Manoah Chapter 1-23 Chapter Summaries

The chapter starts with Israel once again disobeying God. He turned them over to the Philistines for forty years to punish their disobedience (v. 1). During this time, a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan had a barren wife (v. 2). His wife was visited by an angel of the Lord who promised a child to her (v. 3). He told her to abstain from wine or other similar beverages and to avoid eating unclean food (v. 4). The angel told her the reason for this is because she would bear a son that was a Nazarite from the womb. He would never shave his head, and he would be the one to deliver Israel from the Philistines (v. 5). Manoah’s wife came to him and regaled him with the details of what just happened to her (v. 4-7). Manoah proceeded to pray that the angel would return and teach them what to do for their future son (v. 8). God heard Manoah and did as he said, but the angel appeared only to his wife while she was in the field (v. 9). She again ran and told Manoah about her encounter, so he arose and followed her (v. 10). When he arrived, he asked if this was the man who appeared to her, and he replied that he was (v. 11).
12-14). Manoah, who was not aware of the man’s identity yet, wanted to detain the angel so that he could offer a young goat to him, but the angel told him to offer it to God (v. 15-16). Manoah continued questioning the angel and asked him what his name was, to which the angel said that his name was wonderful (v. 17-18). Manoah then offered a young goat and a grain offering upon a rock to God (v. 19). While Manoah and his wife looked at the angel, he ascended in the flames of the offering. When they saw this, they fell to the ground in awe (v.