Manoah

"Rest." A Danite, native of the town of Zorah. He was the father of Samson. According the biblical story his wife was barren. An angel appeared to the woman and told her she would bear a son, provided that she would not drink wine of strong drink and not eat any unclean thing. The angel also gave instructions never to cut her son's hair, "for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." Manoah prayed to God and the angel returned to instruct them both. Manoah then sacrificed a kid (goat) and offered it upon a rock to God. When the flame went upward to heaven, the angel ascended in the flame. In time Manoah's wife gave birth to a son, whom she named Samson.

The Bible does not mention his wife's name, but according to the Babylonian Talmud¹ she was called Zlelponith. Samson's sister was called Nashyan.

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