Samson's Mother's Name in the Book of Judges
The biblical account of Samson in the Book of Judges does not explicitly state the name of his mother [3]. She is consistently referred to as "Manoah's wife" or "the woman" in Judges 13 and 14 [3, 4]. Samson's father is named Manoah, from the town of Zorah in the tribe of Dan [1, 2, 5, 6].
Despite the absence of her name in the biblical text, later traditions have supplied one. The Babylonian Talmud, specifically in Bava Batra 91a.15, identifies Samson's mother as Tzelelponit [8]. This tradition is presented as an answer for those who inquire about the names of women not explicitly stated in the Bible, suggesting it was a handed-down tradition [8].
The narrative in Judges 13 details the miraculous circumstances surrounding Samson's birth. Manoah's wife was barren, and an angel of the Lord appeared to her, announcing that she would conceive and bear a son who would be a Nazirite from birth and begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines [11, 12, 13]. The angel instructed her on the Nazirite vow, specifying that no razor should come upon his head and that he should not drink wine or strong drink, nor eat anything unclean [11, 12, 13]. Manoah later prayed for the angel to reappear and instruct them further on how to raise the child [9]. After the angel's second appearance, Manoah and his wife offered a sacrifice, and the angel ascended in the flame [9].
Following these events, Manoah's wife conceived and gave birth to a son, whom she named Samson [3, 9]. The name Samson has been interpreted in various ways. Some, like Josephus, suggested it means "strong," though John Gill notes that the word itself does not directly signify strength [9]. Matthew Henry proposes a derivation from Shemesh, meaning "sun," perhaps as a diminutive "sun in miniature," or in remembrance of the "shining countenance" of the angel who brought the news [10]. Easton's Bible Dictionary also connects the name to "the sun" [1].
Samson's life and exploits are detailed in Judges 13-16 [1, 2]. He served as a judge for twenty years [2]. His parents played a role in his early life, including accompanying him to Timnath when he sought a Philistine wife [7]. This marriage, though to a Philistine woman, was not explicitly forbidden by Mosaic law as the Philistines were not among the seven Canaanite nations proscribed from intermarriage [1]. However, it proved to be a troubled union [1].
Rabbinic tradition also offers insights into Manoah's character. Rav Naḥman, in the Babylonian Talmud, suggests that Manoah was an "ignoramus" based on the verse "And Manoah arose, and went after his wife" (Judges 13:11), interpreting this as a failure to adhere to the principle that one must not walk behind a woman [14, 15]. This interpretation highlights how later traditions can extrapolate character assessments from seemingly minor biblical details.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Samson — Of the sun, the son of Manoah, born at Zorah. The narrative of his life is given in Judg. 13-16. He was a "Nazarite unto God" from his birth, the first Nazarite mentioned in Scripture (Judg. 13:3-5; comp. Num. 6:1-21). The first recorded event of his life was his marriage with a Philistine woman of Timnath (Judg. 14:1-5). Such a marriage was not forbidden by the law of Moses, as the Philistines did not form one of the seven doomed Canaanite nations (Ex. 34:11-16; Deut. 7:1-4). It was, however, an ill-assorted and unblessed marriage. His wife was soon taken f”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Samson — (like the sun), son of Manoah, a man of the town of Zorah in the tribe of Dan, on the border of Judah. (Joshua 15:33; 19:41) (B.C. 1161). The miraculous circumstances of his birth are recorded in Judges 13; and the three following chapters are devoted to the history of his life and exploits. Samson takes his place in Scripture, (1) as a judge--an office which he filled for twenty years, (Judges 15:20; 16:31) (2) as a Nazarite, (Judges 13:5; 16:17) and (3) as one endowed with supernatural power by the Spirit of the Lord. (Judges 13:25; 14:6,19; 15:14) As a jud”
- Judges “The woman bore a son, and named him Samson: and the child grew, and Yahweh blessed him. -- Judges 13:24”
- Judges “Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You have told a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I haven’t told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?” -- Judges 14:16”
- STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H4495 — Samson's father living before Israel's Monarchy (refs: #A man living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.13.2; <br>only referred to as <strong)”
- Judges (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Judges 13:2: And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites,.... Of the tribe of Dan, in which tribe Zorah was, and seems to have lain both on the borders of Judah and Dan, Jos 15:33; See Gill on Jos 15:33; see Gill on Jos 19:41, and this man was not a mean man, but of rank and figure, a principal man in the country, according to Josephus (g); though the Talmudists (h) say he was a plebeian: whose name was Manoah; which signifies "rest", and has much the same signification as Noah; and by this name he was well known in those times, and among his people: and”
- Judges (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Judges 14:5: Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath,.... They were prevailed upon to go with him, either because they perceived his affections were so strongly set upon a wife, that they thought it advisable to agree to it, lest it should be of bad consequence to him, or because he let them know that the thing was of God, and what was his design in it: and came to the vineyards of Timnath; the land of Canaan was a land of vineyards, and particularly that part of it which was inhabited by the Philistines and Phoenicians; and though we nowhere read of the”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 91a.15: Rav Ḥanan bar Rava continues: The mother of David was named Natzvat bat Ada’el. The mother of Samson was named Tzelelponit, and his sister was called Nashyan. The Gemara asks: What is the practical difference as to what their names were? The Gemara answers: It is important with regard to an answer for heretics who inquire into the names of these women, which are not stated in the Bible. One can reply that there is a tradition handed down concerning their names.”
- Judges (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Judges 13:24: And the woman bare a son, and called name Samson,.... After these appearances were over, Manoah and his wife returned to their habitation, and she soon became pregnant, and at the usual course of time brought forth a son, and she gave him the name of Samson; for what reason it is not easy to determine. Josephus says (s) the word signifies "strong"; perhaps he was born a strong robust child, which is not unlikely, or the woman might have some prophetic hint of his future strength, and so gave him this name; but the word has not the signification of strength in it; it ”
- Judges (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Judges 13:24: Here is, 1. Samson's birth. The woman that had been long barren bore a son, according to the promise; for no word of God shall fall to the ground. Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 2. His name, Samson, has been derived by some, from Shemesh, the sun, turned into a diminutive, sol exiguus - the sun in miniature, perhaps because, being born like Moses to be a deliverer, he was like him exceedingly fair, his face shone like a little sun; or his parents so named him in remembrance of the shining countenance of that man of God who brought them the notice ”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 99a.18:24: Samson’s parents were told: “For behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a nazirite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 99b.18:24: Samson’s parents were told: “For behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a nazirite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 9b.24: Samson’s parents were told: “For behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a nazirite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin 18b.5: Rav Naḥman said: From the following verse, it is known that Samson’s father, Manoah, was an ignoramus, as it is stated: “And Manoah arose, and went after his wife” (Judges 13:11), which shows that he was unfamiliar with the principle that one must not walk behind a woman.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 61a.22: Rav Naḥman said: From the following verse we know that Samson’s father, Manoah, was an ignoramus, as it is written: “And Manoah…went after his wife” (Judges 13:11).”