Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 13:25

"And the Spirit of Jehovah began to move him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol." — Judges 13:25 (ASV)

The Spirit of the Lord (Judges 3:10). The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it rightly: “The spirit of courage from Jehovah.” Amos (Amos 2:11) ranks Nazarites with prophets. “Different as their mode of action may be, they agree in a belief, which strings up every power to its highest tension, that they are Jehovah’s very own, consecrated to Him by a wholly special calling” (Ewald).

Began to move him. Literally, to agitate or thrust him (paham, Genesis 41:8; Daniel 2:1). The word implies vehement and overwhelming impulses to noble deeds (“fing an ihn zu treiben,” Luther), which, however, only came over him “at times” (Judges 14:6; Judges 15:14; Judges 16:20). The Septuagint rendering, “to go with him,” comes from a wrong reading.

In the camp of Dan. Rather, in Mahaneh-dan. Doubtless the name originated in the migration of this hard-pressed tribe, which is mentioned in Judges 18:11-12, although this migration took place long before Samson’s time. The sites of Mahaneh-dan and Eshtaol have not been identified. In his hatred for the enemies of his country, Samson is the Hannibal of the Hebrews.