To the barren wife of Manoah the angel announces a son who shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; the angel does wondrously and ascends in the flame of the altar — and Samson is born, and the spirit begins to move him.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Hashem; and Hashem delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
verse value 4110
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 58 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "son" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·hand·of·Philistines" (בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּסִ֙יפוּ֙ [and·they·added] (172) + בְּנֵ֣י [son] (62) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [Israel] (541) + לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת [to·do] (806) + הָרַ֖ע [the·evil] (275) + בְּעֵינֵ֣י [in·eyes·of] (142) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וַיִּתְּנֵ֧ם [and·he·gave·them] (506) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים [in·hand·of·Philistines] (876) + אַרְבָּעִ֥ים [forty] (323) + שָׁנָֽה [year] (355) = 4110.
Radak
Forty years. From the calculation of the days of the judge, these are the forty:
Ralbag
It further relates that the sons of Israel already continued to do evil in the sight of the Lord, and this was a cause that the Philistines ruled over them for forty years. And this number began around the beginning of Shimshon's government, as we mentioned. But before this, the Lord sold them into the hand of the Philistines from before the time of Yiftach and in the days of the judges after him that we mentioned, the Philistines were oppressing Israel.
Metzudat David
Forty years. They began before Samson arose, and were included in his days and in the beginning of the days of Eli the priest.
And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bore not.
verse value 3327
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָ֧ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "man" (אִ֨ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·clan·of" (מִמִּשְׁפַּ֥חַת, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "barren" (עֲקָרָ֖ה), "she·bore" (יָלָֽדָה). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "and·not" (root לא, 77x in Judges). First appearance of the root צרעה ("from·Zorah") in Judges. First appearance of the root דני ("Danites") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Manoah', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִי֩ [and·it·was] (31) + אִ֨ישׁ [man] (311) + אֶחָ֧ד [one] (13) + מִצׇּרְעָ֛ה [from·Zorah] (405) + מִמִּשְׁפַּ֥חַת [from·clan·of] (868) + הַדָּנִ֖י [Danites] (69) + וּשְׁמ֣וֹ [and·his·name] (352) + מָנ֑וֹחַ [Manoah] (104) + וְאִשְׁתּ֥וֹ [and·his·wife] (713) + עֲקָרָ֖ה [barren] (375) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + יָלָֽדָה [she·bore] (49) = 3327.
Radak
“From the family of the Danite.” The yod is the gentilic yod [yod ha-yachas], as in “the tribe of the Manassite”; and “mishpachah” [family] is used like “shevet” [tribe]; and likewise, “and he brought near the family of Judah.”
"Barren and had not borne children." An additional clarification: likewise, "and Sarai was barren; she had no child."
Metzudat David
"And his wife was barren." And in order to add clarification, it says, "and she bore no children."
Malbim
"Barren and had not borne children." For it is conceivable that a woman was barren after having already borne children before she became barren; it is also conceivable that she did not bear children due to another cause. Therefore, the verse repeats its words.
And the angel of Hashem appeared to the woman, and said to her: ‘Behold now, you are barren, and have not borne; but you shall conceive, and bear a son.
verse value 3470
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "son·of" (בֵּֽן, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·angel·of·Hashem" (מַלְאַךְ־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "behold·now" (הִנֵּה־נָ֤א), "you·barren" (אַתְּ־עֲקָרָה֙), "you·bore" (יָלַ֔דְתְּ). The root ילד appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "son·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "to·the·woman" (root איל, 114x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·woman', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 9 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּרָ֥א [and·appeared] (217) + מַלְאַךְ־יְהֹוָ֖ה [the·angel·of·Hashem] (117) + אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֑ה [to·the·woman] (342) + וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֵלֶ֗יהָ [to·her] (46) + הִנֵּה־נָ֤א [behold·now] (111) + אַתְּ־עֲקָרָה֙ [you·barren] (776) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יָלַ֔דְתְּ [you·bore] (444) + וְהָרִ֖ית [and·you·will·conceive] (621) + וְיָלַ֥דְתְּ [and·you·will·bear] (450) + בֵּֽן [son·of] (52) = 3470.
Ralbag
And for this reason the promise came to Manoach's wife, that she was pregnant and bore a son, and he will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines. Or perhaps the hand of the Philistines was not at all upon Israel in the days of those judges, but He promised two matters together, and it is that Israel would already be under the hand of the Philistines and Shimshon will begin to save them from their hands. And since it was revealed and known before Him who spoke and the world was, that Shimshon is destined to pursue after women and to be punished by them, the Lord devised from birth and from the womb and from pregnancy to prevent him from this. And for this reason He wished that he be a nazirite to God, for the refraining from drinking wine is very beneficial for this matter, as they said, 'whoever sees a sotah [a wayward wife] in her disgrace should render himself a nazirite from wine.' And for this very cause his mother refrained from it while she was pregnant with him, from drinking wine and strong drink. And she was warned from eating any impurity, to indicate the holiness of the child to be born, for this is from what inclines them to raise him in holiness, and this would also be a cause to educate him to be separated from the vanities of the world, from the physical desires. And for this very cause too he was commanded that no razor should come upon his head, to indicate his holiness, for this is all from what will distance him from indulging in the matter of lust, according to what is possible. And although in this matter there is an entrance to the matter of courage, meaning, great [growth of] hair, yet it should not be hidden from him that the Lord renewed in him additional courage because of the naziriteship, which great hair does not obligate according to nature. And this is that we already found that as soon as he was shaved, his strength departed from him. And this would not have been so if the courage was obligated by great hair, for the impression that is in great hair in courage is from the fact that it stops the smoky vapors in the body, which were accustomed to form from them the hair. And this is that the hair, when it reaches its end, does not grow, and then those smoky vapors stop within the body, and the redness strengthens in the body, and from this a spirit of courage is renewed. And one whose nature is this, the courage does not depart in the shaving of the hair except after a long time and little by little.
