Study Desk

But the Lord , the God of Israel, gave his people victory over King Sihon. So Israel took control of all the land of the Amorites, who lived in that region,

"So you see, it was the Lord , the God of Israel, who took away the land from the Amorites and gave it to Israel. Why, then, should we give it back to you?

You keep whatever your god Chemosh gives you, and we will keep whatever the Lord our God gives us.

You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines."

The woman ran and told her husband, "A man of God appeared to me! He looked like one of God's angels, terrifying to see. I didn't ask where he was from, and he didn't tell me his name.

But he told me, ‘You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. For your son will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from the moment of his birth until the day of his death.'"

Then Manoah prayed to the Lord , saying, "Lord, please let the man of God come back to us again and give us more instructions about this son who is to be born."

God answered Manoah's prayer, and the angel of God appeared once again to his wife as she was sitting in the field. But her husband, Manoah, was not with her.

and he said to his wife, "We will certainly die, for we have seen God!"

So God caused water to gush out of a hollow in the ground at Lehi, and Samson was revived as he drank. Then he named that place "The Spring of the One Who Cried Out," and it is still in Lehi to this day.

Finally, Samson shared his secret with her. "My hair has never been cut," he confessed, "for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else."

The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, "Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!"

When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, "Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!"

Then Samson prayed to the Lord , "Sovereign Lord , remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes."

Then they said, "Ask God whether or not our journey will be successful."

When you get there, you will find the people living carefree lives. God has given us a spacious and fertile land, lacking in nothing!"

So Micah's carved image was worshiped by the tribe of Dan as long as the Tabernacle of God remained at Shiloh.

The leaders of all the people and all the tribes of Israel—400,000 warriors armed with swords—took their positions in the assembly of the people of God.

Before the battle the Israelites went to Bethel and asked God, "Which tribe should go first to attack the people of Benjamin?" The Lord answered, "Judah is to go first."

The Israelites went up seeking direction from the Lord . (In those days the Ark of the Covenant of God was in Bethel,