EGW → Biblical Foundation
Select an Ellen White book from the sidebar to see each passage mapped to the Bible verses it amplifies, cites, or echoes.
Scripture Index
Ellen White & Bible Cross-Reference
Judges 13:2
"And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not."
"On the border of the hill country overlooking the Philistine plain was the little town of Zorah. Here dwelt the family of Manoah, of the tribe of Dan, one of the few households that amid the general defection had remained true to Jehovah. To the childless wife of Manoah “the Angel of Jehovah” appeared with the message that she should have a son, through whom God would begin to deliver Israel. In view of this the Angel gave her instruction concerning her own habits, and also for the treatment of her child: “Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing.” And the same prohibition was to be imposed, from the first, upon the child, with the addition that his hair should not be cut; for he was to be consecrated to God as a Nazarite from his birth. PP 560.2"
The EGW passage directly references and expands upon the events described in Judges 13:2, including the location of Zorah and Manoah's barren wife. It also quotes the angel's instructions, solidifying the explicit allusion.
Judges 13:4
"Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:"
"Pre-natal Influences. —God had an important work for the promised child of Manoah [Samson] to do, and it was to secure for him the qualifications necessary for this work, that the habits of both the mother and the child were to be carefully regulated. “Neither let her drink wine or strong drink,” was the angel's instruction for the wife of Manoah, “nor eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.” [ Judges 13:14 .] The child will be affected for good or for evil by the habits of the mother. She must herself be controlled by principle, and must practice temperance and self-denial, if she would seek the welfare of her child. Unwise advisers will urge upon the mother the necessity of gratifying every wish and impulse; but such teaching is false and mischievous. The mother is by the command of God himself placed under the most solemn obligation to exercise self-control. CE 232.1"
EGW directly quotes and elaborates on Judges 13:4 and 13:14, making the connection explicit.
"Temperance and Self-Control The carefulness with which the mother should guard her habits of life is taught in the Scriptures. When the Lord would raise up Samson as a deliverer for Israel, “the angel of Jehovah” appeared to the mother, with special instruction concerning her habits, and also for the treatment of her child. “Beware,” he said, “and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing.” Judges 13:13, 7 . MH 372"
The EGW passage directly quotes and references Judges 13:4 and Judges 13:7 regarding the angel's instructions to Samson's mother.
"On the border of the hill country overlooking the Philistine plain was the little town of Zorah. Here dwelt the family of Manoah, of the tribe of Dan, one of the few households that amid the general defection had remained true to Jehovah. To the childless wife of Manoah “the Angel of Jehovah” appeared with the message that she should have a son, through whom God would begin to deliver Israel. In view of this the Angel gave her instruction concerning her own habits, and also for the treatment of her child: “Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing.” And the same prohibition was to be imposed, from the first, upon the child, with the addition that his hair should not be cut; for he was to be consecrated to God as a Nazarite from his birth. PP 560.2"
The EGW passage directly quotes Judges 13:4.
"Chapter 32—The Child Not only the habits of the mother, but the training of the child were included in the angel's instruction to the Hebrew parents. It was not enough that Samson, the child who was to deliver Israel, should have a good legacy at his birth. This was to be followed by careful training. From infancy he was to be trained to habits of strict temperance. MH 379"
The EGW passage explicitly refers to the story of Samson and the angel's instructions to his parents, which directly relates to Judges 13:4 regarding abstaining from wine and strong drink. This is more than a thematic parallel; it's a direct reference and application of the biblical narrative.
"God had an important work for the promised child of Manoah to do, and it was to secure for him the qualifications necessary for this work that the habits of both the mother and the child were to be carefully regulated. “Neither let her drink wine or strong drink,” was the Angel's instruction for the wife of Manoah, “nor eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.” The child will be affected for good or for evil by the habits of the mother. She must herself be controlled by principle and must practice temperance and self- denial, if she would seek the welfare of her child. Unwise advisers will urge upon the mother the necessity of gratifying every wish and impulse, but such teaching is false and mischievous. The mother is by the command of God Himself placed under the most solemn obligation to exercise self-control. PP 561.1"
EGW directly quotes Judges 13:4.
Judges 13:5
"For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: 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."