Now therefore beware, I pray you, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing.
verse value 3428
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "please" (נָ֔א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·eat" (וְאַל־תֹּאכְלִ֖י, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "be·kept" (הִשָּׁ֣מְרִי), "and·not·drink" (וְאַל־תִּשְׁתִּ֖י), "all·unclean" (כׇּל־טָמֵֽא). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "now" (root עתה, 24x in Judges). First appearance of the root יין ("wine") in Judges. First appearance of the root טמא ("all·unclean") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·strong·drink', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְעַתָּה֙ [now] (481) + הִשָּׁ֣מְרִי [be·kept] (555) + נָ֔א [please] (51) + וְאַל־תִּשְׁתִּ֖י [and·not·drink] (1147) + יַ֣יִן [wine] (70) + וְשֵׁכָ֑ר [and·strong·drink] (526) + וְאַל־תֹּאכְלִ֖י [and·not·eat] (498) + כׇּל־טָמֵֽא [all·unclean] (100) = 3428.
Rashi
Wine and strong drink. (The Targum [renders]: new and old wine.)
Radak
"And do not drink wine or strong drink." The vav indicates that "be careful" means from impurity, just as the Nazirite was careful from impurity and from wine and strong drink, so too was she commanded to be careful from all things forbidden to a Nazirite, so that his holiness would be from the womb. And what it says, "and do not eat anything unclean," after it said "be careful," explains that "be careful" means from the impurity of contact and from a tent [of the dead], and "anything unclean" means that she should not eat unclean things. Or, "and do not eat anything unclean" means the things forbidden to a Nazirite, such as "all that comes from the grapevine, from seeds to husks," and all derivatives of grapes, as our Masters of blessed memory explained: "What is 'and do not eat anything unclean'? The things forbidden to a Nazirite." But the Targum says "anything defiled." According to his view and our explanation of "be careful," Samson did not become impure through the dead. But we find in the words of our Sages of blessed memory that it was received by them that Samson did become impure through the dead. According to their view, "and do not drink wine or strong drink" explains "be careful," and for this reason they explained "anything unclean" as the things forbidden to a Nazirite. And one might wonder: how could one whom the Creator, blessed be He, commanded to be holy from the womb become impure through the daughters of the Philistines? The apparent explanation is that the women he took in Timnah, in Gaza, and in the Valley of Sorek, he converted them and returned them to the religion of Israel, for it is far from the judge of Israel and their savior to marry Philistines and transgress the negative commandment "you shall not intermarry with them," which is very severe and leads a person to heresy in the Creator, blessed be He, and exalted, as it says, "for He will turn your son away from following Me." And it is not found in the Scripture that he was punished for this, nor is it said of him that he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Rather, the Creator, blessed and exalted be He, prospered him in all his endeavors. And the verse says, "for it was from the Lord," meaning that his taking a wife from the daughters of the Philistines was from the Lord, and it was the will of God, blessed be He, in this matter, for surely he was converting them and returning them to the religion of Israel. And even so, it was a cause from God to take a wife from the Philistines to take vengeance on them, for it appears that the Israelites of that generation did not fear God enough that He would save them with a complete salvation from the hands of the Philistines, for all the days of Samson the Philistines ruled over Israel. For what the verse says, "and the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years," the twenty years of Samson are included in them, necessarily according to the calculation of the years. And the Israelites did not fight against them except Samson alone. Therefore, the Philistines had no claim to fight against Israel because of Samson, for he was not under their authority, and he alone was doing harm to the Philistines. And he dwelt among the Philistines while he was doing harm to them, and out of fear of him, they also refrained from fighting against Israel. Therefore, when the Philistines sought him from the men of Judah when he went to the rock of Etam, they handed him over to them. And so too the riddle of the lion's carcass and the honey, and so too that Samson's wife was given to his companion, all were causes to take vengeance on the Philistines. Blessed be God, to whom plans and causes are attributed, and from Him is everything. But the punishment of the gouging out of his eyes was because he said, "and she pleased Samson," and he said, "Take her for me, for she is pleasing in my eyes." He thought that he desired her for her beauty, and so too with the others whom he desired and took for his lust towards them. And behold, he spoiled his original good intention, which was the will of God, as it is written, "for it was from the Lord." For he was seeking a pretext from the Philistines; it appears that initially his intention was good, to seek a pretext from the Philistines, and afterwards lust overpowered him upon seeing her, and she was pleasing in his eyes, and he spoiled his divine intention with his bodily, bestial intention which was mixed in with it. Therefore, he was punished, and the Philistines gouged out his eyes, measure for measure. And our Sages of blessed memory said so: even though it is written, "for it was from the Lord," because he went after what was pleasing in his eyes. And even so, they helped him from heaven, and He took vengeance for his eyes on the Philistines.
"Wine and strong drink." As its Targum [renders it]: "new and old wine." And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, "[From] wine and strong drink shall he abstain": Rabbi Eliezer HaKappar berabi says: "Wine" refers to wine mixed with water, and "strong drink" refers to undiluted wine.
Metzudat David
And now. From now on, guard yourself and do not drink, etc.
“Every unclean person.” This implies that only non-sacred food may be consumed in a state of ritual purity. And our Sages of blessed memory stated (Sotah 9b): “Unclean” means things that are forbidden to a Nazirite.
Metzudat Zion
Wine and strong drink. Meaning: new wine and old wine:
Malbim
“And now, please take heed” — guard yourself against things that naturally cause harm to a pregnant woman; and besides this, do not drink, etc. And what is meant by “every unclean thing”? It refers to things forbidden to a nazirite.
For, lo, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and 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 out of the hand of the Philistines.’
verse value 5064
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 86 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֛ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּי֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "Israel" (אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, it·will·be. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·a·razor" (וּמוֹרָה֙), "shall·not·come·up" (לֹא־יַעֲלֶ֣ה), "upon·head" (עַל־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ). 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "it·will·be" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "son·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "shall·not·come·up" (root עלה, 78x in Judges). First appearance of the root ירה ("and·a·razor") in Judges. First appearance of the root נזיר ("for·consecrated or devoted one") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·the·belly', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 6 words.
