1And again the children of Yisra’ĕl did evil in the eyes of יהוה, so יהוה gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

2And there was a certain man from Tsor‛ah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manowaḥ. And his wife was barren and had not borne.

3And a Messenger of יהוה appeared to the woman and said to her, “See now, you are barren and have not borne, but you shall conceive, and you shall bear a son.

4“And now, please guard, and do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat any unclean food.

5“For look, you are conceiving and bearing a son. And let no razor come upon his head, for the youth is a Nazirite to Elohim from the womb on. And he shall begin to save Yisra’ĕl out of the hand of the Philistines.”

6And the woman came and spoke to her husband, saying, “A Man of Elohim came to me, and His appearance was like the appearance of a Messenger of Elohim, very awesome. But I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not declare to me His name.

7“And He said to me, ‘See, you are conceiving and bearing a son. And now, drink no wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean food, for the youth is a Nazirite to Elohim from the womb to the day of his death.’ ”

8And Manowaḥ prayed to יהוה, and said, “O יהוה, please let the Man of Elohim whom You sent come to us again and teach us what to do for the youth who is to be born.”

9And Elohim listened to the voice of Manowaḥ, and the Messenger of Elohim came to the woman again as she was sitting in the field, but Manowaḥ her husband was not with her.

10And the woman ran hurriedly and informed her husband, and said to him, “See, He has appeared to me, the Man who came to me the other day!”

11And Manowaḥ arose and went after his wife, and came to the Man, and he said to Him, “Are You the Man who spoke to this woman?” And He said, “I am.”

12And Manowaḥ said, “Now let Your words come true! What is to be the rule for the youth’s life and his work?”

13And the Messenger of יהוה said to Manowaḥ, “Let the woman guard all that I said to her.

14“Let her not eat any food that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean food. Let her guard all that which I have commanded her.”

15And Manowaḥ said to the Messenger of יהוה, “Please let us detain You, and prepare a young goat for You.”

16And the Messenger of יהוה said to Manowaḥ, “Though you detain Me, I do not eat your food. But if you offer a burnt offering, offer it to יהוה.” For Manowaḥ did not know He was a Messenger of יהוה.

17Then Manowaḥ said to the Messenger of יהוה, “What is Your name? When Your words come true, then we shall esteem You.”

18And the Messenger of יהוה said to him, “Why do you ask My name, since it is wondrous?”

19And Manowaḥ took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it upon the rock to יהוה. And He did wondrously while Manowaḥ and his wife looked on.

20And it came to be, as the flame went up toward the heavens from the altar, that the Messenger of יהוה went up in the flame of the altar. And Manowaḥ and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.

21And the Messenger of יהוה did not appear any more to Manowaḥ and his wife. Then Manowaḥ knew that He was a Messenger of יהוה.

22And Manowaḥ said to his wife, “We shall certainly die, because we have seen Elohim!”

23But his wife said to him, “If יהוה had been pleased to put us to death, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all this, nor would He have let us hear the like of this!”

24So the woman bore a son and called his name Shimshon. And the child grew, and יהוה blessed him.

25And the Spirit of יהוה began to move him at Maḥanĕh Dan, between Tsor‛ah and Eshta’ol.