importantly, as it would turn out) Jacob, the father of the Israelite nation (Genesis 25:21–26). Jacob’s wife, Rachel, too, “was barren,” but “God listened to her and opened her womb,” and she bore Joseph, through whom God saved many lives (Genesis 29:31; 30:22, 23; 50:20). More recently (from the point of view of 1 Samuel 1) a woman who “was barren and had no children” was visited by an angel, was promised a son, and gave birth to Samson (Judges 13:2, 3, 24). Samson delivered Israel from the Philistines