Monday, March 13, 2023

Richard D. Nelson on Judges 11:2-7

  

The opening to the birth story in v. 2, there was a certain man, signals a new narrative start and introduces a new character (compare 17:1; 19:1; 1 Sam 1:1; 9:1). The name Manoah seems to appear in 1 Chr 2:54 as the Judahite clan Menuhoth, brother clan to Kiriath-jearim. The Zorathites appear in 1 Chr 2:53; 4:2. As soon as the reader receives the signal of childlessness (Gen 11:30; 16:1; 30:1), the direction of the ensuing type scene is clear. To understand the woman’s cultural situation and the comforting power of the oracle she receives, compare Gen 11:30; 25:21; 29:31; 1 Sam 2:5; Ps 113:9; Prov 30:16.

 

The angel of Yahweh last appeared in Judg 6:11–24 in connection with Gideon. His words in 13:3 pick up the narrator’s description of the situation in v. 2. The vocabulary of the announcement (conceive … bear … son) is a standard formula (Gen 29; 30; and 38; Exod 2:2; 1 Sam 1:20; Isa 8:3; Hos 1; Isa 7:14). The Hebrew communicates the great significance of the announcement by using the word, conventionally translated “behold,” three times: vv. 3 (look), 5 (not translated), and 7 (not translated). The woman repeats hinneh a fourth time to her husband in v. 10 (translated as look). Now then be careful (Hebrew: “guard yourself’) in v. 4 indicates that the woman has an important role to play. Her lifestyle during pregnancy will launch her son’s nazirite status. Except for the razor taboo (v. 5), the behavioral instructions involved with Samson’s nazirite status are laid entirely on his mother. She is the one who is to avoid certain foods and drinks; his only rule is to avoid having his hair cut. The instructions to her are repeated three times (vv. 4, 7, and 14), indicating that they are absolutely vital. The angel repeats the last part of v. 3 as the first part of v. 5, giving him an opportunity to provide further information on the boy and his life’s task. Disclosure of Samson’s mission converts what is formally a birth story into the functional equivalent of a call narrative.

 

Some think the woman is already pregnant at the time of the annunciation, since the future will become pregnant of v. 3b shifts to a more ambiguous adjective in v. 5a. CEB and LXX translate “you are pregnant,” but most modern translators stick with the future. NIV and CEB mistranslate from [the time that he is in] the womb as “from birth.” Compare Isa 44:2. His mother’s special diet indicates that he is a nazirite in utero.

 

The woman twice speaks to a stranger while they are alone, the second time while she is sitting (not working!) out in a field (v. 9). Early readers doubtless felt some cultural unease with this circumstance (compare Deut 22:25–27), especially in a context of conception. Some think that mythic notions of divine paternity (the heroes Gilgamesh and Herakles, for example) could be lurking in the background. The wording of Judg 13:6, 9, that the angel “came unto,” can also be construed as a sexual act as “came into,” which at least hints at some such possibility (compare 16:1). Ancient readers might have felt that this dangerous notion explains Manoah’s motivation in desiring a second visit and in so sharply questioning the visitor’s identity in v. 11. Josephus reports that Manoah, enraptured by his beautiful wife, was jealous of angelic visitor (Ant. 5.276–284).

 

The woman raises the issue of the messenger’s identity in v. 6 by citing the two possibilities, man of God (that is, a human prophet) and angel of God. She supposes that he is a prophet, but from his striking appearance she nearly guesses the truth. His numinous appearance creates fear. Informed already by the narrator in v. 3, the reader enjoys the ironic pleasure of knowing what the story characters do not. The woman’s request to know his place of origin (see note on v. 6), if answered, would have revealed his heavenly background. Her comment that he did not give a name hints of further revelations to come (compare name in vv. 17–18). Verse 6aβ is circumstantial. Verse 6b exhibits an ABBA format: “I asked where he was from … his name he did not tell me.”

 

In v. 7, Samson’s mother reports the annunciation and instructions, but makes no mention of cutting hair. She also introduces the concept of the day of his death (pointing to 16:30) but omits to mention his mission, to begin to deliver. The secret of hair and razor is thus left unspoken until it is revealed much later in the Delilah story. When addressing Manoah in vv. 13–14, the angel leaves out Samson’s mission as well. This and his hair seem to be secrets reserved for the mother and the reader. (Richard D. Nelson, Judges: A Critical and Rhetorical Commentary [London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017], 236-37)