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.13.1 did evil…: Heb. added to commit, etc
2¶ 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. 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.
6¶ 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: 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.
8¶ 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. 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?13.12 How shall we order…: Heb. What shall be the manner of the, etc13.12 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.
15¶ And 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.13.15 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?13.18 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.
24¶ And 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.13.25 the camp…: Heb. Mahaneh-dan
参孙的出生
1以色列人又做耶和华视为恶的事，耶和华就把他们交在非利士人手中四十年。
2琐拉城住了一个但支派的人，名叫玛挪亚。他妻子不能生养，没有孩子。 3耶和华的天使向那妇人显现，对她说：“你虽然多年不育，但不久你必怀孕生一个儿子。 4所以，你要留心，不可喝淡酒和烈酒，不可吃不洁之物。 5你必怀孕生一个儿子，你不可为他剃头，因为他一出生就要归给上帝做拿细耳人13:5 “拿细耳人”参见民数记6:1-8。。他要从非利士人手中拯救以色列人。” 6妇人就去对丈夫说：“有一位上帝的仆人向我显现，他的容貌像上帝的天使，非常可畏。我没有问他从哪里来，他也没有把名字告诉我。 7他对我说，‘你必怀孕生一个儿子，所以不可喝淡酒和烈酒，不可吃不洁之物，因为孩子一出生就要献给耶和华，终生做拿细耳人。’”
8玛挪亚向耶和华祈求说：“主啊，求你再派你的仆人到这里来，教我们怎样照顾要出生的孩子。” 9上帝应允了他的祈求。他妻子正坐在田间的时候，上帝的天使再次向她显现。当时她丈夫玛挪亚不在场。 10她赶忙跑去告诉她丈夫说：“那天来的那人又向我显现了。” 11玛挪亚立刻跟随妻子来到那人面前，问他：“那天跟我妻子说话的就是你吗？”他答道：“是我。” 12玛挪亚问道：“你的话应验以后，我们应该怎样抚养这孩子？他该做什么？” 13耶和华的天使说：“你的妻子必须谨记我的一切吩咐。 14她不可吃葡萄树所结的果实，淡酒和烈酒都不可喝，不可吃任何不洁之物。她必须遵行我的一切吩咐。”
15玛挪亚说：“请你留下来，我们要预备一只山羊羔给你吃。” 16当时，玛挪亚仍然不知道那人是耶和华的天使。天使说：“我就是留下来也不会吃你预备的食物。如果你预备燔祭，就把它献给耶和华吧！” 17玛挪亚说：“请告诉我你的名字，当一切应验的时候，我们好向你表达敬意。” 18耶和华的天使说：“何必问我的名字呢？我的名字奇妙难测。” 19于是，玛挪亚就把一只山羊羔和素祭放在磐石上，献给耶和华。就在这时候，天使在玛挪亚和他妻子面前行了一件奇妙的事： 20火焰从祭坛上升起的时候，耶和华的天使也在祭坛的火焰中升上去了。玛挪亚夫妇见状，便俯伏在地。
21耶和华的天使后来没再向玛挪亚和他妻子显现，玛挪亚才知道他是耶和华的天使。 22玛挪亚对妻子说：“我们必死无疑，因为我们看见了上帝。” 23他妻子却说：“如果耶和华要杀我们，祂就不会接受我们的燔祭和素祭了，也不会让我们看见这些事并告诉我们这些话了。”
24后来玛挪亚的妻子生了个儿子，她给孩子取名叫参孙。这孩子渐渐长大，耶和华赐福给他。 25当他在琐拉和以实陶之间的玛哈尼·但的时候，耶和华的灵开始感动他。