Rashi
And "morah." A razor, because it removes and casts off the hair.
Radak
"Behold, you are with child." "You shall be with child":
“And you shall bear a son.” This is a composite form, derived from both yoledet (she is bearing) and v’tiledet (and you shall bear). It employs the language of the active participle (po’ele), even though she is not yet in the act of bearing. This is because the term harah (pregnant) is used, which is an adjective functioning like an active participle; therefore, the language of the active participle is also used for the bearing. Furthermore, it employs the waw-consecutive form (v’pe’ale) because she is destined to bear. Alternatively, v’tiledet may be derived from a root resembling the marbii’a (a four-letter root pattern).
"And a razor shall not come up on his head." It is the razor (ta'ar); and Targum Yonatan [renders it] "u-mispar" (and shears).
"And he shall begin." For the judges who were before him did not fight against the Philistines. And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "The oath of Abimelech was begun to be broken," as it is written, "If you deal falsely with me, my son, and my grandson." And then they fought against Israel at first. Or perhaps it means that he began to save them, since he did not save them with a complete salvation.
Metzudat David
"For behold, you are with child." This means: For this reason, you must guard yourself against these matters, for behold, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head to remove his hair, for from the time of his coming forth from the womb he shall be a Nazirite unto the Lord. And therefore, even during the pregnancy, you must guard yourself against the matters forbidden to a Nazirite.
"And he began to deliver." This means that his deliverance was a beginning without completion, and so it was. For although he smote the Philistines on many occasions, in any case he immediately withdrew his right hand and did not continue fighting in order to defeat them. This is not the case with the other judges, for when they began to strike the nations, they did not withdraw their hand until they had accomplished all that their hand found to do.
Metzudat Zion
And the razor. It is the razor, after that it causes the hair to fall, and it is from the word of (Exodus 15:4) 'He cast [yara] into the sea,' so too it is said of Samuel (I Samuel 1:11) 'a razor shall not come upon it':
A Nazirite. The sense of separation, as in (Isaiah 1:4) 'they are estranged, turned back [nazoru achor],' since he separated himself from the pleasures of the world:
Shall begin. He shall begin:
Malbim
For you are pregnant. It is as if you were pregnant now, to the extent that you need to be careful immediately.
And our Sages of blessed memory (Midrash Rabbah, Naso 10:16) stated that there was seminal fluid in her womb, and the moment the angel spoke to her, she conceived. This is why he first said "you will conceive" in the future tense, and then said "for behold, you are pregnant" at this very moment. Therefore, he said "and you will give birth" with a cholam, which is a compound of the present and the reversed past, indicating that she was already prepared to give birth.
Then the woman came and told her husband, saying: ‘A man of God came to me, and his countenance was like the countenance of the angel of God, very terrible; and I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name;
verse value 5148
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 96 letters. Verse gematria: 5148 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "went·in" (בָּ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "I·asked·him" (שְׁאִלְתִּ֙יהוּ֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 311: the·woman, man. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·its·appearance" (וּמַרְאֵ֕הוּ), "as·sight·of" (כְּמַרְאֵ֛ה), "terrible" (נוֹרָ֣א). The root בוא appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·she·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "of·her·husband" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "and·came" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'very', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 7 words.
Radak
"As the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome." Explanation: For the masses of people think that the angel is a body and its form is an awesome form.
Metzudat David
"A man of God." She thought that he was a prophet.
Very awesome. The form of His countenance is awesome and terrifying, like the appearance of an angel:
"From where." From what place is he? For he did not tell me his name when I asked him, and therefore I did not ask about his place, since he does not reveal it.
Metzudat Zion
To her husband. To her husband:
From where. Where is the place that can be called 'from here,' so too (Genesis 16:8) 'from where have you come':
Malbim
"A man of God came to me," for she was in doubt whether he was a man or an angel. She meant to say: from the perspective of his being clothed in matter, he is a "man of God," and from the perspective of his awe-inspiring nature, he is like an angel. This is what she said: "like the appearance of an angel," etc., on account of the fact that he was exceedingly awesome.
And I did not ask him where he was from, etc., for it was the custom to ask about one's place of origin, and the respondent would state his name, as it is said: "And Micah said to him, 'Where do you come from?' And he said, 'I am a Levite.'"
but he said to me: Behold, you shall 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 to God from the womb to the day of his death.’
verse value 5381
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 85 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִים֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֔י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·eat" (וְאַל־תֹּֽאכְלִי֙, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "not·drink" (אַל־תִּשְׁתִּ֣י), "all·uncleanness" (כׇּל־טֻמְאָ֔ה), "his·death" (מוֹתֽוֹ). 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "it·will·be" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "son·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'son·of', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 13 words.
Rashi
“And do not eat anything unclean.” These are the things forbidden to a nazirite:
Metzudat Zion
Behold. Behold, you:
Malbim
The Questions (7–13): Why did she not recount that He said to her, "Behold, you are barren"? And likewise, what is said, "No razor shall come upon his head"? And likewise, what is said, "And he shall begin to save Israel"? And why did the angel come to the woman and not to Manoah himself? And why did Manoah request that he come again to teach the law concerning the boy, when he had already taught him his law, and the angel added nothing in the second instance beyond what was said in the first?
"And He said to me: Behold, you are pregnant." And why did He say to her, "You are barren"? She did not disclose this for the sake of peace (Vayikra Rabbah, Tzav 89). Likewise, she did not recount what the angel said, "No razor shall come upon his head," for this is included in what was said, "For he shall be a Nazirite to God." And likewise, she did not say what was said, "And he shall begin to save," for since the Philistines were then ruling, she feared lest the matter become known and they kill the newborn. And she added, "until the day of his death," whereas the angel did not state this explicitly, for he knew that before his death he would desecrate his Nazirite vow.