The divine promise to Manoah was in due time fulfilled in the birth of a son, to whom the name of Samson was given. As the boy grew up it became evident that he possessed extraordinary physical strength. This was not, however, as Samson and his parents well knew, dependent upon his well-knit sinews, but upon his condition as a Nazarite, of which his unshorn hair was a symbol. Had Samson obeyed the divine commands as faithfully as his parents had done, his would have been a nobler and happier destiny. But association with idolaters corrupted him. The town of Zorah being near the country of the Philistines, Samson came to mingle with them on friendly terms. Thus in his youth intimacies sprang up, the influence of which darkened his whole life. A young woman dwelling in the Philistine town of Timnath engaged Samson's affections, and he determined to make her his wife. To his God-fearing parents, who endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose, his only answer was, “She pleaseth me well.” …
The EGW passage directly references and explains the Nazarite vow mentioned in Judges 13:5 in relation to Samson's life.
"Chapter 54—Samson This chapter is based on Judges 13 to 16 . Amid the widespread apostasy the faithful worshipers of God continued to plead with Him for the deliverance of Israel. Though there was apparently no response, though year after year the power of the oppressor continued to rest more heavily upon the land, God's providence was preparing help for them. Even in the early years of the Philistine oppression a child was born through whom God designed to humble the power of these mighty foes. PP 560"
The EGW passage explicitly states that the chapter is based on Judges 13-16, which includes Judges 13:5. The EGW passage directly references the context of Judges 13-16, making it an explicit allusion.
"God's promise that through Samson He would “begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” was fulfilled; but how dark and terrible the record of that life which might have been a praise to God and a glory to the nation! Had Samson been true to his divine calling, the purpose of God could have been accomplished in his honor and exaltation. But he yielded to temptation and proved untrue to his trust, and his mission was fulfilled in defeat, bondage, and death. PP 567.2"
The EGW passage directly quotes and expands upon Judges 13:5, interpreting its meaning and relating it to Samson's life and choices.
Judges 13:8
"Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born."
"The inquiry of every father and mother should be, “What shall we do unto the child that shall be born unto us?” [ Judges 13:8 .] The effect of pre-natal influences has been by many lightly regarded; but the instruction sent from heaven to those Hebrew parents, and twice repeated in the most explicit and solemn manner, shows how this matter is looked upon by our Creator. CE 233.2"
Ellen White directly references Judges 13:8 in this passage.
"The woman sought her husband, and, after describing the Angel, she repeated His message. Then, fearful that they should make some mistake in the important work committed to them, the husband prayed, “Let the Man of God which Thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.” PP 560.3"
The EGW passage directly quotes Judges 13:8.
Judges 13:12
"And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?"
"This work of education the Infinite One has counted so important that messengers from His throne have been sent to a mother that was to be, to answer the question, “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” ( Judges 13:12 ), and to instruct a father concerning the education of a promised son. Ed 276.2"
Ellen White directly references Judges 13:12 in this passage.
The Child Samuel. —From Shiloh, Hannah quietly returned to her home at Ramah, leaving the child Samuel to be trained for service in the house of God, under the instruction of the high priest. From the earliest dawn of intellect, she had taught her son to love and reverence God, and to regard himself as the Lord's. By every familiar object surrounding him, she had sought to lead his thoughts up to the Creator. When separated from her child, the faithful mother's solicitude did not cease. Every day he was the subject of her prayers. Every year she made, with her own hands, a robe of service for him; and as she went up with her husband to worship at Shiloh, she gave the child this reminder of her love. Every fiber of the little garment had been woven with a prayer that he might be pure, noble, and true. She did not ask for her son worldly greatness, but she earnestly pleaded that he might attain that greatness which heaven values,—that he might honor God, and bless his fellow-men. CE 214.…
Ellen White directly references Judges 13:12 in this passage.
"When the Angel again appeared, Manoah's anxious inquiry was, “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” The previous instruction was repeated—“Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. She may not eat of anything that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.” PP 560.4"
The EGW passage directly quotes Judges 13:12.
Judges 13:14
"She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe."
"Pre-natal Influences. —God had an important work for the promised child of Manoah [Samson] to do, and it was to secure for him the qualifications necessary for this work, that the habits of both the mother and the child were to be carefully regulated. “Neither let her drink wine or strong drink,” was the angel's instruction for the wife of Manoah, “nor eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.” [ Judges 13:14 .] The child will be affected for good or for evil by the habits of the mother. She must herself be controlled by principle, and must practice temperance and self-denial, if she would seek the welfare of her child. Unwise advisers will urge upon the mother the necessity of gratifying every wish and impulse; but such teaching is false and mischievous. The mother is by the command of God himself placed under the most solemn obligation to exercise self-control. CE 232.1"
Ellen White directly references Judges 13:14 in this passage.