the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Encyclopedias
Manoah
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (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).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Manoah'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/m/manoah.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
