hands of the Philiſtines. And indeed Jephthahs ſlaying two and fourty thouſand of the Ephraimites, chap. 12. verſ. 6. muſt needs be a great weakning to the Iſraelites in thoſe parts, and was like enough to encourage the Philiſtines to invade their land within a ſhort time after Jephthah was dead.
Verſ. 2. And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whoſe name was Manoah.] So that Samſon the ſonne of this Manoah, was of the tribe of Dan: This tribe bordering upon the land of the Philiſtines was moſt expoſed to their incurſions, and therefore God was pleaſed now to raiſe up a Judge for the Iſraelites out of this tribe, to wit, Samſon the ſonne of this Manoah, to whoſe exploits againſt the Philiſtines, ſome conceive that Jacob had reſpect in that his prophecy concerning this tribe, Gen. 49.16, 17. Dan ſhall Judge his people, as one of the tribes of Iſrael; Dan ſhall be a ſerpent in the way, an adder in the path that biteth the horſe heels, ſo that his rider ſhall fall backward.
Verſ. 3. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and ſaid unto her, behold now thou art barren, &c.] He firſt mentions her barrenneſſe, that the following tydings concerning her conceiving with child, might be the more joyfully received by her; it is a great queſtion among Expoſitours, what this Angel of the Lord was, that now appeared to Manoahs wife, ſome conceiving that it was a created Angel, and that becauſe as they ſay, he afterwards chargeth Manoah not to ſacrifice to him, but to the Lord, verſ. 16. If thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord. And others again conceiving, that it was the very ſonne of God, that great Angel of the covenant, and that becauſe, verſ. 18. he ſaith, his name was ſecret, or wonderfull, but eſpecially, becauſe verſ. 22. Manoah ſaith, they had ſeen God, and verſ. 23. his wife calls him the Lord, that is, the Jehovah; and indeed, though theſe be not unanſwerable proofes, yet conſidering that it is unqueſtionably evident in other places, that in theſe times the ſonne of God did uſually appear to other the ſervants of God, I ſhould judge it moſt probable, that it was he that did now alſo appear in the ſhape of a man to the wife of Manoah.
Verſ. 4. Drink not wine nor ſtrong drink, and eat not unclean any thing. Becauſe her child was to be a Nazarite from the wombe, as it follows, verſ. 5. therefore ſhe might not eat or drink thoſe things that were unlawfull for the Nazarites, to wit, neither whilſt ſhe was with child, nor whilſt ſhe gave ſuck, in regard that all that time, that which ſhe did eat or drink was for the nouriſhment of her child too. Indeed by the unclean meat forbidden her, may be meant any meat forbidden in the Law, Levit. 11. for it is no wonder though the Angel charges her to beware of ſuch meats which were unlawfull for any Iſraelite to eat, as well as Nazarites; firſt, becauſe it is likely in theſe times ſo full of confuſion and diſorder, both this and many other of Gods Laws, were altogether diſregarded by the people in generall: & ſecondly, becauſe though ſuch meats were unlawfull for any Iſraelite, yet much more for Nazarites. But yet here I rather think ſuch meats are meant, as were unclean for the Nazarites though not for others, ſuch as were grapes moiſt or dryed, yea any meats that were made of the vine tree, from the kernel even to the husk: Num. 6.3, 4. He ſhall ſeparate himſelf from wine and ſtrong drink, and ſhall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of ſtrong drink, neither ſhall he eat any liquour of grapes, nor eat moiſt grapes or dried. All the dayes of his ſeparation, ſhall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernel even to the husk. Concerning which Law, ſee the note there.