Then Manoah entreated Hashem, and said: ‘Oh, Hashem, I pray You, let the man of God whom You did send come again to us, and teach us what we shall do to the child that shall be born.’
verse value 4228
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 78 letters. The shortest word is "if it please" (בִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Hashem" (אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·pleaded" (וַיֶּעְתַּ֥ר), "my·lord" (אֲדוֹנָ֔י), "you·have·sent" (שָׁלַ֗חְתָּ). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·said', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 13 words.
Rashi
"To the child who is to be born." The one who is destined to be born:
Radak
“to the child who is born.” Meaning, he is yet to be born, and it is a descriptive phrase, similar to “and the bush was not consumed.” And the word “who is born” is written with a vav and a dagesh. Likewise, “who is born to Israel” and “born to toil.”
Metzudat David
"Whom You sent": To prophesy to my wife.
What is to be done? For perhaps there is a need to perform with him an additional matter besides the other aspects of his naziriteship, due to the fact that he was [a nazirite] from the womb.
The one who will be born. "That which will be born":
Metzudat Zion
And he entreated. The sense of much prayer, so too (Genesis 25:21) 'and Isaac entreated':
Oh. The sense of a request:
And he shall instruct us. And he shall teach us, as in (Micah 4:2) 'and he shall teach us of His ways':
Malbim
"And let him instruct us what we should do for the boy who is to be born." He meant to say that the angel had only explained the conduct of the woman, but had not taught them the conduct of the child (especially since she had not told him what the man had said, "No razor shall come upon his head"). Therefore, he requested that he come again to instruct regarding the conduct of the child, particularly because it is a new type of Naziriteship (for the Naziriteship of Samson is unusual in its laws, in that he becomes impure through contact with the dead, and his heavy hair does not permit him to shave with a razor).
And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field; but Manoah her husband was not with her.
verse value 3035
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 70 letters. The shortest word is "again" (ע֜וֹד, 3 letters) and the longest is "God" (הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 91: God, messenger, God. The root אלהים appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "her·husband" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "to·the·woman" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "and·came" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Manoah', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 12 words.
Metzudat David
"Manoah's voice." This means: [He heeded him] in order to fully satisfy his request, even though it was not necessary, since he did not add anything.
And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said to him: ‘Are you the man that spoke to the woman?’ And he said: ‘I am.’
verse value 4405
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֗וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֗וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·you·spoke" (אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתָּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, and·said. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "are·you" (הַאַתָּ֥ה), "that·you·spoke" (אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתָּ). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "that·you·spoke" (root אשר, 178x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·wife', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 10 words.
Rashi
"After his wife." After her counsel.
Metzudat David
"After his wife." For she alone knows the place where He appeared.
“Are you.” With the interrogative letter *he*:
And Manoah said: ‘Now when your word comes to pass, what shall be the rule for the child, and what shall be done with him?’
verse value 2341
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "will·go·in" (יָבֹ֣א) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "now" (עַתָּ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "judgment·of·the·boy" (מִשְׁפַּט־הַנַּ֖עַר, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "what·shall·be" (מַה־יִּהְיֶ֥ה), "judgment·of·the·boy" (מִשְׁפַּט־הַנַּ֖עַר), "and·His·deed" (וּמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "what·shall·be" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "will·go·in" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·words', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + מָנ֔וֹחַ [Manoah] (104) + עַתָּ֖ה [now] (475) + יָבֹ֣א [will·go·in] (13) + דְבָרֶ֑יךָ [your·words] (236) + מַה־יִּהְיֶ֥ה [what·shall·be] (75) + מִשְׁפַּט־הַנַּ֖עַר [judgment·of·the·boy] (754) + וּמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ [and·His·deed] (427) = 2341.
Rashi
What shall be the judgment of the youth and his deed? (Targum:) What is fitting to be done for the lad, and what shall we do to him?
Radak
"The judgment of the boy and his practice." [Targum:] "That which is fitting for the child, and what shall we do for him?"
Metzudat David
"Now let your words come to pass." He meant to say: Until now, I was in doubt as to whether your words would be fulfilled; but now, since you have come again through my prayer, it appears that this is indeed the word of God, and surely your words will come to pass. Therefore, I will ask you and you shall inform me: What will be the judgment concerning the lad? How should I conduct myself with him? And what is the deed that I shall do for him?
Metzudat Zion
Judgment. Conduct, so too (I Samuel 27:11) 'so is his manner [mishpat]':
Malbim
"Now come your words: What will be the judgment of the youth?" That is to say, in the first instance you declared the judgment of the woman and her conduct. Now teach us: a) What is the judgment of the youth, how will he conduct himself? b) And his deeds—since you designated him before he was born, surely he will perform great deeds—inform us of his deeds and his mighty acts.
And the angel of Hashem said to Manoah: ‘Of all that I said to the woman let her beware.
verse value 3033
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "from·all" (מִכֹּ֛ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·I·said" (אֲשֶׁר־אָמַ֥רְתִּי, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "that·I·said" (אֲשֶׁר־אָמַ֥רְתִּי). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "to·the·woman" (root איל, 114x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Manoah', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֛אמֶר [and·said] (257) + מַלְאַ֥ךְ [messenger] (91) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + אֶל־מָנ֑וֹחַ [to·Manoah] (135) + מִכֹּ֛ל [from·all] (90) + אֲשֶׁר־אָמַ֥רְתִּי [that·I·said] (1152) + אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה [to·the·woman] (342) + תִּשָּׁמֵֽר [will·be·kept] (940) = 3033.
Metzudat David
“From all that I have said…” — This means that the law of the nazarite does not impose upon him any additional obligations beyond those of other nazirites; rather, the “addition” refers to the fact that his mother, too, must guard herself from all that I have said.
Malbim
“Of all that I have said to the woman, she must keep.” This means: This is a matter that does not require me to inform you regarding the law of the boy, for you may ask those who know the law and judgment, and they will teach you the laws of his naziriteship (and therefore it was said that Manoah was an am ha’aretz). I have come only to warn the woman, as this is a novel matter.
