Manoah

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

A Danite of Zorah, father of Samson (Judges 13). The Angel of Jehovah appeared unto his wife, announcing that a son should be born to her, to be reared as a Nazarite. On her telling Manoah he entreated Jehovah to send again "the man of God" (as Manoah supposed him to be) to "teach what they should do unto the child to be born." God graciously granted his wish, and he asked the Angel, "how shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?" So parents ought to seek God's direction, how to rear their children for God. The Angel directed him and all parents: "of all that I said ... beware, ... all that I commanded ... observe" (compare  John 2:5).

Manoah begged Him to stay until he got ready a kid. The divine Angel told him (as Manoah thought He was a man and knew not He was the Angel of Jehovah, and He being jealous for God's honor would not accept it as man; compare  Mark 10:18) he must offer his burnt offering to Jehovah. Manoah then asked His name. The Angel replied, "it is secret" ("wonderful," margin;  Isaiah 9:6); compare  Genesis 32:29;  Exodus 34:5-7; it is a secret known to God's children ( Psalms 25:14;  Revelation 2:17;  Revelation 3:12). "He did wondrously" according to His name, for He made a flame rise from the rock to consume the offering and (compare  Judges 6:21) ascended in the flame; compare  Mark 4:41;  Mark 5:42;  Mark 7:37;  Acts 1:9;  John 3:13.

Manoah feared he should die, as having seen God ( Exodus 33:20). His wife with greater spiritual instinct replied: "if Jehovah were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt offering at our hands, neither would He have showed us all these things, nor as at this time have told us such things." Manoah and his wife remonstrated with Samson on choosing a Philistine as his wife ( Judges 14:2-3); but they accompanied him to the marriage feast at Timnath. Manoah probably died before his son; since not Manoah but Samson's brothers brought Samson's body to the tomb between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A name eminent in Scripture, from the manifestation that the Lord made to him in a time when visions of God were rare. (See  Judges 13:1-25) The name seems to be derived from Nuaeh, rest. When the reader hath turned to the chapter which relates this wonderful transaction, and read it, I beg him to pause over it, and consider the several interesting circumstances connected with it; and then let him judge for himself, who this person could be that appeared to the man and his wife but, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is certain, as far as we can judge, that both Manoah and his wife regarded their heavenly visitor but as a created angel, until that when in the flame of the sacrifice he ascended with it. But when they behold him thus go up in the flame, to give an acceptableness to their poor sacrifice, then they knew that it was that Glorious Holy One whom JEHOVAH had sworn into his office as High Priest for ever. The man knew by this that it was JEHOVAH the Son, and not a created angel; and as such, he said, "We shall surely die, because we have seen God," agreeably to the Lord's own declaration, "Thou canst not see my face and live?" ( Exodus 33:20)

There is one beauty more in this transaction, and which serves to confirm this blessed doctrine, that this supposed angel was Christ; and that is, that when Manoah asked his name, the angel of the Lord said unto him, "Why askest thou my after name seeing it is secret?" In the margin of the Bible it is rendered, "seeing it is wonderful." And the name Wonderful is Christ's well-known name ( Isaiah 9:6) Reader, what think you of the subject? Was it not Jesus, as if longing for the time of his coming to tabernacle openly with his people?

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

MANOAH. The father of Samson, of the town of Zorah, and of the family of the Danites (  Judges 13:1-23;   Judges 14:2-3;   Judges 14:5-6;   Judges 14:9-10;   Judges 16:31 ). We learn but little of his character and occupation from the Bible narrative. He was a worshipper of Jehovah, and a man of reverent piety; he was hospitable, like his ancestor Abraham; he shared the dislike of his people for the alien surrounding tribes, and strongly deprecated an alliance between his son and the Philistines. The second narrative gives us the following information about him. His wife was barren, but she was warned by a Divine messenger that she was destined to bear a son who was to be a Nazirite and dedicated to Jehovah. The messenger appeared again when Manoah also was present, and repeated his prophecy (  Judges 13:2-23 ). We hear of Manoah on four more occasions: we find him remonstrating with his son about the proposed Philistine marriage (  Judges 14:2-3 ); he accompanied his son on the preliminary visit to Timnah (  Judges 14:5;   Judges 14:8 ), and again to the marriage itself (  Judges 14:9-10 ). He did not survive his son, who was buried by his side (  Judges 16:31 ). Cf. art. Samson.

These scanty details are somewhat amplified by Josephus ( Ant . V. viii. 2, 3), who was apparently following some ancient Jewish tradition.

