Judges 13:7 · Bible study
Judges 13:7 Commentary: A Nazirite 'from the Womb to Death'
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine why the angel adds 'to the day of his death' in the Nazirite command for Samson, and how this lifelong vow frames his calling and sacrifice.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The angel reiterates the Nazirite vow for Samson, adding that it lasts from conception until death.
- Key words: Nazirite (נָזִיר), consecrated one; from the womb (מִן־הַבֶּטֶן); day of his death (יוֹם מוֹתוֹ).
- Main debate: Whether the phrase is a precept or prophecy, does Samson remain a Nazirite even after his hair is cut? (Gill: precept, not prophecy).
- Theological theme: God’s sovereign calling before birth and the lifelong nature of consecration.
- Best use: Understanding the uniqueness of Samson’s vow and the persistence of God’s purpose despite human failure.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But he said to me, ‘Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day of his death.’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink. Don’t eat any unclean thing, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
but he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb to the day of his death.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and he saith to me, Lo, thou art pregnant, and bearing a son, and now do not drink wine and strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing, for a Nazarite to God is the youth from the womb till the day of his death.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he said to me, Behold, thou shalt conceive and bear a son; and now drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not anything unclean; for the boy shall be a Nazarite of God from the womb to the day of his death.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But he answered thus: Behold thou shalt conceive and bear a son: beware thou drink no wine, nor strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite of God from his infancy, from his mother's womb until the day of his death.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y díjome: He aquí que tú concebirás, y parirás un hijo: por tanto, ahora no bebas vino, ni sidra, ni comas cosa inmunda; porque este niño desde el vientre será Nazareo á Dios hasta el día de su muerte.
E disse-me: Eis que tu conceberás, e darás à luz um filho: portanto, agora não bebas vinho, nem bebida forte, nem comas coisa imunda; porque este menino desde o ventre será nazireu a Deus até o dia de sua morte.
Mais il m’ a dit: Tu vas devenir enceinte, et tu enfanteras un fils; et maintenant ne bois ni vin ni liqueur forte, et ne mange rien d’ impur, parce que cet enfant sera consacré à Dieu dès le ventre de sa mère jusqu’ au jour de sa mort.
Er sprach aber zu mir: Siehe, du wirst schwanger werden und einen Sohn gebären. So trinke nun keinen Wein noch starkes Getränk und iß nichts Unreines; denn der Knabe soll ein Geweihter Gottes sein von Mutterleibe an bis an seinen Tod.
Maar Hij zeide tot mij: Zie, gij zult zwanger worden, en een zoon baren; zo drink nu geen wijn noch sterken drank, en eet niets onreins; want dat knechtje zal een Nazireer Gods zijn, van moeders buik af tot op de dag zijns doods.
ma mi ha detto: Ecco, tu concepirai e partorirai un figliuolo; or dunque non bere vino né bevanda alcoolica, e non mangiare alcun che d’impuro, giacché il fanciullo sarà un Nazireo, consacrato a Dio dal seno di sua madre e fino al giorno della sua morte”.
Tylko mi rzekł: Oto, poczniesz i porodzisz syna; przetoż teraz nie pij wina, ani napoju mocnego, ani jedz co nieczystego; bo Nazarejczykiem Bożym będzie to dziecię zaraz z żywota aż do dnia śmierci swojej.
он сказал мне: "вот, ты зачнешь и родишь сына; итак не пей вина и сикера и не ешь ничего нечистого, ибо младенец от самого чрева до смерти своей будет назорей Божий".
卻對我 說：『 你要懷孕 生 一個兒子，所以 清酒 濃酒 都不可 喝，一切 不潔之物 也不可 吃；因為 這孩子 從出 胎 一直到 死，必歸 神 作 拿細耳人。』」
But he said to me, You are with child and will give birth to a son; and now do not take any wine or strong drink or let anything unclean be your food; for the child will be separate to God from his birth to the day of his death.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 13:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the phrase “from the womb to the day of his death” marks Samson’s Nazirite status as lifelong and divinely imposed. Gill’s Exposition stresses that this is a precept, not a prophecy: the command of God for Samson’s consecration, even though his hair was later cut and his Naziriteship formally ended. Poole notes that because the mother’s pollution extends to the child, she must observe the Nazirite restrictions from conception. Thus the lifelong vow frames Samson’s entire life as set apart for God’s purpose, even when his choices seem to contradict it. The angel adds this detail in the repetition to the mother, emphasizing that God’s calling is not temporary but permanent, stretching from before birth to the moment of death.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The angel's addition makes clear that Samson's consecration was intended by God to last his entire life, from before birth until death, even if his later actions complicated that vow.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The lifelong Nazirite vow | Christians agree Samson was consecrated to God from before birth until his death as a divine command. | Gill sees this as a precept that Samson may have violated; others might emphasize it as a prophecy that God's purpose would be fulfilled irrespective of his obedience. (The supplied commentators do not elaborate a formal debate.) |
| Mother's restrictions | The mother must abstain from wine, strong drink, and unclean things because of the child's consecration. | Whether these restrictions are unique to Samson's case (because he was a Nazirite from conception) or apply more broadly to any prenatal dedication. Poole and Gill assume the former. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Judges 13 opens another cycle of Israel’s sin and oppression. The Philistines, a seafaring people with advanced weaponry, had dominated Israel for forty years (v.1). Into this darkness, God’s angel appears not to a seasoned warrior but to a barren woman, a detail that echoes the births of Isaac and Samuel and underscores divine initiative. Lange observes that Samson “is chosen before he is born.” The angel’s command to abstain from wine, strong drink, and unclean things applies to the mother because the child is consecrated from conception (Poole). The word nazir (H5139) means “consecrated one,” and the Nazirite vow of Numbers 6 normally lasted a specific period. Samson’s vow, however, is permanent: “from the womb to the day of his death.” The addition of death as the boundary is unique. The mother reports the command to her husband Manoah, whose name means “rest”, an ironic contrast to his son’s restless spirit. The angel’s face was “like the face of the angel of God, very awesome” (v.6, Keil & Delitzsch), giving the scene a weight of divine presence. This historical setting, barrenness, oppression, and a surprising birth, prepares readers for a deliverer who will begin to save Israel (v.5).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Judges 13:7. The verse is consistent across the Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. Ellicott mentions a variant in verse 6 (the LXX omits the negative “I asked him not”), but that does not affect verse 7.