And the reason why the angel did not come to Manoach is explained by the Maharia: because she was more prepared than he for seeing the angel. And one may say that it was because Samson's naziriteship was not a matter of a vow, nor was it contingent upon a request, since it was established by the angel. But if it had been by the father's word, it would have been a matter of a vow, for the father makes his son a nazirite, and its legal status would have been different.
She may not eat of any thing that comes of the grapevine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe.’
verse value 5760
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 64 letters. Verse gematria: 5760 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·I·commanded·her" (אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּיתִ֖יהָ, 9 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "that·comes·out" (אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא֩), "from·vine·of" (מִגֶּ֨פֶן), "wine" (הַיַּ֜יִן). The root כל appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·comes·out" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "not·let·her·drink" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "not" (root לא, 77x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'not·let·her·eat', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִכֹּ֣ל [from·all] (90) + אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא֩ [that·comes·out] (602) + מִגֶּ֨פֶן [from·vine·of] (173) + הַיַּ֜יִן [wine] (75) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + תֹאכַ֗ל [shall·eat] (451) + וְיַ֤יִן [and·wine] (76) + וְשֵׁכָר֙ [and·strong·drink] (526) + אַל־תֵּ֔שְׁתְּ [not·let·her·drink] (1131) + וְכׇל־טֻמְאָ֖ה [and·any·uncleanness] (111) + אַל־תֹּאכַ֑ל [not·let·her·eat] (482) + כֹּ֥ל [all] (50) + אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּיתִ֖יהָ [that·I·commanded·her] (1022) + תִּשְׁמֹֽר [will·keep] (940) = 5760.
Metzudat David
From all, etc. He means to say: And this is what I said, "From all," etc.
"All that." There is nothing more to be done; she must only keep all that I commanded her.
Metzudat Zion
Of the grapevine. Because there is a wild grapevine, as it is written (II Kings 4:39) 'and he found a wild grapevine,' therefore he said 'grapevine of the wine [i.e., a true, wine-producing grapevine]':
And Manoah said to the angel of Hashem: ‘I pray you, let us detain you, that we may make ready a kid for you.’
verse value 2167
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 47 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "kid" (גְּדִ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·us·detain·you·now" (נַעְצְרָה־נָּ֣א, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "let·us·detain·you·now" (נַעְצְרָה־נָּ֣א), "and·we·will·do" (וְנַעֲשֶׂ֥ה), "kid" (גְּדִ֥י). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "and·we·will·do" (root עשה, 87x in Judges). First appearance of the root עצר ("let·us·detain·you·now") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֥אמֶר [and·said] (257) + מָנ֖וֹחַ [Manoah] (104) + אֶל־מַלְאַ֣ךְ [to·messenger] (122) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + נַעְצְרָה־נָּ֣א [let·us·detain·you·now] (466) + אוֹתָ֔ךְ [you] (427) + וְנַעֲשֶׂ֥ה [and·we·will·do] (431) + לְפָנֶ֖יךָ [to·your·face] (190) + גְּדִ֥י [kid] (17) + עִזִּֽים [goats] (127) = 2167.
Rashi
“Please, let us detain you. Let us gather you into the house.”
Metzudat Zion
Was detained. Was delayed, as in (I Kings 18:44) 'let not the rain detain you':
Malbim
“Please, let us detain you.” Since he did not know whether he was a prophet or an angel, he said: “If you are a prophet, we will detain you to dine with us. And if you are an angel, we will prepare a young goat for you as a sacrifice.”
And the angel of Hashem said to Manoah: ‘Though you detain me, I will not eat of your bread; and if you will make ready a burnt-offering, you must offer it to Hashem.’ For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of Hashem.
verse value 3498
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 81 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "if·you·detain·me" (אִם־תַּעְצְרֵ֙נִי֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "if·you·detain·me" (אִם־תַּעְצְרֵ֙נִי֙), "not·I·will·eat" (לֹא־אֹכַ֣ל), "in·your·bread" (בְּלַחְמֶ֔ךָ). The root יהוה appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "and·if·you·make" (root עשה, 87x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·shall·offer·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Radak
"In your bread" – in your food, for "bread" encompasses all types of food.
“And if you offer a burnt offering”: This means that regarding the young goat from the goats that you have stated you will present before Me, I will not eat from it. However, if you wish to offer it as a burnt offering, you may do so. And regarding His statement “to the Lord,” this is because that generation was doing evil in the eyes of the Lord, and they were offering burnt offerings to other gods.
"For he did not know." Its meaning connects with "Let us detain you, please" [v. 15].
Ralbag
Behold, this angel who spoke to Manoach and his wife was necessarily a prophet, for it is not the way of prophecy that it be together for two in this manner mentioned in this place. And indeed I hold that this prophet was Pinchas. And he did not wish to eat of the kid of the goats, just as he did not wish to eat from the meat and the unleavened bread that Gideon brought before him, in order to settle more in the heart of Manoach and his wife that he is the angel of the Lord, so that they would be careful of everything that he said to them.
Metzudat David
"If you detain me." Even if you detain me, I will not eat, and he means to say: if your intention in detaining me is to prepare the kid of the goats for my food, behold, I will not eat it; and if your intention in detaining me is until you make it a burnt offering, is it not written, "To the Lord shall it be offered up"? So what need is there to detain me?
"For he did not know." For had he known, certainly his intention would not have been to feed the angel, and it would then not have been necessary to say to him, "I will not eat your bread."
Malbim
And he replied, “If you detain me for the meal, I will not eat; but if you offer a burnt offering to the Lord, offer it, for whoever sacrifices to gods other than the Lord shall be destroyed.” He explained that Manoach was in doubt and did not know with certainty that he was an angel of the Lord. Therefore, he was uncertain in his words whether to detain him for the meal or to offer a sacrifice.