T. A. Moxon.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A native of Zorah, in the tribe of Dan, and the father of Samson,  Judges 13:14;  16:31 . In the prediction of his son's birth and achievements, we see the Angel of the covenant, who appeared to Abraham, Gideon, etc., and who never slumbers nor sleeps, caring for his oppressed people. So, too, he appeared to Jacob, and would not tell his mysterious name,  Genesis 32:29;  Judges 13:18;  Isaiah 9:6;  Luke 13:34 .

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Danite of Zorah and father of Samson. An angel had appeared to his wife and announced the birth of Samson, and Manoah besought God that 'the man of God' might be sent again. God listened to him, and the angel came, to whom Manoah spoke of the promised son. He offered a kid as a burnt offering and the angel ascended in the flame of the altar. Manoah then feared they would die, for they had seen God; but his wife in faith said that could not be, for God had accepted the offering, and He had in fact spoken to them of life, not of death.  Judges 13:2-22;  Judges 16:31 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Mano'ah (Rest). The father of Samson; a Danite, native of the town of Zorah.  Judges 13:2. (B.C. 1161) See Samson .

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

the father of Samson, was of the tribe of Dan, and a native of the city of Zorah,  Judges 13:6-23 . See Samson .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Judges 13:1-22

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Judges 13:1

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ma - nō´a ( מנוח , mānōaḥ , "rest"): A man of Zorah and of the family of the Danites. Manoah was the father of Samson, and his life-story is but imperfectly told in the history of the conception, birth and early life of his son. No children had been born to Manoah and his wife, and the latter was considered barren (  Judges 13:2 ). Finally it was revealed to her by an angel of the Lord that she would conceive and bear a child. She was cautioned against strong drink and "unclean" food, for her child was to be born and reared a Nazirite to the end that he might save Israel out of the hands of the Philistines ( Judges 13:3-5 ). That Manoah was a devout man seems certain in view of the fact that, upon hearing of the angel's visit, he offered a prayer for the angel's return, in order that he and his wife might be instructed as to the proper care of the child to be born ( Judges 13:8 ). The request was granted and the angel repeated the visit and the instructions ( Judges 13:9-13 ). Manoah with true hospitality would have the guest remain and partake of food. The angel refused, but commanded a sacrifice unto Yahweh. When Manoah had prepared the sacrifice and lit it on the altar, the angel ascended in the flame from the altar and appeared no more ( Judges 13:15-21 ). The child was born according to the promise and was named Samson. Manoah and his wife appear twice in the narrative of Samson's early life - once as they protestingly accompanied him to sue for the hand of a Philistine woman of Timnah in marriage, and again when they went with him to Timnab for the wedding.

Josephus richly embellishes this Scriptural narrative concerning Manoah, but offers no further light upon the occupation or character of Manoah. At the death of Samson, his brothers went down to Gaza and brought back the body and buried it by the side of Manoah in the family tomb near Zorah ( Judges 16:31 ). In Samson Agonistes Milton gains dramatic effect by having Manoah survive Samson and in deep sorrow assist at his burial.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Manoach,: מָנוֹח , Rest, as in  Genesis 8:9, and often; Sept. Μανωέ ; Josephus Μανώχης , Ant, v. 8, 2 [where the Biblical narrative is greatly embellished]; Vulg. Manue), the father of Samson, of the tribe of Dan, and a native of Zorah ( Judges 13:2-22;  Judges 16:31). B.C. 1185. "The narrative of the Bible ( Judges 13:1-23), of the circumstances which preceded the birth of Samson, supplies us with very few and faint traits of Manoah's character or habits. He seems to have had some occupation which separated him during part of the day from his wife, though that was not field-work, because it was in the field that his wife was found by the angel during his absence. He was hospitable, as his forefather Abraham had been before him; he was a worshipper of Jehovah, and reverent even to a degree of fear. We hear of Manoah once again in connection with the marriage of Samson and the Philistine of Timnath. His father and his mother remonstrated with him thereon, but to no purpose ( Judges 14:2-3). They then accompanied him to Timnath, both on the preliminary visit ( Judges 14:5-6) and to the marriage itself ( Judges 14:9-10). Manoah appears not to have survived his son: not he, but Samson's brothers, went down to Gaza for the body of the hero, and bringing it up to the family tomb between Zorah and Eshtaol, reunited the father to the son (16:31) whose birth had been the subject of so. many prayers and so much anxiety. Milton, however, does not take this view. In Samson Agonistes Manoah bears a prominent part throughout, and lives to bury his son.' (See Samson).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Manoah, father of Samson [SAMSON].