4<\/strong>. The mother during the time of pregnancy is to observe certain ceremonial restrictions ( Jdg 13:7<\/em><\/span> ; Jdg 13:14<\/em><\/span><\/em>); she is to live in a state of consecration, in order that her child may be consecrated from the very moment of conception. The two prohibitions are classed together, apparently on the principle that to partake of anything fermented or putrified renders a person unfit for consecration to the Deity 1 [50] . Thus priests during their service were not allowed to drink wine (Lev 10:9<\/span>, Eze 44:21<\/span>); while unclean foods, i.e. carrion (Exo 22:31<\/span>, Lev 7:24<\/span>, Deu 14:21<\/span>) and tabooed animals (Lev 11:2-23<\/span>, Deu 14:3-20<\/span>) were forbidden, the former because it had begun to decompose, the latter because in accordance with ancient ideas and custom they could not be used for sacrifice or for food. The restrictions are laid upon the mother; nothing is said about the child observing them. Samson did not consider himself bound to abstain from wine (see below); the second prohibition was not distinctive of the Nazirite consecration.<\/p>\n [50] See Robertson Smith, Rel. of Sem.<\/em>, 203 f., 367, 465. Frazer, Golden Bough<\/em> i. 183 185, suggests that the ultimate reason for abstinence from intoxicating wine was the idea that ‘whoever drinks wine drinks the blood, and so receives into himself the soul or spirit of the god of the vine.’ Such intercourse with a spirit alien to Jehovah would be regarded by a Hebrew as unlawful. The Nazirite abstinence from wine seems to have been determined by other reasons, as suggested above; when it came into practice the original meaning of the prohibition was lost.<\/p>\n Verse 4<\/span>. Beware – drink not wine<\/B><\/I>] As Samson was designed to be a Nazarite from the womb<\/I>, it was necessary that, while his mother carried and nursed him, she<\/I> should live the life of a Nazarite, neither drinking wine nor any inebriating liquor, nor eating any kind of forbidden meat. See the account of the Nazarite and his vow, see in Clarke’s notes on “<\/I>Nu 6:2<\/I><\/span>“<\/I>, &c.<\/P> <\/p>\n Beware, I pray thee; <\/B>because the child was to be a Nazarite from the womb, Jdg 13:5<\/span>, and from the conception; and because the mothers pollution extends to the child, she is enjoined from this time to observe the following rules belonging to the Nazarites. <\/P> And drink not wine, nor strong drink; <\/B>under which by a synecdoche are comprehended the other particulars mentioned Num 6:2-4<\/span>, as is implied Jdg 13:14<\/span>. <\/P> Any unclean thing; <\/B>any of those meats forbidden Le 11<\/span>, which were forbidden to all, but especially to the Nazarites. <\/P> <\/p>\n Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink<\/strong>,…. Any liquor inebriating and intoxicating, neither new wine nor old wine, as the Targum, and so Jarchi; the reason of this appears in the next verse, because the child she should conceive and bear was to be a Nazarite, and to be one from his mother’s womb; and from all such liquors, Nazarites, according to the law, were to abstain, Nu 6:3<\/span><\/p>\n and eat not any unclean thing<\/strong>; meaning not so much such sort of food as was forbidden by the law to be eaten, which every Israelite was to abstain from, but such as were particularly forbidden to Nazarites, as moist and dried grapes, or anything made of the vine tree, from the kernel to the husk, Nu 6:3<\/span>. The reason of this is, because the child in the womb is nourished with the same the mother is; and as this child was to be a Nazarite from the womb, and even in it, his mother was to abstain both from eatables and drinkables forbidden a Nazarite by the law.<\/p>\n (4) Drink not wine.<\/strong>The mother is to share for a time in part of the Nazarite vow.<\/p>\n Strong drink.<\/strong>Sheekar <\/em>(LXX., Sikera<\/em>) <\/em>means intoxicating liquor not made from grapes <\/em>(Luk. 1:15<\/span>).<\/p>\n Eat not any unclean thing.<\/strong>Leviticus 11<\/span>. The law applied to all Israelites, but is to be specially observed by the wife of Manoah, to impress on her and on the nation the separated character of her son.<\/p>\n ‘Now therefore beware, I pray you, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing. For, lo, you will conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.’ <\/p>\n The child that was to be born would be dedicated to God from the womb. He was to be a permanent Nazirite. Thus his mother was to abstain from wine and strong drink, and be especially careful of unclean food. Nor was his hair to be cut. For he was to be God’s initial weapon in preparing to deal with the Philistine menace. <\/p>\n Temporary Nazirites (from nazar – those ‘set apart, consecrated’ because Yahweh’s, compare nazir which means ‘untrimmed’) are mentioned in Numbers 6<\/span>, when men and women (Jdg 13:2<\/span>) who wished for a period to set themselves apart to God took a Nazirite vow. They were to abstain from wine and strong drink, and even from grapes or anything connected with the grape vine (Jdg 13:3-4<\/span> compare Amo 2:11-12<\/span>; Luk 1:15<\/span>), were not to cut their hair but let it grow long (verse 5 compare 1Sa 1:11<\/span>; Jdg 5:2<\/span> literally), and were to avoid all contact with dead bodies, even of relatives who died (Jdg 13:6-7<\/span>), for they were to be continually ‘holy to Yahweh’. They were in many respects thus similar to the high priest when he went into the Holy Place (Lev 10:9<\/span>; Lev 21:11<\/span>; compare Eze 44:21<\/span>). They were especially ‘holy’, set apart to God alone. <\/p>\n But the length of their vow was limited and after that they were released from it. At which point their hair must be shaved off and burnt on the altar with suitable offerings (Num 6:18<\/span>). The hair especially was the sign of their separation and holiness and was thus seen as holy to Yahweh. That was why once the vow was past it had to be shaved off and burnt in a holy place. Similar significance and practise with regard to long hair, as dedication to gods and seeking of divine assistance, is known elsewhere among Semites, and among primitive peoples from ancient times, a practise which was here taken up and refined. <\/p>\n Abstinence from the fruit of the vine was possibly to ensure that the Nazirite never lost their full faculties which might put them in danger of breaking their vows unwittingly. Full dedication can be marred by the influence of wine and strong drink, which can produce unseemly behaviour. This was one reason why ‘the Priest’ must not be under its influence in the Holy Place. But that it symbolised more comes out in that here Samson’s mother was to abstain from wine and strong drink and to abstain from eating any unclean thing. She too was under a vow, although possibly not a full Nazirite one. ‘Unclean thing’ possibly here refers to grapes and other products of the vine (Num 6:3<\/span>), for all Israelites abstained from unclean foods. Or it may simply be to emphasise that to the Nazirite wine too was unclean. Either way the parallel shows that wine and strong drink were looked on as ‘unclean’, unworthy of God. It was an earthly pleasure not a heavenly activity. <\/p>\n The abstinence may symbolise a return to the purer wilderness life, away from ‘modern’ influences and the pleasures of the world, to a more dedicated manner of life. Compare how John the Baptiser was to refrain from wine and strong drink (Luk 1:15<\/span>). But the fact that the mother was to abstain from them emphasises that there was certainly an aspect of ‘uncleanness’ to them. They were not God’s best and unsuitable for His presence. (In the New Testament ‘uncleanness’ from this point of view ceases. Nothing is unclean of itself. Thus wine can take on a new meaning). <\/p>\n We note that the only restraint specifically placed on Samson himself was that his hair should remain permanently long and uncut. This was to be the sign of his consecration to God. But the other requirements for a Nazirite vow would be assumed to apply equally, as witness the requirement of his mother similarly to abstain from wine and strong drink (as also was hinted at in Samuel’s mother – 1Sa 1:15<\/span>). It was simply assumed that they would apply to a Nazirite. <\/p>\n Lifelong separation from touching dead things was not said to be required, possibly because recognised as not feasible (provision was made for short term Nazirites in that they could begin their dedication again and fulfil the whole term of their vow. This was not possible with a lifelong Nazirite). On the other hand it may again have been assumed. All knew that a Nazirite had to avoid wine and strong drink and contact with the dead. But the essential aspect of Naziriteship was found in the hair. It symbolised a man untouched by human activity. He was God’s man. We can compare how the grapes of untrimmed (nazir) vines in the sabbatical year were not to be eaten (Lev 25:5<\/span>). They too were God’s handywork. <\/p>\n It should be noted that only Samson was called a Nazirite. Neither Samuel nor John the Baptiser were given the title, even though there were similarities. However the growing of the hair unshaven was clearly essential to being a Nazirite and as Samuel too