Verse 1. Years. It is not clear whence this sixth and longest servitude is to be dated. If it terminated at the death of Samson, when the Philistines lost their chief nobility, and so forth we must allow that the Israelites began to be obliged to pay tribute in the 6th year of Abesan. A.Calmet. 1193. Salien. Calmet. 12:8. Bible.—Marsham dates from the third month after the death of Jair, to the third year of Samuel, during which period Heli governed in one part, and Jephte, Abesan, Ahialon, and Abdon in other provinces of Palestine. It is not very material which of these systems be adopted, as they do not contradict the text. All Israel was not reduced under the power of the Philistines; but the neighbouring tribes were infested with their incursions, and were obliged to pay tribute. Juda complains at their invading his territory, and they allege that it was because Samson had been the aggressor, which shews that the Israelites retained some little liberty. Calmet. 15:9. Calmet.—The servitude had scarcely commenced, when God provided Samson a deliverer for his people. Salien, A. 2860. Bible.
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Verse 2. Saraa, in the confines of Juda and of Dan, ten miles north of Eleutheropolis. Euseb.—Manue seems to have resided in the country, near this town, verse 25. Menochius.
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Verse 3. Angel, in human form. Some Protestants pretend that he was “the Son of God,” and yet (verse 16) they say, “he sought not his own honour, but God’s, whose messenger he was,” (Bible, 1603) in which they plainly contradict themselves, or else teach Arianism, as if the Son were not true God, and equal to his Father. Worthington.—The title of God, (Jehova) which is given to this angel, (verse 15, 21) is no proof that he was the Supreme Being. Calmet. 6:11.
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Verse 4. Thing. Exhortations to observe the law are not unnecessary. Saint Augustine q. 50. Besides the things which common people might take, such as wine, grapes, and so forth were unclean for the Nazarites. The mother of Samson was required to abstain from every species of uncleanness as much as possible, at least while she bore and nursed her child. Calmet.—Abulensis says, she was unquestionably under peculiar restrictions till her delivery. Menochius.—This was a preparation for the child who should abstain from all unclean things, not only for a time, (Numbers 6) but during his whole life, that he might be a more perfect figure of Christ. Worthington.—His dignity was not of choice, nor could he forfeit it by touching any thing unclean, nor by the violent cutting off his hair. As the deliverer of the people, he must often have been obliged to touch dead bodies. Calmet.—Begin. The power of the Philistines was greatly broken by Samson. Calmet. 16:13. Menochius.—But Samuel, Saul, and David had still to contend with them. 1 Kennicott. 7:13. Bible.
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Verse 6. And when, and so forth Hebrew Chal. Syr. Arab. and the Vatican Septuagint read a negation, “And I did not ask him whence he came; neither did he tell me his name.” The other copies of the Septuagint Saint Augustine (q. 51.) and so forth agree with the Vulg. though Saint Augustine suspected that the negation was wanting. Calmet.
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Verse 8. Born. Josephus (verse 10.) insinuates that Manue was touched with a sort of jealousy, as his wife had mentioned the comeliness of the stranger. Bible.—But Saint Ambrose (ep. 70) has undertaken his defence; and surely God would not have wrought a miracle to gratify his request, if it had not proceeded from a virtuous motive, desiring to enjoy the same happiness as his wife, and to know precisely how they were to educate their son. Calmet.—Procopius thinks that the wife of Manue was of more eminent virtue than her husband, and was therefore honoured with the first vision. She had been more afflicted at her sterility, and had prayed more earnestly for the people’s safety. Menochius.
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Verse 12. Himself. Hebrew and Septuagint “What shall be the judgment (education. Calmet.) of the boy, and what his works? (or Prot.) how shall we do unto him?” Bible.
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Verse 13. Let her refrain, and so forth By the Latin text, it is not clear whether this abstinence was prescribed to the mother or to the child; but the Hebrew (in which the verbs relating thereto are of the feminine gender) determines it to the mother. But then the child also was to refrain from the like things, because he was to be from his infancy a Nazarite of God, (verse 5) that is, one set aside in a particular manner, and consecrated to God; now the Nazarites, by the law, were to abstain from all these things.
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Verse 15. Dress. Hebrew and Septuagint “let us make.” Vulg. faciamus, is used either for a common feast or for a sacrifice. Exodus 29:36. Virg. (eclog. iii.) Cras faciam vitula. Manue did not yet know who the angel was. He only designed to give him something to eat. A kid was then esteemed the most delicious food, and physicians esteem it very wholesome. The taste of people has since altered. Bochart, Anim. p. i. b. ii. 52. Calmet.
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Verse 16. Bread is put for all sorts of food. Angels eat none. Toby 12:19. Menochius.
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Verse 17. Honour thee with a suitable reward. 1 Timothy 5:17.
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Verse 18. Wonderful. Hebrew Peli. Some have concluded that this was the proper name of the angel, as it is one of the titles of the Messias. Isaiah 9:6. But it is more probable that the angel did not reveal his name. Chal. Others divide this sentence thus, “and he (the angel, or rather God) was wonderful.” He was the author of all miracles, to whom sacrifice was immediately offered. It is doubtful whether the angels have distinctive names. But we read of Michael, and so forth and there is no reason why they should not have names denoting their peculiar dignity and offices. Calmet.—Michael, the guardian of the church, perhaps appeared on this occasion. Menochius.
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Verse 19. On. Manue was convinced that the person who had authorized him to offer sacrifice, had power to dispense with him. Worthington.—The angel “did wonderful things,” as the Hebrew may be explained, causing a flame to proceed from the rock and to consume the victim, as Josephus assures us, ( Calmet.) and as the angel who had appeared to Gedeon had done. Calmet. 6:21. Menochius.
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Verse 22. Seen God: not in his own person, but in the person of his messenger. The Israelites, in those days imagined they should die if they saw an angel, taking occasion perhaps from those words spoken by the Lord to Moses, (Exodus 33:20.) No man shall see me and live. But the event demonstrated that it was but a groundless imagination. Challoner.—Elohim is applied to angels and men, as well as to God. Calmet.
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Verse 23. Come. The wife of Manue allays his fears with great prudence, as she observes that God had just promised them a son. Bible.
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Verse 24. Samson signifies, “His sun, or joy;” or Syr. “service.” Calmet.—“His, or a little sun.” Menochius.—Blessed him with graces and strength, suitable for his office. Calmet.
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Verse 25. To be. Septuagint “to walk along.” Jonathan, “to sanctify.” Samson began to manifest an eager desire to deliver his brethren. Calmet.—Dan, as it was called from those 600 men who encamped here, when they were going to take Lais. Calmet. 18:12. Bible.—God inspired him to commence the liberation of his country, when he was about 17 years old, (Usher) or 20 according to Salien. Then he entered upon his judicial authority, and punished the wrongs which the Philistines did him in person, as well as his countrymen. The seven years wandering of Æneas had terminated in his death just before, at the river Numicus. Halicar. 1. Salien, A.Calmet. 1176. Bible.