Judges 13:2There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and didn't bear.
The setting
Zorah, Israel, ~1100 BC. A small town 15 miles west of Jerusalem. Manoah and his wife live quiet lives under Philistine oppression, their biggest private pain being childlessness. Modern location: Sar'a, Israel.
The emotion here: compassionate sadness for recording human longing
The original word
aqar (עֲקָרָה) — barren, literally 'uprooted,' implying broken purpose
Why it matters
The tribe of Dan was being squeezed out of their territory by Philistines during this period
Read with care
What most readers miss in Judges 13:2
Manoah's name means 'rest' but his life was anything but restful
Common misconceptionMany think barrenness was punishment for sin, but the Bible consistently shows God choosing barren women to birth His greatest miracles — it's about His power, not their worthiness.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Judges 13:2
Bible Genome reading
Judges 13:2 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Judges 13:2 comes from the book of Judges, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is lonely, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include barrenness, longing, family. Notable phrases: his wife was barren.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same lonely
“At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why h…”
— Mark 15:34
“Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house."”
— Mark 6:4
“About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me…”
— Matthew 27:46
“Yahweh God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."”
— Genesis 2:18
“I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.”
— Job 30:29
Your reflection
What does Judges 13:2 mean to you, today?
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