The Philistines went up and camped in Judah, spreading out near Lehi. The people of Judah asked, "Why have you come to fight us?" "We have come to take Samson prisoner," they answered, "to do to him as he did to us." Then three thousand men from Judah went down . . . and said to Samson, "Don't you realize that the Philistines are rulers over us?  . . .  We've come to tie you up and hand you over t...  Read More

The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him, and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him . . . Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife."   . . . Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mothe...  Read More

Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, "Are you the man who talked to my wife?" . . . So Manoah asked him, "When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy's life and work?"The angel of the LORD answered, "Your wife must do all that I have told her. She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink any wine or fermented dr...  Read More

Then the woman went to her husband and told him, "A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn't ask him where he came from, and he didn't tell me his name. But he said to me, 'You will become pregnant and have a son. . .'" Then Manoah prayed to the LORD: "Pardon your servant, LORD.  I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring...  Read More

A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah . . . had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, "You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean.You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never t...  Read More

The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, "Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We're going to burn down your house over your head."Jephthah answered, "I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn't save me out of their hands. When I saw that you wouldn't...  Read More