Samson's Birth Announced
An angel appears to a barren woman, announcing she will bear a son who will begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. The child must be a Nazirite, set apart for God's special purpose.
Judges 13:1-25
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The Story
Israel had fallen into sin again, and the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years. During this time of oppression, there lived a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren, unable to bear children—a source of deep sorrow in their culture.
One day the angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah's wife with astonishing news: 'You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son.' This was not just any child. The angel continued with specific instructions: 'You must not drink wine or other fermented drink, and you must not eat anything unclean. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.'
The Nazirite vow was a sacred commitment involving three main prohibitions: abstaining from wine and strong drink, avoiding contact with dead bodies, and never cutting one's hair. These outward signs marked an inward dedication to God. But this child would be a Nazirite from birth—chosen before he could choose, set apart for divine purpose.
The woman hurried to tell her husband. 'A man of God came to me. His appearance was like that of an angel of God, very awesome.' She recounted the message about their coming son.
Manoah prayed earnestly: 'Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.' God heard his prayer, and the angel appeared again to his wife while she was in the field.
She ran to get Manoah, who asked the angel, 'When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy's life and work?'
The angel repeated the instructions, emphasizing that both mother and child must observe these restrictions. Manoah, not yet realizing he was speaking to the angel of the Lord, offered to prepare a meal. But the angel replied, 'Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord.'
Manoah asked the visitor's name. 'Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.'
Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and sacrificed them on a rock to the Lord. As the flame blazed up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame. Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground, finally understanding who had visited them.
Manoah was terrified. 'We are doomed to die! We have seen God!'
But his wife reasoned wisely: 'If the Lord had meant to kill us, He would not have accepted our burnt offering, nor would He have shown us all these things or told us this.'
In time, the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the Lord blessed him. The Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. The child of promise was growing into his calling—a calling that would showcase both God's power and human frailty, strength and weakness, destiny and choice.
God Promises Baby Samson
Kids Version
A long time ago, God's people Israel were in trouble. Mean people called the Philistines were being bullies to them. During this time, there was a man named Manoah and his wife. They were very sad because they didn't have any children.
One day, an angel from God came to visit Manoah's wife! The angel had wonderful news: 'You're going to have a baby boy! But this baby is very special. You must never cut his hair because he will be strong and help save God's people from the Philistines.'
The wife was SO excited! She ran to tell her husband. 'A man of God came to me! He looked like an angel!'
Manoah prayed, 'God, please send the angel back so we can learn how to raise this special boy.'
God answered! The angel came back. This time Manoah was there too. He asked, 'What's your name?'
The angel said, 'My name is too wonderful for you to understand.'
Manoah made a special gift for God—some food on a fire. When the fire went up to heaven, the angel went UP in the fire too! Manoah and his wife fell down. They knew they had seen an angel from God!
Just like the angel promised, the baby was born. They named him Samson. As Samson grew up, God was with him and made him very strong. God had a special plan for Samson's life!
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Scripture — Judges 13:1-25 (KJV)
1And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. did evil: Heb. added to commit, etc
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 the LORD 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 not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
5For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
6Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
7But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
8Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
9And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.
10And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
11And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.
12And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him? How shall we order: Heb. What shall be the manner of the, etc how shall we do: or, what shall he do?: Heb. what shall be his work?
13And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.
15And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. for thee: Heb. before thee
16And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
17And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
18And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret ? secret: or, wonderful
19So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
21But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
22And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
23But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
24And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
25And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. the camp: Heb. Mahanehdan
Memory Verse
“And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. did evil: Heb. added to commit, etc”
— Judges 13:1 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “Samson's Birth Announced” in the Bible?
An angel appears to a barren woman, announcing she will bear a son who will begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. The child must be a Nazirite, set apart for God's special purpose. This story is found in Judges 13:1-25.
Where is “Samson's Birth Announced” found in the Bible?
“Samson's Birth Announced” is found in Judges 13:1-25, in the book of Judges.
What can children learn from “Samson's Birth Announced”?
This story teaches children about Divine calling, Barrenness to blessing, Consecration, Obedience, God's deliverance. An angel told Manoah and his wife that God would give them a very special baby boy named Samson, who would be super strong and help God's people.