Verſ. 5. The child ſhall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb. This is a commandment not a prediction, as is alſo the other clauſe before, no raſour ſhall come on his head; for we ſee his hair was afterwards cut off, chap. 16.19. And ſhe made him ſleep upon her knees, and ſhe called for a man and ſhe cauſed him to ſhave off the ſeven locks of his head, and ſhe began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
And he ſhall begin to deliver Iſrael out of the hand of the Philiſtines.] It is ſaid here that Samſon ſhould begin to deliver Iſrael out of the hand of the Philiſtines: firſt, becauſe the Iſraelites were many years oppreſſed by the Philiſtines, and the Lord ſent them no ſaviour, till at length Samſon when he came of age, was ſtirred up by the ſpirit of God to undertake this work, and ſo he was the firſt that did any thing towards the foiling of the Philiſtines: ſecondly, becauſe though he did not wholy vanquiſh them (for after Samſons death they did often infeſt & annoy the Iſraelites) yet did he ſo farre weaken them, eſpecially by the laſt blow that he gave them at his death, when he ſlew all their Princes and many of the people, that they ſcarſe ever recovered their former ſtrength: and thirdly, becauſe the work of ſhaking off the yoke of the Philiſtines that was begun by Samſon, was followed on afterwards in the dayes of Eli, Samuel, and Saul (for they never were after this in bondage to the Philiſtines) till at length they were perfectly ſubdued by David.
Verſ. 6. A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an Angel of God, very terrible.] That is, his countenance was very venerable, and full of reverend Majeſty, and ſuch as wrought a kind of aſtoniſhment and fear in me.
Verſ. 7. For the child ſhall be a Nazarite to God from the womb, to the day of his death.] Others that took upon them the vow of a Nazarite, were onelyonly ſuch for a time, namely, ſo long as they had vowed to conſecrate themſelves unto the Lord, in this ſtrict way of ſingular holineſſe, which was therefore called the dayes of their ſeparation; ſee the notes Num. 6.3, 4, 5. But now Samſon was in an extraordinary way ſeparate to be a Nazarite, to wit, by the appointment and command of God, and not by his own voluntary vow, and therefore he was to be a Nazarite all his life, from the womb to the day of his death; and herein was Samſon above other Nazarites, a type of Chriſt, who was from his firſt conception perfectly ſanctified: Luke 2.35. That holy thing which ſhall be born of thee (ſaith the Angel to the virgin Mary) ſhall be called the ſonne of God, and ſo continued all his dayes, holy, harmleſſe, undefiled, and ſeparate from ſinners, Heb. 7.26. and that to the end he might be the ſaviour of Gods people: for the better manifeſtation whereof, it was that God by his providence did ſo order it, that he was (though upon another occaſion) called a Nazarene, Matht. 2.23. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets, He ſhall be called a Nazarene.
Verſ. 10. And the woman made haste, and ran and ſhewed her husband, &c.] Knowing how earneſtly her husband had prayed unto the Lord, that he would again ſend that man of God to them, that had at firſt brought her the tidings of her conception; no ſooner did ſhe now ſee him again, but as taking this to be an anſwer of his prayer, and therefore not doubting but he would ſtay till ſhe came back again, and withall longing to make glad the heart of her husband, ſhe made haſte and ran, as the text ſaith, to tell her husband of it.
Verſ. 16. Though thou detain me, yet I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering, thou muſt offer it unto the Lord.] Manoah had ſaid in the foregoing verſe, I pray thee, let us detain thee untill we ſhall have made ready a kid for thee: now becauſe thoſe words may be meant, eſpecially as they are in the originall, either his preparing a kid merely for him to eat, or elſe for preparing a kid for a ſacrifice, to wit, of a peace-offering (for with ſuch ſacrifices they uſed to feaſt their friends, after they had offered the fat unto the Lord) accordingly the Angel of the Lord anſwers Manoah in theſe words: for firſt, he abſolutely refuſeth to eat of any proviſion that he ſhould make ready for him, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and this he ſaith, not becauſe Angels in thoſe aſſumed bodies wherein they appear to men, cannot eat; for we ſee the contrary expreſſely affirmed, concerning the Angels that appeared to Abraham, when as yet they would not be known to be any other but men, Gen. 18.8. He took butter and milk, and the calf which he had diſtreſſed and ſet it before them—and they did eat, but becauſe he now deſired to lead on Manoah by degrees, to