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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.

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord. — To whom any sin is an eyesore, but especially apostasy and idolatry, the sins of those Israelites, who were therefore worse than others, because they ought to have been better.

Into the hand of the Philistines forty years. — During the days of Samson and Eli. Peace they had enjoyed likely, under the three forementioned Judges, Judges 12:7-9 ; Judges 12:13-14 and were the worse for it.

“ Luxuriant animi rebus plerunque secundis. ”

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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.

A certain man of Zorah. — Samson’s country, much ennobled by his name: as afterwards Co was by Hippocrates, Arpinum by Cicero, Hippo by Augustine, …

And his wife was barren. — What her name was is not recorded; written her name was in the Book of Life, and the Lord knoweth all his by name, and will give them a name in his house better than of sons and of daughters. Isaiah 56:5 A good woman she was, and the better, doubtless, for her barrenness: which was a great means to humble, and so to prepare her for such a mercy in her son Samson. It is observed that the barren women in both Testaments had the best children: as Sarah, Rachel, Elizabeth, … David also had his best sons by Bathsheba, after that they had been soundly humbled for their sin.

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And 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.

And the angel of the Lord, — i.e., Christ the Angel of the Covenant, called afterwards by Manoah Elohim, and by his wife Jehovah, Judges 13:23 and by himself Wonderful. Judges 13:18 Isaiah 9:6

Behold now, thou art barren. — See Judges 13:2 .

And bear a son. — A singular son, a Nazarite; such as should be "purer than snow, whiter than milk," Lamentations 4:7 drained from the dregs, and sifted from the bran of the ordinary sort of people.

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Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]:

Now therefore beware, I pray thee. — Since he must draw nourishment from thee, both in the womb and at the breasts; since the sanctifying of thy son must take beginning from thyself; beware therefore for his sake, and inure him to abstinence and sobriety of a little child. See also that he nourish his hair, which is the crown of his Nazariteship, Numbers 6:1-27 and that he come not at funerals, … Quintilian requireth in him that shall be an orator, that by his parents, nurses, attendants, he be inured to the best words well pronounced, and that from his infancy; that so he may soon become Vir bonus dicendi peritus, a good man and well-spoken. How much more requisite is this to a magistrate or minister!

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For, 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.

For the child shall be a Nazarite unto God. — And so a type of Christ, the great votary.

And he shall begin to deliver Israel. — He shall be doing at it, but David shall perfect this deliverance. Christ is both author and finisher of his people’s salvation.

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Then 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:

Then the woman came and told her husband. — Which because the first woman did not, but held a parley with the serpent, great mischief ensued. Married couples must freely impart their minds one to another in things of common concernment. Coniugis illa sui Cor, Caput iste suae. Josephus tells us that Manoah was jealous of his wife: but who told him so?

A man of God. — A prophet: it was indeed the Arch-prophet.

Very terrible. — Majestic, glorious, and sparkling with divine light.

But I asked him not whence he was. — Modesty and taciturnity do well become women. Video, taceo, I see and say nothing, was Queen Elizabeth’s motto.

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But 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.

Behold, thou shalt conceive. — Had her husband been jealous, as Josephus wrongfully reporteth him, she would hardly have told him this story. But had not she been barren, the angel had not now been sent to her. Afflictions to the saints are advantageous.

From the womb to the day of his death. — By God’s special designation and command. So was John Baptist. This was not ordinary.

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Then 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.

Then Manoah entreated the Lord. — So should we as oft as any difficulty ariseth in wedlock, or otherwise, especially about the breeding or disposing of our dear children. There is a woe to such as "take counsel, but not of God; and that cover with a covering, but not of his Spirit." Isaiah 30:1

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