for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that Samson's role wasn't to complete Israel's deliverance but to begin it. This subtle distinction underscores that his mighty acts were the foundational strokes in a much larger, ongoing work of God that would unfold through subsequent generations.
for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
An angel has just appeared to Manoah's wife, who was previously barren, to announce that she will conceive and give birth to a son. This divine message reveals that the child will be set apart to God from birth as a Nazirite, with his long hair as a physical sign of his special consecration, and that he is destined to be the one who initiates Israel's liberation from the oppressive hand of the Philistines.
Samson’s birth wasn't just a happy accident. It was a divine appointment, a promise from God for a specific purpose.
Right from conception, Samson was designated as a 'Nazirite to God'. This wasn't a choice he made later in life, but a calling from birth.
A Life Set Apart
Samson was destined to start freeing Israel. But why 'begin'? What does this tell us about God's plan and Samson's role?
The verse clearly states that Samson 'shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.' This phrasing is crucial. It implies that his work was foundational, not final.
A Gradual Rescue
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Understand the original words
nazir · Hebrew Noun
A person who made a special vow to be set apart exclusively for God's service. This vow involved abstaining from wine, contact with the dead, and the cutting of hair as a sign of consecration.
yasha' · Hebrew Verb
To rescue, deliver, or grant victory. In Scripture, it is the act of God or His appointed instrument saving His people from bondage, oppression, or ultimate judgment.
This verse reveals that Samson's mission was not to bring about a complete, lasting victory, but to be the first in a long line of leaders—including Samuel and David—who would gradually secure Israel's freedom from Philistine oppression.
c. 11th Century BC
Philistine Oppression of Israel
Following significant Israelite defeats, the Philistines rose to power, exerting military and political control over parts of Israel. This created a period of deep suffering and a desperate need for deliverance.
c. 11th Century BC— this verse
Divine Announcement to Manoah's Wife
An angel of the Lord appeared to the barren wife of Manoah, announcing she would conceive and bear a son. This divine intervention marks the beginning of God's plan to address the Philistine oppression.
c. 11th Century BC
Samson's Birth and Nazirite Vow
Samson was born under a lifelong Nazirite vow, consecrated to God from the womb. His unique calling was symbolized by his unshorn hair and his mission to combat the Philistines.
c. 1075 BC - 1037 BC
Samson's Judgeship
Samson served as a judge for Israel, characterized by his extraordinary strength and numerous, often personal, conflicts with the Philistines. While he inflicted heavy losses, his efforts initiated the deliverance but did not fully achieve it.
c. 1050 BC - 1010 BC
Samuel and Saul's Leadership
The work of deliverance was continued and carried forward by the prophet Samuel and Israel's first king, Saul. They further challenged Philistine dominance, building upon the groundwork laid by Samson.
c. 1010 BC - 970 BC
David's Reign and Consolidation
King David finally achieved a decisive victory over the Philistines, establishing peace and solidifying Israel's security. This marked the completion of the deliverance that Samson had begun generations earlier.
This passage lays out the specific laws and requirements for the Nazarite vow, directly informing the unique consecration described for Samson in Judges 13:5.
1 Samuel 1:11Hannah dedicates her son Samuel as a lifelong Nazirite from birth, mirroring Samson's consecration and highlighting a shared theme of God calling individuals for special service from the womb.
Isaiah 44:2This verse speaks of God forming and choosing servants from the womb, resonating with Samson's divinely appointed birth and purpose to begin Israel's deliverance.
Luke 1:15John the Baptist is described as being filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb and being set apart, paralleling Samson's unique, God-ordained calling from birth for a specific mission.
Isaiah 63:5This verse describes the solitary power of the Lord's arm in bringing salvation, which some commentators see reflected in Samson's individual feats of strength, distinguishing his role as the one who 'began to save Israel' (Judges 13:5).
gillJudges 13:5: "For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor 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."
For, lo, thou shalt conceive and bear a son,.... Which is not only repeated for the confirmation of it, but that she might take notice that he was to be a Nazarite, and therefore must conform to everything agreeable to the law of the Nazarites, and take care that it was…
bensonJudges 13:5: "For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor 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."
Jdg 13:5 . The child shall be a Nazarite — Consecrated to God’s service in a peculiar manner. He shall begin to deliver Israel — He did not complete the deliverance of the Israelites from the servile yoke of the Philistines; but the work was carried on and perfected by…
The verse highlights that Samson's role wasn't to complete Israel's deliverance but to begin it. This subtle distinction underscores that his mighty acts were the foundational strokes in a much larger, ongoing work of God that would unfold through subsequent generations.
An angel has just appeared to Manoah's wife, who was previously barren, to announce that she will conceive and give birth to a son. This divine message reveals that the child will be set apart to God from birth as a Nazirite, with his long hair as a physical sign of his special consecration, and that he is destined to be the one who initiates Israel's liberation from the oppressive hand of the Philistines.
An angel has just appeared to Manoah's wife, who was previously barren, to announce that she will conceive and give birth to a son. This divine message reveals that the child will be set apart to God from birth as a Nazirite, with his long hair as a physical sign of his special consecration, and that he is destined to be the one who initiates Israel's liberation from the oppressive hand of the Philistines.
"for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”" — The verse highlights that Samson's role wasn't to complete Israel's deliverance but to begin it. This subtle distinction underscores that his mighty acts were the foundational strokes in a much l…
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Last reviewed October 2026