In Judges 13:4 (ESV), it says,
Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean.”
I wonder if this means that it was getting somewhat common in Israel to eat unclean things by this point.
Bekah
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Hi Bekah,
Even though Israel had by the time of Judges wandered far from the commandments of God they received at Mount Sinai, in this case, “unclean” must be defined only as “forbidden to a Nazarite”. The angel was telling the young woman who would be Samson’s mother that her son would be a Nazarite, dedicated to the service of God, his entire life and that as long as she was carrying him in her womb, she had to follow the rules for eating, etc., that applied to Nazarites. Those rules can be found in Numbers 6.
A similar sort of thing can be found with the word “stranger” in the book of Numbers. It has a special usage there, different from all other places in the Bible because even most Israelites are called “strangers” or “foreigners”. This is why: The tabernacle was considered such a holy place that anyone other than a descendant of Aaron was forbidden to touch it, and everyone, including all non-priests in Israel were called “foreigners” or “strangers” if they came near the tabernacle (Num. 16:40). God also gave the tribe of Levi to the priests as their servants so that no one else in Israel would come close to the high priest as well as to the other priests. The priests of Israel are treated as so holy to God that even ordinary Israelites, much less the Gentiles, were considered unworthy to touch him. And in that case, too, the ordinary Israelite was referred to as a “stranger” or “foreigner” if he approached the priests:
Numbers 18
2. And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.
3. And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
4. And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
5 And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.
6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Thanks, Bekah, for a very good question.
Dad