Judges 13:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

NIV: and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

NASB: And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him when he was in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

CSB: Then the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in the Camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

NLT: And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he lived in Mahaneh-dan, which is located between the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol.

KJV: And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

NKJV: And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Israel's newest deliverer is unlike all the judges used by God before him (Judges 2:16–19). For one thing, Samson is the only judge called by God before he was even born (Judges 13:2–7). He is the only one set apart through Nazirite vows (Numbers 6:1–21) from conception to death. He is the only one said, directly, to receive power from the Holy Spirit before his career as a judge has even begun. The Bible is short on details in this passage, however. We're not told exactly how this "stirring" presented itself, or what exactly it means.

As a young man, the Lord's Spirit begins to work in Samson while he is at a specific place. The name Mahaneh-dan means "camp of Dan" and probably refers to a region inside the territory of Dan. This was close to the heart of the Philistine strongholds. Samson is thus influenced while he is between his hometown of Zorah and the town of Eshtaol, close by. Scholars point out a spring that flowed between these two towns and suggest Samson was there when the Holy Spirit began to work to fulfill God's purpose.

Unfortunately, the record of Samson's life immediately takes an ungodly turn (Judges 14:1–2). The book of Judges presents rescuers who are flawed, fallible people. Samson is not unique in this way; however, other than his supernatural strength (Judges 14:6, 19; 15:14–15; 16:3), he is often considered among the least "heroic" of all God's appointed servants. The next two chapters describe a messy, often ugly life which is nevertheless used by God to accomplish His purposes (Judges 14:4).

Judges 13:8–25 explains how Manoah learned of his wife's interaction with a messenger from God. He prays for more understanding, so he can properly fulfill his obligations. The angel of the Lord appears, again, and repeats his instructions. The child is to be consecrated as a Nazirite for his entire life. Manoah prepares a sacrifice, and the angel disappears into the flames. This further confirms the truth of the message. Manoah and his wife name their child Samson, who shows signs of blessing and the influence of God's Spirit from an early age.

The Lord appoints another deliverer for Israel, this time in response to oppression under the Philistines. An impressive stranger appears to Manoah and his wife, announcing they will have a son. This child is to be set apart as a Nazarite from before birth until death. His mother must not drink wine or strong drink or eat any unclean thing. This visitor then disappears into the flames of a burnt offering. The couple realizes they have seen a manifestation of Yahweh, Himself. Samson is born and soon shows signs of God's influence.

After Jephthah's rescue (Judges 11—12) this passage begins with another generation sinning against God. As is the pattern of the book of Judges, this leads to oppression. Israel is subject to forty years of misery under the Philistines. God appears to the wife of Manoah in the territory of Dan. She is commanded to consecrate her unborn son as a Nazarite, and that this child will begin to save Israel from the Philistines. Samson is born and is blessed by God. This is as pure as Samson's life will be—the rest of his story is an awkward, scandalous example of the Lord using flawed people to accomplish His great purposes.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).