1. Once again the Israelites started disobeying the Lord. So he let the Philistines take control of Israel for forty years.
2. Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was not able to have children,
3-5. but one day an angel from the Lord appeared to her and said:You have never been able to have any children, but very soon you will be pregnant and have a son. He will belong to God from the day he is born, so his hair must never be cut. And even before he is born, you must not drink any wine or beer or eat any food forbidden by God's laws.Your son will begin to set Israel free from the Philistines.
6. She went to Manoah and said, “A prophet who looked like an angel of God came and talked to me. I was so frightened, that I didn't even ask where he was from. He didn't tell me his name,
7. but he did say that I'm going to have a baby boy. I'm not supposed to drink any wine or beer or eat any food forbidden by God's laws. Our son will belong to God for as long as he lives.”
8. Then Manoah prayed, “Our Lord, please send that prophet again and let him tell us what to do for the son we are going to have.”
9. God answered Manoah's prayer, and the angel went back to Manoah's wife while she was resting in the fields. Manoah wasn't there at the time,
10. so she found him and said, “That same man is here again! He's the one I saw the other day.”