13And then the People of Israel were back at it again, doing what was evil in GOD's sight. GOD put them under the domination of the Philistines for forty years.H1121H3478H6213H7451H3254H5869H3068H3068H5414H3027H6430H705H81412At that time there was a man named Manoah from Zorah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and childless.H259H376H6881H4940H1839H8034H4495H802H6135H32053The angel of God appeared to her and told her, "I know that you are barren and childless, but you're going to become pregnant and bear a son.H4397H3068H7200H802H559H6135H3205H2029H3205H11214But take much care: Drink no wine or beer; eat nothing ritually unclean.H8104H8354H3196H7941H398H29315You are, in fact, pregnant right now, carrying a son. No razor will touch his head—the boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of his birth. He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression."H2030H3205H1121H4177H5927H7218H5288H5139H430H990H2490H3467H3478H3027H64306The woman went to her husband and said, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God—terror laced with glory! I didn't ask him where he was from and he didn't tell me his name,H802H935H559H376H559H376H430H935H4758H4758H4397H430H3966H3372H7592H5046H80347but he told me, 'You're pregnant. You're going to give birth to a son. Don't drink any wine or beer and eat nothing ritually unclean. The boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of birth to the day of his death.'"H559H2030H3205H1121H7941H3196H8354H398H2932H5288H5139H430H990H3117H41948Manoah prayed to GOD: "Master, let the man of God you sent come to us again and teach us how to raise this boy who is to be born."H4495H6279H3068H559H994H136H4994H376H430H7971H935H3384H6213H5288H32059God listened to Manoah. God's angel came again to the woman. She was sitting in the field; her husband Manoah wasn't there with her.H430H8085H6963H4495H4397H430H935H802H3427H7704H4495H37610She jumped to her feet and ran and told her husband: "He's back! The man who came to me that day!"H802H4116H7323H5046H376H559H376H7200H935H311711Manoah got up and, following his wife, came to the man. He said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to my wife?" He said, "I am."H4495H6965H3212H310H802H935H376H559H376H1696H802H55912Manoah said, "So. When what you say comes true, what do you have to tell us about this boy and his work?"H4495H559H1697H935H4941H5288H463913The angel of God said to Manoah,H4397H3068H559H4495H559H802H810414"Keep in mind everything I told the woman. Eat nothing that comes from the vine: Drink no wine or beer; eat no ritually unclean foods. She's to observe everything I commanded her."H398H3318H1612H8354H3196H7941H398H2932H6680H810415Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you—a young goat."H4495H559H4397H3068H6113H6213H1423H5795H644016GOD's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for GOD, go ahead—offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God.H4397H3068H559H4495H6113H398H3899H518H6213H5930H5927H3068H4495H3045H4397H306817Then Manoah asked the angel of God, "What's your name? When your words come true, we'd like to honor you."H4495H559H4397H3068H8034H1697H935H351318The angel of GOD said, "What's this? You ask for my name? You wouldn't understand—it's sheer wonder."H4397H3068H559H7592H8034H6383H638319So Manoah took the kid and the Grain-Offering and sacrificed them on a rock altar to GOD who works wonders.H4495H3947H1423H5795H4503H5927H6697H3068H6213H6381H4495H802H720020As the flames leapt up from the altar to heaven, GOD's angel also ascended in the altar flames. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground.H3851H5927H8064H4196H4397H3068H5927H3851H4196H4495H802H7200H5307H6440H77621Manoah and his wife never saw the angel of GOD again. Only then did Manoah realize that this was GOD's angel.H4397H3068H3254H7200H4495H802H4495H3045H4397H306822He said to his wife, "We're as good as dead! We've looked on God!"H4495H559H802H4191H4191H7200H43023But his wife said, "If GOD were planning to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our Whole-Burnt-Offering and Grain-Offering, or revealed all these things to us—given us this birth announcement."H802H559H3863H3068H2654H4191H3947H5930H4503H3027H7200H6256H8085H206324The woman gave birth to a son. They named him Samson. The boy grew and GOD blessed him.H802H3205H1121H7121H8034H8123H5288H1431H3068H128825The Spirit of GOD began working in him while he was staying at a Danite camp between Zorah and Eshtaol.H7307H3068H2490H6470H4264H1835H6881H847