And Manoah said to the angel of Hashem: ‘What is your name, that when your words come to pass we may do you honour?’
verse value 1532
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 45 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·we·will·honor·you" (וְכִבַּדְנֽוּךָ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "your·name" (שְׁמֶ֑ךָ), "that·shall·come" (כִּֽי־יָבֹ֥א), "your·word" (דְבָרְךָ֖). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "that·shall·come" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·name', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֧אמֶר [and·said] (257) + מָנ֛וֹחַ [Manoah] (104) + אֶל־מַלְאַ֥ךְ [to·messenger] (122) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + מִ֣י [who?] (50) + שְׁמֶ֑ךָ [your·name] (360) + כִּֽי־יָבֹ֥א [that·shall·come] (43) + (דבריך) [speech] (236) + דְבָרְךָ֖ [your·word] (226) + וְכִבַּדְנֽוּךָ [and·we·will·honor·you] (108) = 1532.
Rashi
"When Your word comes": If a mission of Your word comes to us, so that we may know and recognize Your name:
"And we will honor you." And we will do whatever you send to us.
Radak
“‘What is your name?’ And he did not say ‘What,’ as is the custom of the language, which does not use the word ‘who’ except with reference to a living, speaking entity itself; whereas a name is not the essence itself. According to this explanation, one would not say ‘who’ with regard to a name, but rather ‘what is your name?’ or ‘what is his name?’ And if it were said that because he was spiritual, he said ‘who’—implying that an angel has no physical body and that the name is like the essence itself—then Manoach did not know that he was spiritual until he ascended. And there is another explanation: because in Manoach’s eyes he was a great and honored prophet, and a great person is known by his name even to those who have not seen him, and thus the name is like the essence itself.”
"When Your word comes and we honor You." And it is written, "Your words," and it is one matter, and its interpretation is as its Targum: "May Your utterances be established and we shall honor You."
Metzudat David
"When your word comes to pass." When your words are fulfilled, we will render you honor; therefore, tell us your name, so that we may know whom we are honoring, lest we fail to recognize you then.
Metzudat Zion
What is your name. Like (Genesis 32:22) 'what is your name':
Malbim
And Manoah said, etc., “What is your name?” He meant to say: Manoah, who thought that he was a prophet of God, reasoned that it is impossible for a prophet to trouble himself to go and prophesy unless he expects a reward of monetary gain or food, or unless he expects honor, in that when his words come to pass, they will regard him as a prophet. And after he had invited him to a meal and he refused to eat, he still thought that he had done so for the sake of honor. And this is impossible unless he reveals his name, so that when his prophecy is fulfilled, they will publicize that he is the seer and the prophet. This is what he said: “What is your name?”—so that when your word comes and your prophecy is fulfilled, we may honor you.
And the angel of Hashem said to him: ‘Wherefore do you ask after my name, seeing it is hidden?’
verse value 1747
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לוֹ֙) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (לוֹ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·it·is·hidden" (וְהוּא־פֶֽלִאי, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "you·ask" (תִּשְׁאַ֣ל), "to·My·name" (לִשְׁמִ֑י), "and·it·is·hidden" (וְהוּא־פֶֽלִאי). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "to·My·name" (root שם, 43x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·My·name', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 1 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר [and·said] (257) + לוֹ֙ [to·him] (36) + מַלְאַ֣ךְ [messenger] (91) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + לָ֥מָּה [why] (75) + זֶּ֖ה [this] (12) + תִּשְׁאַ֣ל [you·ask] (731) + לִשְׁמִ֑י [to·My·name] (380) + וְהוּא־פֶֽלִאי [and·it·is·hidden] (139) = 1747.
Rashi
And this is wondrous. "Covered" – it is always changing, and it is not known what it will change into today (Sifrei, Naso 42):
Radak
"Pil'i." [Formed] by the elision of the aleph, the yod being [the suffix] of relation; and if the aleph were visible, it would be on the pattern of "Ivri." Its meaning is "covered and hidden," so that you cannot know it. And Targum Yonatan explains it so; and likewise the Targum [Onkelos] on "when he makes a special vow" [Leviticus 27:2] [renders] "ari yafrish" (for he shall distinguish/specify), and its meaning is: singled out and separated from your knowledge of it.
Metzudat David
"To what purpose is this, etc." He means to say, "I have no desire for honor, and if so, why do you ask this?"
And this is astonishing. Moreover, it is concealed and hidden, and it is not to be revealed.
Metzudat Zion
Wonderful. Hidden and concealed, as in (Deuteronomy 17:8) 'if it is too hard for you':
Malbim
“And he said, etc., ‘Why do you ask my name?’” I do not seek honor and glory from man, for I am an angel. Moreover, the inhabitants of the material world do not know my name, which is “Pelei” (Wonderful). Furthermore, since an angel’s name corresponds to his mission, and he was sent at this moment to perform wonders, as it is stated, “He performs wonders,” his name was therefore “Pelei” (Wonderful) at that time.
And our Sages of blessed memory, in Midrash Rabbah, Naso (10:19), explained that his name was "Pelei" (Wondrous), on account of the [law of the] nazirite vow, as it is written, "when he shall utter a wondrous vow" (Numbers 6:2).
So Manoah took the kid with the meal-offering, and offered it upon the rock to Hashem; and [the angel] did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on.
verse value 3903
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 65 letters. The shortest word is "and·took" (וַיִּקַּ֨ח, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·the·gift" (וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "kid" (אֶת־גְּדִ֤י), "the·goats" (הָֽעִזִּים֙), "and·the·gift" (וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה). The root מנוח appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "to·do" (root עשה, 87x in Judges); "and·he·offered" (root עלה, 78x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיִּקַּ֨ח [and·took] (124) + מָנ֜וֹחַ [Manoah] (104) + אֶת־גְּדִ֤י [kid] (418) + הָֽעִזִּים֙ [the·goats] (132) + וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה [and·the·gift] (515) + וַיַּ֥עַל [and·he·offered] (116) + עַל־הַצּ֖וּר [on·the·rock] (401) + לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה [to·Hashem] (56) + וּמַפְלִ֣א [and·acting·wondrously] (157) + לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת [to·do] (806) + וּמָנ֥וֹחַ [and·Manoah] (110) + וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ [and·his·wife] (713) + רֹאִֽים [seeing] (251) = 3903.
