Eluma, Mother of Samson

Judges 13 tells the story of Manoah and his infertile wife, who is visited by an angel who subsequently appears to them both. The angel foretells the birth of Samson and gives instructions for the pregnancy. Though Samson’s mother is not named in the biblical text, she plays a more prominent role in the story than her named husband. In the narrative expansion in Biblical Antiquities, she is named Eluma. This text portrays a conflict between the couple over their difficulty conceiving and imagines the words of Eluma’s prayer. God answers her prayer the following morning by sending the angel with the promise of a child.