apprehend him to be more then a man, which as yet Manoah had not conceived: and then ſecondly, he addes, and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou muſt offer it to the Lord: wherein he intimates to Manoah, that he vvould not have him think of providing a ſacrifice, that he might eat of it; yet if he had a mind to offer a burnt offering, he ſhould approve of that; onelyonly he then gives him vvarning to take heed of having any other thought then to offer it to the Lord Jehovah onelyonly. As concerning the reaſon vvhy he gives him that expreſſe caveat, that he ſhould be ſure that he did not think of offering his burnt offering to any but the Lord; I conceive it to be onelyonly, becauſe many of the Iſraelites did at this time vvorſhip the idol-gods of the heathens, and therefore the Angel took this occaſion to bid him to beware of that. Many Expoſitours indeed conceive, that the Angel that novv appeared to Manoah, being a created Angel, ſpake this purpoſely to beat off Manoah from thinking to offer any ſacrifice to him: and others that hold it was the Sonne of God that novv appeared to him, underſtand theſe words as if he had ſaid, If you think of offering me a burnt offering, you muſt offer it to me as the true God, not as to a created angel: but firſt, becauſe there is nothing ſaid before, whereby it may be gathered that Manoah intended to offer a ſacrifice to the Angel: and ſecondly, becauſe it is manifeſt that as yet he took him to be a man as himſelf was, ſome prophet ſent unto him from God, as it follows in the next words, Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord: I ſee not why we ſhould think that the angel ſpake theſe words with reſpect to himſelf, but rather to give him warning of the idolatrie that was then too riſe in the land.
Verſ. 17. What is thy name, that when thy ſayings come to paſſe we may do thee honour?] That is, that we may make report to others concerning this thy foretelling future things, and ſo both we and they may eſteem and honour thee as a prophet of the moſt high God. This I conceive is chiefly intended; though withall it may be meant of ſome bountifull reward wherewith (by way of gratitude) he meant to honour him, that is, to teſtifie their honourable and high eſteem of him.
Verſ. 18. Why askeſt thou thus farre after my name, ſeeing it is ſecret?] Or ſeeing it is wonderfull, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, for the word in the Originall ſignifieth both ſecret and wonderfull. If we hold that this was a created angel that now appeared to Manoah, there is no neceſſitie that we ſhould thereupon make enquirie, as many Papiſts have very buſily done, whether the holy angels in heaven have all of them their ſeverall names, whereby they are diſtinguiſhed and known, when the angels would impart any thing one to another concerning any particular angel. For though there is no queſtion to be made but the angels both can and do impart what they would make known both one to another and one concerning another, yet becauſe they do this not by words or vocall expreſſions, but as ſpirits in a ſpirituall manner, and ſuch as we are not able to conceive; how is it poſſible that we ſhould determine any thing concerning their names? Sufficient it is for us to know that even in this regard the angel might well anſwer Manoah, that his name was ſecret or wonderfull, that is, that it was a thing not to be revealed, and therefore not to be enquired into; or a thing too wonderfull for him to underſtand, or that as the other angels ſo he alſo had no other name but this, that he was one of thoſe miniſtring ſpirits whom God did continually employ in the effecting of many wonderfull works for his people, with reſpect whereto therefore it may well be that verſ. 19. it is expreſſely noted, that the angel did wondrouſly. But now granting what was formerly ſaid, that this angel of the Lord was the Sonne of God, the great angel of the Covenant, it muſt needs ſeem the leſſe ſtrange that he ſhould tell Manoah that his name was ſecret and not to be ſearched into, or wonderfull and incomprehenſible: and that becauſe firſt, as he is very God, his name, that is, his eſſence or being is infinitely above our underſtanding, it is a ſecret we muſt not prie into, it is too wonderfull for us, onelyonly we know of him what by his word and works he hath been pleaſed to reveal to us, and that is enough to aſtoniſh any man that will ſeriouſly ponder it with himſelf: and ſecondly, as he was appointed of God to be in our nature the mediatour between God and man, there was nothing in him nor nothing that was to be done by him, but was every way wonderfull; whence it is that the prophet ſaid of him, His name ſhall be called wonderfull, Iſa. 9.6.
