Judges 13:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Instead, the prophetic declarations regarding him soon became evident through his actions. The grace that accompanied him was so profound that an angel visited his parents to proclaim the miraculous nature of his birth, his destined leadership, and his role as intercessor for his people, who had long suffered under Philistine domination.

An angel visits her to announce that, despite her previous barrenness, she will bear a son who is to be consecrated as a child of God in Nazareth (Judges 13:3-5). In conjunction with this announcement, she is instructed to adopt a life of abstinence characteristic of the Nazoreans throughout her pregnancy, as it is stated, “of all that comes from the vine let her not eat, and let her not drink wine or syrup” (Judges 13:14). It is almost as if the angel communicated to her that her son would be a Nazarene. To ensure this is fulfilled, she is to lead a lifestyle fitting of the Nazoreans while carrying him, thus preparing him to embody the qualities and disposition necessary for a Nazorean life.

Similar to the high priests, a Nazirite could not approach a dead body, nor could he touch even the remains of his closest relatives, to avoid ceremonial defilement. If a death occurred in his presence, he would thereby invalidate his Nazirite status, requiring him to shave his head, and the initial days of his vow would no longer count. Upon completing his vow, the Nazirite would present a threefold offering and burn his hair on the altar, as outlined in Numbers 6. This discussion primarily pertains to temporary Nazirites. The Mosaic Law does not specifically address those Nazirites who commit for life, like Manoah's son and later John the Baptist. The obligations associated with Naziriteship were less rigidly enforced for lifelong Nazirites, as evidenced by the life of Samson. Samson was called to combat the Philistines, making contact with the deceased inevitable. He did not view such encounters as defilement or as a breach of his vow, hence he did not shave his head after each instance nor renew his vow each time. The Lord acknowledged Samson’s approach to his Naziriteship. Blessed Theodoret remarks that “to the thirsty Samson, God provided water, instructing him to draw it from the jawbone of a donkey. This jawbone was rendered thrice unclean by the Law due to the donkey as an unclean animal, living impurity, and the fact that it had become an instrument of death that took countless lives. However, the Lawgiver Himself chose to meet Samson's need for water through this very object, not through other means.” Given that Samson was ordained as a Nazirite from birth, per the angel’s directive, it was necessary for his mother to abstain from anything that Naziritical law forbade, facilitating her son’s adherence to his vow, as children commonly inherit their mothers’ habits and inclinations. The instruction against consuming anything unclean includes not only foods considered unclean to all Israelites under the Law but also those forbidden specifically to Nazirites, despite being permissible for the broader Israelite community. For instance, a cake of grapes might be acceptable for many Israelites but would be forbidden for Nazirites. How does hair relate to Naziriteship? It could be seen, along with abstention from wine, water, and vinegar, as a form of self-denial in a hot climate, particularly for someone like Samson, who was called to undertake his feats outdoors and endure severe heat. The Lord bestowed upon Samson extraordinary strength as a reward for his self-discipline, which left him when he allowed his hair to be cut—a consequence of being seduced by a woman and neglecting his Nazirite vow due to his affection for her. By succumbing to her desires, he relinquished what distinguished him as a Nazirite, effectively impairing the external symbol of his consecration to God. In disregarding this outward sign, Samson revealed a deeper deficiency in his commitment to the Lord and a deterioration in his spiritual purity and resolve to resist sinful passions.