was to be like that it would seem that his mother intended a Nazirite vow in respect of him (1Sa 1:11<\/span>). <\/p>\n “And he will begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”<\/strong> This was the reason for his dedication. He was to be an instrument of Yahweh in beginning to deliver Israel from the Philistines, and it would require the whole of his life to achieve it. But in this word ‘begin’ was intrinsic the fact that final deliverance would take longer than the life of Samson. The Philistines were to be a continual test for Israel as to whether they would obey Yahweh and turn to Him, especially when they saw Samson’s deliverances (Jdg 3:4<\/span>). <\/p>\n Jdg 13:4<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Now, therefore, beware, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> As Samson was to be a perfect Nazarite unto God, from the womb to the day of his death, <\/em>Jdg 13:7<\/span> his mother is commanded to live as the Nazarites did, (Numbers 6<\/span>.) while she carried him in her womb, and, most likely, while she nursed him; because a child in the womb, and its mother, live by the same nourishment. <\/p>\n There is somewhat peculiarly interesting in the law of the Nazarites. The separation, or the being sanctified, and set apart to the Lord, carried with it a matter of great moment. And hence Moses appropriates a whole chapter to this one subject. And it is worthy of remark, that at the close of that chapter the blessing of Israel is subjoined, which certainly is expressive of the united blessing of Jehovah in his threefold character of persons. See Num 6<\/span> throughout. See the Commentary also on that chapter. That the Lord had a peculiar eye of grace and favor to the Nazarites, is evident from the prophet, because the Lord takes to himself praise that he had raised up, of Israel’s young men, to be Nazarites. See Amo 2:11<\/span> . But is there not, in all this, a striking reference to our adored Redeemer, who is uniformly distinguished as Jesus Christ of Nazareth? And were not all Nazarites types of him? Were they not intended to show their belonging to him and to his seed, who in the first days of the gospel were in contempt called Nazarites? Oh! how sweet to go forth without the camp, bearing his reproach! See Heb 13:13<\/span> ; Mat 2:23<\/span> ; Act 28:22<\/span> .<\/p>\n Jdg 13:4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]:<\/p>\n Ver. 4. Now therefore beware, I pray thee.<\/strong> ] Since he must draw nourishment from thee, both in the womb and at the breasts; since the sanctifying of thy son must take beginning from thyself; beware therefore for his sake, and inure him to abstinence and sobriety of a little child. See also that he nourish his hair, which is the crown of his Nazariteship, Num 6:1-27 and that he come not at funerals, &c. Quintilian requireth in him that shall be an orator, that by his parents, nurses, attendants, he be inured to the best words well pronounced, and that from his infancy; that so he may soon become Vir bonus dicendi peritus,<\/em> a good man and well-spoken. How much more requisite is this to a magistrate or minister!<\/p>\n drink. Compare Num 6:2, Num 6:3. <\/p>\n drink not: Jdg 13:14, Num 6:2, Num 6:3, Luk 1:15 <\/p>\n eat not: Lev 11:27, Lev 11:47, Act 10:14 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Amo 2:11 – Nazarites<\/p>\n Jdg 13:4. Now therefore beware She was to conform to the manner of life observed by the Nazarites, while she carried her infant in her womb, and perhaps while she nursed him; because, as it follows in the next verse, he was to be a perpetual Nazarite to God, from his conception to his death; which would have bear impossible if she had drunk wine or strong drink, because a child in the womb and its mother subsist by the same nourishment. Drink not wine nor strong drink Under which are comprehended the other particulars mentioned Num 6:2-4. And eat not any unclean thing Any of those meats forbidden Leviticus 11. These were forbidden to all, but especially to the Nazarites. In all probability the Israelites were negligent at that time in observing the precept with relation to meats, otherwise there would have been no need to mention this.<\/p>\n Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]: 4. The mother during the time of pregnancy is to observe certain ceremonial restrictions ( Jdg 13:7 ; Jdg 13:14); she is to live in a state of consecration, in order that her child may be … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 13:4”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6897\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"