Radak
"And he offered [it] up on the rock." It is in the hif'il conjugation: what Manoah offered up was a burnt-offering on the rock to the Lord. This occurred during the time when the altars were forbidden, for as long as the Tabernacle was in Shiloh, the altars were prohibited. Our Sages of blessed memory said: It was a temporary ruling, for behold, the angel said to him: "If you will offer a burnt-offering to the Lord, you shall offer it."
“And He does wonders.” The angel performed wonders by bringing forth fire from the rock and consuming the kid and the meal-offering. And when the fire grew and sent up a flame, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame, meaning that He withdrew from them in the flame.
Metzudat David
"To the Lord." That it shall be a burnt-offering to the Lord.
And He performs wonders. The angel performed wonders to bring forth fire from the rock.
They see. They observe His deeds:
Malbim
"And he took." Then he offered [it] to the Lord, as he had said, "to the LORD, offer it up," and this is what is said, "And he went up to the rock to the Lord." And it is wondrous how the angel performed miracles, for he brought down fire upon the altar, and they saw this with their own eyes.
For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of Hashem ascended in the flame of the altar; and Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground.
verse value 3304
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 78 letters. The shortest word is "from·upon" (מֵעַ֤ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·angel·of·Hashem" (מַלְאַךְ־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: altar, altar. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "in·flame·of" (בְּלַ֣הַב), "upon·their·faces" (עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם). The root עלה appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "from·upon" (root על, 87x in Judges); "when·going·up·of" (root עלה, 78x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'altar', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Radak
“when the flame goes up from the altar.” With the letter bet:
Ralbag
And indeed the angel went up in the flame of the altar, like the matter in what he did to Gideon, of the matter of the fire that consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the angel of the Lord went out of his sight. And perhaps for this very cause the prophet did not wish to reveal his name, for then they did not believe very much in prophets, for the word of the Lord was rare then. And to add to their belief in his words, he hid from them who he was.
Metzudat David
"Heavenward." Upward, toward the heavens.
They see. When he ascended in the flame:
Metzudat Zion
The flame. A flame:
Malbim
"And he went up, etc., in the flame of the altar." And they also saw this with their eyes. It is explained that the vision of the angel at the time of his departure is a matter of greater magnitude than seeing him while he is clothed in a corporeal garment, for when he sheds the garment in which he had embodied himself and returns to his spiritual essence, it is impossible for a physical eye to see him. As it is stated (2 Kings 2:10): "If you see me taken up from you, so shall it be to you," meaning that at the time of his ascension from the physical realm, Elisha would not have seen him had it not been for the double portion of the spirit that was upon him. And regarding this, [Manoah] said: "We are doomed to die, for we have seen God."
But the angel of Hashem did no more appear to Manoah or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Hashem.
verse value 1859
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 57 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1859 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "then" (אָ֚ז, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·his·wife" (וְאֶל־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·did·not·again" (וְלֹא־יָ֤סַף), "to·be·seen" (לְהֵרָאֹ֖ה), "and·to·his·wife" (וְאֶל־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ). The root מלאך appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "he" (root הוא, 71x in Judges); "and·to·his·wife" (root אשה, 59x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·to·his·wife', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְלֹא־יָ֤סַף [and·did·not·again] (187) + עוֹד֙ [again] (80) + מַלְאַ֣ךְ [messenger] (91) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + לְהֵרָאֹ֖ה [to·be·seen] (241) + אֶל־מָנ֣וֹחַ [to·Manoah] (135) + וְאֶל־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ [and·to·his·wife] (744) + אָ֚ז [then] (8) + יָדַ֣ע [knew] (84) + מָנ֔וֹחַ [Manoah] (104) + כִּֽי־מַלְאַ֥ךְ [for·messenger] (121) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + הֽוּא [he] (12) = 1859.
Radak
"And he added no more." This means that he was not seen by them again. The sense is that "then Manoah knew" is connected with "the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar," and not with "and he added no more." Alternatively, one may explain that "and he added no more" means that when Manoah saw that he had departed from his sight, he knew that it was the angel of the Lord. And there is another interpretation, connecting it with "and he added no more," and the meaning of "and he added no more" is that he did not appear again in that very vision; namely, he ascended in the flame of the altar and was not seen by them anymore. Then he knew that it was the angel of the Lord who had gone from their sight, and they did not see him anymore in that vision.
To be seen. With a cholam, and likewise "to be seen" in Shiloh, as occurs with sound [regular] verbs, such as "that which is given shall indeed be given."
Metzudat David
"And he would not add anymore." From the time that he ascended in the flame, he was no longer visible to them.
Az. When he saw all this, Manoah understood that it was an angel:
Malbim
"And the angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and his wife; then Manoah knew that it was the angel of the Lord." For until now, there was still some doubt in his mind, perhaps that he was a man of marvels, astonishing in his deeds, and he was hoping that he would descend upon the altar and return to them. But after he had vanished from their sight, they knew that he was an angel and had returned to his place.
And Manoah said to his wife: ‘We shall surely die, because we have seen God.’
verse value 2424
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֖ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·his·wife" (אֶל־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·his·wife" (אֶל־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ), "we·will·die" (נָמ֑וּת). The root מות appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·his·wife" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "for" (root כי, 70x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'we·will·die', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֧אמֶר [and·said] (257) + מָנ֛וֹחַ [Manoah] (104) + אֶל־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ [to·his·wife] (738) + מ֣וֹת [surely] (446) + נָמ֑וּת [we·will·die] (496) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + אֱלֹהִ֖ים [God] (86) + רָאִֽינוּ [we·saw] (267) = 2424.
