Once again the instructions in verse 13.4 are given. Such repetition indicates their importance. All the prohibitions here are part of keeping the Nazirite vow. Unfortunately, Samson breaks or gets dangerously close to breaking all of these injunctions.

She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine: In verse 13.4 the angel told Samson’s mother to not drink wine. Now this injunction applies to not eating anything that comes from the vine. This means that besides never drinking wine, she cannot eat or drink anything made from grapes. This would include dried grapes or raisins, grape leaves, unfermented grape juice, and also vinegar made from wine. At first glance this injunction does not seem difficult, but in Israel these products were part of everyone’s regular diet. Presumably, this injunction was made to enforce the Nazirite vow, so that not only wine but anything even close to wine would not be consumed. For vine see verse 9.12. Since many languages do not have a word for “grape” or “grapevine,” this clause poses a challenge. Translators may say “She must not eat any grapes or anything made with grapes,” even if “grapes” must be rendered by a borrowed word.

Neither let her drink wine or strong drink: See verse 13.4.

Or eat anything unclean: See verse 13.4.

All that I commanded her let her observe: This sentence is similar to the last one in verse 13.13, but it is more forceful because it uses the verb commanded rather than “said.” The Hebrew verb rendered observe is the same one translated “beware” in the previous verse (see comments there).

Translation models for this verse are:

• She must never eat grapes or anything made from grapes. She must not drink any wine or strong drink, nor eat anything that is against God’s Law. She must do exactly as I have ordered her.”

• She must never eat anything from the grape plant nor drink any wine or strong drink. She must not eat any food that is impure. She must strictly obey everything I have commanded.”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .