Judges 13:16

_AND 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._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

15-23 What Manoah asked for instruction in his duty, he was readily told; but what he asked to gratify his curiosity, was denied. God has in his word given full directions concerning our duty, but never designed to answer other questionings. There are secret things which belong not to us, of which we must be quite contented to be ignorant, while in this world. The name of our Lord is wonderful and secret; but by his wonderful works he makes himself known as far as is needful for us. Prayer is the ascent of the soul to God. But without Christ in the heart by faith, our services are offensive smoke; in him, acceptable flame. We may apply this to Christ's sacrifice of himself for us; he ascended in the flame of his own offering, for by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, Hebrews 9:12. In Manoah's reflections there is great fear; We shall surely die. In his wife's reflecti...

Verse Judges 13:16. _I WILL NOT EAT OF THY BREAD_] As I am a spiritual being, I subsist not by earthly food. _AND IF THOU WILT OFFER A BURNT-OFFERING_] Neither shall I receive that homage which belongs to God; thou must therefore offer thy burnt-offering to Jehovah....

EXPOSITION JUDGES 13:1 DID EVIL AGAIN. It by no means follows from this phrase that this chapter is in direct chronological sequence to the preceding The scene is shifted to the tribe of Dan, and to the Philistines on the west, and there is nothing to guide us as to the exact time when the things narrated occurred. But the end of the forty years probably coincided with the judgeship of Samuel; for there was no complete deliverance in the time of Samson, only occasional cheeks to the Philistine domination (see Judges 13:5). It was not till the days of Samuel that the Philistines were really smitten (see 1 Samuel 7:3). We may suppose the date of the ensuing narrative to be somew

AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO MANOAH,.... In answer to his request: THOUGH THOU DETAIN ME, I WILL NOT EAT OF THY BREAD; that is, should he be prevailed upon to stay awhile with him, until an entertainment should be got ready, he would not eat of any of his provisions; for "bread" is put for all eatables, or whatsoever he might provide for the entertainment: AND IF, or "but if" n THOU WILT OFFER A BURNT OFFERING, THOU MUST OFFER IT UNTO THE LORD; if he meant to provide not a festival entertainment, but a sacrifice, then he should take care that he did not offer it to strange gods, as was now very much the custom with Israel in this their time of apostasy, Judges 13:1 but to the true Jehovah, and not to a servant of his, a prophet or an angel, but to himself: for Manoah knew not that he was an angel of t

6. SIXTH DECLENSION: UNDER THE PHILISTINES AND SAMSON CHAPTER 13 _ 1. Israel delivered to the Philistines (Judges 13:1)_ 2. Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:2) 3. Samson born (Judges 13:24) The sixth and last declension of Israel in this book is now before us. This section has deep and interesting lessons. The darkest period is reached. The Philistines lorded over Israel. We miss in connection with this declension the statement which occurs in every preceding departure from Jehovah: “And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.” Here is no cry recorded nor a return unto the Lord. It seems the greatest indifference controlled the people so that there was no desire to cry to the Lord. And w

THE BIRTH OF SAMSON. Judges 13:1. D's usual introduction. Judges 13:2. Zorah (p. 31) is now Sar-' a, 800 ft. above the valley of Sorek (Wady es-Surâ r), 17 m. W. of Jerusalem. In Joshua 15:33 and 2 Chronicles 11:16 it is no longer Danite, but Judahite, evidently because the Danites of the town had moved to the north (Judges 18). Judges 13:3. On the angel of the Lord see 21*. The words but thou shalt conceive and bear a son belong to Judges 13:5

BREAD. Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Species). App-6. Put for all kinds of food. OFFER. prepare. App-43. OFFER IT. cause it to ascend. App-43....

_I will not eat of thy bread_ in the general sense of _food_; cf. Genesis 3:19; Gen 47:12, 1 Samuel 14:24; Psalms 136:25. Note the advance in religious ideas: in Genesis 18:8 the Angels eat the meal which Abraham provides; in ch. Judges 6:18 ff. Gideon is allowed to prepare and cook a meal, but it is consumed by fire, not by the Angel; here the very notion of a meal is repelled (cf. Tob 12:19); if anything is to be presented it must be a burnt offering, and offered to Jehovah. The clause _For M. knew not_etc. would come more suitably at the end of

AND IF THOU WILT OFFER A BURNT-OFFERING, THOU MUST OFFER IT UNTO THE LORD— Manoah, as we observed, supposing this divine personage to be a prophet, was desirous to entertain him in a hospitable manner, and agreeably to his extraordinary commission; See Genesis 18:3 and ch. Joshua 6:18 but the angel told him, that though he should comply with his request, and stay, yet he would not eat of his food; insinuating thereby who he was _"But,_ continues he, (not _and,_ as we render it,) _if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering,_ if thou hast a mind to express thy thankfulness, _thou mayest offer a burnt-offering unto the Lord."_ A prophet, as Manoah took this to be, might authorize men to sacrifice, though they were not priests, or at the tabernacle; as Elijah did at Mount Carmel. The next words of this