Ralbag
And indeed Manoach and his wife were afraid for their life at seeing the angel of the Lord, for the cause that we mentioned in this matter with Gideon.
Metzudat David
Elohim. The angel of Elohim:
Malbim
And he said, etc., "We shall die." I have already explained the reason for this fear above (6:22) in the case of Gideon.
But his wife said to him: ‘If Hashem were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt-offering and a meal-offering at our hand, neither would He have shown us all these things, nor would at this time have told such things as these.’
verse value 4886
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 77 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֣וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֣וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·kill·us" (לַהֲמִיתֵ֙נוּ֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 36: to·him, and·Lamed. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "delights" (חָפֵ֨ץ), "to·kill·us" (לַהֲמִיתֵ֙נוּ֙), "from·our·hand" (מִיָּדֵ֙נוּ֙). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·she·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "a·burnt-offering" (root עלה, 78x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'all·these', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 4 words.
Rashi
And now. This [i.e. this time]:
He did not make us hear such a thing. He would not have made us hear this tiding if we were worthy of death.
Metzudat David
He did not take. He would not have accepted them willingly so that the fire would consume them, nor would He have shown us all these wonders that the angel performed to bring forth the fire.
"And now." This means: "If it is like that time of which you spoke, namely, the time of death, then He would not have caused us to hear that good tidings, for how could it be fulfilled if we were to die soon?"
Metzudat Zion
If. Like 'if,' so too (above 8:19) 'if you had kept [them] alive':
Malbim
"And his wife said to him." He replied to him with three reasons: 1) If it were God's desire to put us to death, He would not have taken from our hands a burnt-offering and a meal-offering. For this is a sign of favor and love, not a sign of anger and punishment. 2) "And He has not shown us all these wonders"—for does He perform wonders for the dead? 3) And now, He has not announced to us such news, which necessarily implies that I shall live and bear a son.
And the woman bore a son, and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and Hashem blessed him.
verse value 3606
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 45 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "son·of" (בֵּ֔ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·blessed" (וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·grew" (וַיִּגְדַּ֣ל), "and·blessed" (וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "son·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "the·woman" (root אשה, 59x in Judges). First appearance of the root שמשון ("Samson") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Samson', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַתֵּ֤לֶד [and·she·bore] (440) + הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ [the·woman] (311) + בֵּ֔ן [son·of] (52) + וַתִּקְרָ֥א [and·called] (707) + אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ [name] (747) + שִׁמְשׁ֑וֹן [Samson] (696) + וַיִּגְדַּ֣ל [and·grew] (53) + הַנַּ֔עַר [the·boy] (325) + וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ [and·blessed] (249) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 3606.
And the spirit of Hashem began to move him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
verse value 2296
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 39 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "spirit·of" (ר֣וּחַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·Mahaneh-dan" (בְּמַחֲנֵה־דָ֑ן, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·move·him" (לְפַעֲמ֖וֹ), "in·Mahaneh-dan" (בְּמַחֲנֵה־דָ֑ן). The root בין appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "between" (root בין, 50x in Judges); "in·Mahaneh-dan" (root מחנה, 29x in Judges). First appearance of the root אשתאל ("Eshtaol") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Mahaneh-dan', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַתָּ֙חֶל֙ [and·began] (444) + ר֣וּחַ [spirit·of] (214) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + לְפַעֲמ֖וֹ [to·move·him] (226) + בְּמַחֲנֵה־דָ֑ן [in·Mahaneh-dan] (159) + בֵּ֥ין [between] (62) + צׇרְעָ֖ה [Zorah] (365) + וּבֵ֥ין [and·between] (68) + אֶשְׁתָּאֹֽל [Eshtaol] (732) = 2296.
Rashi
To move him. To enter within him from time to time:
Radak
"And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him." The Targum of Jonathan translates: "And the spirit of might began, from before the Lord, to strengthen him," meaning that the might and strength he had in the camp of Dan began for him. This is the place where the sons of Dan encamped when they went to capture Laish, and it is the location between Zorah and Eshtaol. There, his strength began to come from the Lord. Perhaps he had a conflict with enemies there and defeated them, but the Scripture did not recount it. And the interpretation of "to stir him" (lif'amo) is to strengthen him, opposite to the Nifal and Hitpael conjugations derived from it, which denote the removal of strength and the breaking of limbs, as in "I was shaken and did not speak" (Nifal) and "his spirit was troubled" (Nifal) and "his spirit was troubled" (Hitpael). I have already written other interpretations on this in the book Mikhlol under the root P-Y-M, but this interpretation is the correct one in my eyes and in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, for the interpretation of "to stir him" is from the notion of a bell (pa'amon), that the spirit of prophecy was clanging before him like a bell-clapper. And the meaning of "the Spirit of the Lord" is that the prophecy of our father Jacob began then, when he said, "Dan shall be a serpent by the way."
Ralbag
And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him. Meaning, that the spirit of courage that was in him from the Lord already began to move him. And this is that sometimes he thought to fight with the Philistines and sometimes he thought to refrain from this, like a bell that strikes this way and that way.
Metzudat David
"And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him." The Spirit of might from the Lord began to lead him in the camp of Dan, to demonstrate through him mighty deeds and wonders.
“Between Zorah.” The camp of Dan was stationed between Zorah, etc. (And these are the ones that were in the inheritance of Judah):
Metzudat Zion
And she began. From the word for beginning:
To stride. The sense of stride and going, as in (above 5:28) 'the footsteps of his chariots':
At Camp-Dan. A place name, after that the children of Dan encamped there when they went to war against Laish, as it is written in this book (18:27):
Malbim
"Lefa'amo" [to stir him]. That the spirit of might rested upon him from time to time, in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol, for we find Zorah and Eshtaol in the inheritance of Judah (Joshua 15:33) and in the inheritance of Dan (ibid. 19:42); hence, this indicates that this event occurred in the inheritance of Dan.
Radak
Ralbag
Metzudat David