Reception History
In the history of interpretation, this verse has been central to discussions of prenatal consecration. The Geneva Bible Notes (1599) simply restate the verse, while Gill (1748) engages the theological implications of a perpetual Nazirite. Matthew Henry (1710) uses the verse to highlight the sin-distress-deliverer cycle. Later commentators like Keil and Delitzsch (1876) focus on literary structure and the angelic annunciation motif. In broader Christian tradition, the lifelong dedication of Samson prefigures the absolute consecration of Christ and has been used in sermons on God’s calling and human response.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Calling from the Womb. God chooses Samson before he can choose God. The angel’s words remind us that divine purpose can precede human agency.
- The Cost of Consecration. The restrictions on both mother and child show that being set apart involves tangible disciplines, a pattern for all who are called to holiness.
- The Perseverance of the Vow. “To the day of his death” assures us that God’s call does not expire with our failures. Samson’s final act, though flawed, fulfills the lifelong dedication.
Five-point outline
- Divine initiative in election. God raises up deliverers before the crisis escalates.
- The role of parents in consecration. The mother’s obedience is part of the child’s holy identity.
- Holiness as separation. Abstaining from wine and unclean things marks a life dedicated to God.
- The tension between precept and human failure. Samson violates his vow, yet the command stands as God’s intention.
- God’s purpose fulfilled despite sin. The deliverance at Samson’s death completes the arc begun at his birth.
Illustration hooks
- The dedication of a child in baptism or infant dedication, parents vow to raise the child in the faith, a lifelong commitment.
- A person who made a solemn promise (marriage, religious order) and must live it out day by day, even when feelings fade.
- The story of a flawed leader whose failures are real but God still uses the legacy of their original calling.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God has a plan for me from birth, can I ever mess it up beyond repair?
- How do I know if I have a specific lifelong calling like Samson?
- Is Samson’s final act a noble death or a tragic suicide, and what does that mean for Christian discipleship?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is the mother’s report of the angel’s words, and it includes a detail not in the original announcement: “to the day of his death.” This addition raises questions about the permanence of God’s calling and the extent of human failure. As you discuss, keep in mind that the context is the Philistine oppression and God’s preparation of a deliverer.
Discussion questions
- What does the angel command the mother to do, and what reason does he give for each command?
- How does this repetition differ from the first announcement in verses 3-5? Which detail is new?
- Why do you think the angel adds “from the womb to the day of his death” here? What does that communicate about Samson’s calling?
- In Numbers 6, the Nazirite vow is temporary. How does Samson’s lifelong vow change the meaning of being a Nazirite?
- The mother must also abstain from wine and unclean things. What does this say about how a parent’s holiness affects their child?
- Samson later breaks parts of the Nazirite vow (e.g., touching a dead lion, attending a Philistine feast). How does the phrase “to the day of his death” speak to God’s persistence despite human weakness?
- How does this passage encourage or challenge you in thinking about your own lifetime commitment to God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 13:4 | Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing; |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that the child's lifelong Nazarite vow began before his birth, which is why his mother had to abstain from wine, strong drink, and unclean things from the moment of the announcement. Her purity was part of his consecration.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the angel adds "unto his death" to specify Samson was to be a perpetual Nazarite by God's appointment, not just for a limited time. He addresses the later haircut by noting this is a precept, not a prophecy, and that Samson died soon after that event.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
The woman describes her visitor as both a man of God, meaning a prophet, and like the angel of God, the divine messenger in whom God reveals himself. Keil-Delitzsch notes that she took him for a prophet, but his terrifying majesty left the impression of a superior being, so she dared not ask his name or where he came from.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that Samson is unique among the judges because his Nazarite vow is imposed from birth, not chosen. This shows that when the people lack penitence and faith, the objective power of the law itself becomes God's instrument for deliverance, working even through an unwilling hero.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees a deliberate pattern in Israel's repeated fall and rescue. He observes that sin made a savior necessary, and God allowed sin to increase so that his grace could overflow all the more through the deliverer he raised up.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.