Verſ. 19. So Manoah took a kid with a meat-offering, and offered it, &c.] Neither the perſon ſacrificing, nor the place where they offered this ſacrifice were warrantable by the law; but the allowance of the angel, verſ. 16. If thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord, was warrant ſufficient.
Verſ. 20. For it came to paſſe when the flame went up towards heaven from off the altar, &c.] Becauſe there is no mention made either of wood or of fire that was brought by Manoah for the offering of this ſacrifice, therefore many Expoſitours hold, that by the miniſterie of the angel there came fire out of the rock to conſume the burnt offering, as it was before in Gideons ſacrifice, chap. 6.21. But that cannot certainly be concluded from thence. However, it was doubtleſſe the angels aſcending up in the flame of the altar, that was the principall miraculous work, whereby the angel did diſcover what he was to Manoah and his wife; and methinks too, this is one of the ſtrongeſt evidences to make it moſt probable that this angel was the Sonne of God, and that becauſe his going up to heaven in the flame of the ſacrifice, did moſt ſweetly repreſent and ſhadow forth the office of Chriſt, the great Angel of the covenant, whoſe work it is to preſent all our ſervices before God, and to procure them to be graciouſly accepted of him.
Verſ. 22. And Manoah ſaid unto his wife, We ſhall ſurely die, &c.] See the note chap. 6.22.
Verſ. 23. But his wife ſaid unto him, If the Lord were pleaſed to kill us▪ he would not have received a burnt offering, &c.] By three ſeverall arguments doth Manoahs wife comfort him: firſt, from Gods accepting of their ſacrifice; and that ſhe takes for granted, becauſe the angel adviſed them to offer that their ſacrifice, verſ. 16. If thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou muſt offer it unto the Lord: and ſecondly, becauſe he had made known Gods accepting of it, both by that his miraculous aſcending up to heaven in the flame of it, whereby they might ſee that their ſacrifice went up with him into the preſence of God; and alſo (as Expoſitours generally conceive) by cauſing fire miraculouſly to aſcend out of the rock, and conſume the ſacrifice as formerly in that of Gideons. Judg. 6.21. The angel of the Lord put forth the end of the ſtaff that was in his hand, and touched the fleſh and the unleavened cakes, and there aroſe fire out of the rock, & conſumed the fleſh and the unleavened cakes: ſecondly, from thoſe wonders God had ſhewed them; neither, ſaith ſhe, would he have ſhewed us all theſe things, that is, all theſe miraculous ſignes of Gods favour towards us, to wit, the ſtrange burning of the ſacrifice, and aſcending of the angel in the flame thereof: and thirdly from his imparting thoſe ſecrets to them concerning their child, Nor, ſaith ſhe; would he as at this time have told us ſuch things as theſe, that is, neither would he thus beforehand in a time of ſuch great diſtreſſe, have told us ſuch comfortable tidings concerning the birth and education of our child, and the worthy ſervice he ſhould do for the deliverance of his Church and people.
Verſ. 24. And the child grew, and the Lord bleſſed him.] That is, he indued him with admirable ſtrength of body, courage of mind, and all other gifts requiſite for thoſe worthy ſervices God had appointed him to do.
Verſ. 25. And the ſpirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan, &c.] The camp of Dan was either the place of Samſons dwelling, ſo called by occaſion of that which we find written, concerning the expedition of the Danites againſt Laiſh, which it ſeems was before the dayes of Samſon, chap. 18.11, 12. And there went from thence of the familie of the Danites out of Zorah, and out of Eſhtaol ſix hundred men appointed with weapons of warre. And they went up and pitched in Kiriath-jearim in Judah: wherefore they call that place Mahaneh-Dan unto this day: or elſe it may be meant of a camp which the Danites had formed at preſent in this place, having raiſed an army to withſtand the incurſions of the Philiſtines, who did ſorely now oppreſſe them; where Samſon ſerving in his young years, began to give proof of the noble acts he ſhould afterwards do. For the ſpirit of God began now and then at times to come upon him, and to put him upon ſtrange and admirable exploits, even beyond the ordinary courage and ſtrength of man.