BibleWord.ai› Bible› Judges› Chapter 13› Verse 2

Judges 13:2

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 13:2 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Judges 13:2 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 13

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1And 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.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
5for, 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.
← Judges 13:1Judges 13:3 →
← Full Chapter 13 Judges Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, etc.] Of the tribe of Dan, in which tribe Zorah was, and seems to have lain both on the borders of Judah and Dan, (<061533>Joshua 15:33 19:41); (see Gill on “<061533>Joshua 15:33”), (see Gill on “<061941>Joshua 19:41”), and this man was not a mean man, but of rank and figure, a principal man in the country, according to Josephus f263; though the Talmudists f264 say he was a plebeian: whose name was Manoah; which signifies “rest”, and has much the same signification as Noah; and by this name he was well known in those times, and among his people: and his wife was barren, and bare not; had no child, as the Targum; and it is…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“AN ANGEL APPEARS TO MANOAH'S WIFE. (Jdg 13:2-10) Zorah--a Danite town (Jos 15:33) lying on the common boundary of Judah and Dan, so that it was near the Philistine border.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Zorah - See the marginal reference. His wife was barren - To mark more distinctly the high providential destiny of the child that was eventually born. Compare the similar circumstances of the birth of Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, and John the Baptist. return to 'Top of Page'”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Of the family - That is, of the tribe or people. Bare not - An emphatical repetition of the same thing in other words, which is an usual elegancy both in scripture and other authors. Judges 13:3”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Zorah: Jos 15:33, Jos 19:41 barren: Gen 16:1, Gen 25:21; Sa1 1:2-6; Luk 1:7 Judges 13:3”
Read attributed excerpt →
Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“Whilst the Israelites were given into the hands of the Philistines on account of their sins, and were also severely oppressed in Gilead on the part of the Ammonites, the angel of the Lord appeared to the wife of Manoah, a Danite from Zorea, i.e., Sur'a, on the western slope of the mountains of Judah (see at Jos 15:33). Mishpachath Dani (the family of the Danites) is used interchangeably with shebet Dani (the tribe of the Danites: see Jdg 18:2, Jdg 18:11, and Jdg 18:1, Jdg 18:30), which may be explained on this ground, that according to Num 26:42-43, all the Danites formed but one family, viz., the family of the Shuhamites. The angel of the Lord announced to this woman, who was barren, "Thou…”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Judges 13 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification