Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just a list of dietary rules for Samson's mother; it's about a profound concept: the mother's lifestyle directly impacts the child's spiritual consecration from conception. The emphasis on abstaining from "unclean things" goes beyond typical dietary laws, highlighting a heightened state of purity required for a life dedicated to God even before birth.
Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean,
English Standard Version (ESV)
An angel has just appeared to Manoah’s wife, revealing that she, though barren, will conceive and bear a son who is destined to be a lifelong Nazirite devoted to God. As part of this special calling from conception, she's instructed to abstain from wine, strong drink, and anything considered unclean, ensuring the child's purity from the very beginning. This consecration is crucial because the mother’s condition directly impacts the developing child within her womb.
Why would a mother need to follow strict rules before her child is even born?
This verse reveals a profound principle: the life of faith and consecration can and should begin before birth.
What exactly did 'unclean' mean in this context, and why was it so important?
The command to 'eat not any unclean thing' carries significant weight, pointing to more than just dietary preferences.
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Understand the original words
tame' · Hebrew Adjective
Food or substances prohibited by the Mosaic Law. Consumption of these rendered a person ritually impure and unfit for divine service or community worship.
This verse isn't just about dietary rules; it's about setting the stage for a special life dedicated to God's purpose from the very beginning. The mother's strict adherence to these commands shows that even before Samson was born, his unique destiny as a Nazirite began to shape his life and the lives of those around him.
c. 11th century BC
Philistine Domination
Israel had been under the oppressive rule of the Philistines for 40 years, a period of significant hardship and subjugation for the Israelites.
Unknown
Manoah's Wife is Barren
Manoah and his wife, a couple from the tribe of Dan, longed for a child but were unable to conceive.
Unknown
Angel Appears to Manoah's Wife
A divine messenger appeared to Manoah's wife, announcing that she would conceive and bear a son who would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines.
Unknown— this verse
Instructions for the Child's Upbringing
The angel instructed Manoah's wife to abstain from wine, strong drink, and all unclean foods during her pregnancy, as the child was to be a Nazirite from birth.
Unknown
Manoah Prays for Guidance
Manoah, upon hearing the news, prayed for the angel to return and teach them how to raise the child destined to be a deliverer.
This passage directly outlines the requirements of a Nazarite vow, including abstaining from wine, strong drink, and anything unclean, providing the direct biblical precedent for Samson's mother's instructions.
Leviticus 11:1-47This chapter details the laws concerning clean and unclean foods for all Israelites, underscoring the importance of dietary restrictions within the covenant relationship with God, which is extended and intensified for the Nazarite mother and child.
Luke 1:15This verse describes John the Baptist, another divinely appointed figure, who also abstained from wine and strong drink from birth, showing a parallel in God's preparatory work for significant servants.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20While not a direct parallel in instruction, this passage speaks to the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, highlighting the principle that believers are called to offer their bodies to God through purity and self-control, a concept echoed in the restrictions placed upon Samson's mother.
gillJudges 13:4: "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, and drink not wine nor strong drink,.... Any liquor inebriating and intoxicating, neither new wine nor old wine, as the Targum, and so Jarchi; the reason of this appears in the next verse, because the child she should conceive and bear was to be a Nazarite, and to be one from his mother's womb; and from all such liquors, Nazarites, according to…
clarkeJudges 13:4: "Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:"
Beware - drink not wine - As Samson was designed to be a Nazarite from the womb, it was necessary that, while his mother carried and nursed him, she should live the life of a Nazarite, neither drinking wine nor any inebriating liquor, nor eating any kind of forbidden meat. See the account of the Nazarite and his vow in the notes on Numbers 6:2 (note), etc.
This verse isn't just a list of dietary rules for Samson's mother; it's about a profound concept: the mother's lifestyle directly impacts the child's spiritual consecration from conception. The emphasis on abstaining from "unclean things" goes beyond typical dietary laws, highlighting a heightened state of purity required for a life dedicated to God even before birth.
An angel has just appeared to Manoah’s wife, revealing that she, though barren, will conceive and bear a son who is destined to be a lifelong Nazirite devoted to God. As part of this special calling from conception, she's instructed to abstain from wine, strong drink, and anything considered unclean, ensuring the child's purity from the very beginning. This consecration is crucial because the mother’s condition directly impacts the developing child within her womb.
An angel has just appeared to Manoah’s wife, revealing that she, though barren, will conceive and bear a son who is destined to be a lifelong Nazirite devoted to God. As part of this special calling from conception, she's instructed to abstain from wine, strong drink, and anything considered unclean, ensuring the child's purity from the very beginning. This consecration is crucial because the mother’s condition directly impacts the developing child within her womb.
"Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean," — This verse isn't just a list of dietary rules for Samson's mother; it's about a profound concept: the mother's lifestyle directly impacts the child's spiritual consecration from conception. The empha…
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Last reviewed October 2026