Then the woman came and told her husband, (A)“A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. (B)I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name, but he said to me, (C)‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”

Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” 11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” 12 And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, (D)what is to be the child's manner of life, and what is his mission?” 13 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. 14 She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, (E)neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.”

15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you and (F)prepare a young goat for you.” 16 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.” (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.) 17 And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, (G)“What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?” 18 And the angel of the Lord said to him, (H)“Why do you ask my name, seeing (I)it is wonderful?” 19 So (J)Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to the one who works[a] wonders, and Manoah and his wife were watching. 20 And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, (K)and they fell on their faces to the ground.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Judges 13:19 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew Lord, and working

Then the woman went to her husband and told him, “A man of God(A) came to me. He looked like an angel of God,(B) very awesome.(C) I didn’t ask him where he came from, and he didn’t tell me his name. But he said to me, ‘You will become pregnant and have a son. Now then, drink no wine(D) or other fermented drink(E) and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from the womb until the day of his death.(F)’”

Then Manoah(G) prayed to the Lord: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God(H) you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”

God heard Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman while she was out in the field; but her husband Manoah was not with her. 10 The woman hurried to tell her husband, “He’s here! The man who appeared to me(I) the other day!”

11 Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, “Are you the man who talked to my wife?”

“I am,” he said.

12 So Manoah asked him, “When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy’s life and work?”

13 The angel of the Lord answered, “Your wife must do all that I have told her. 14 She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink any wine or other fermented drink(J) nor eat anything unclean.(K) She must do everything I have commanded her.”

15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat(L) for you.”

16 The angel of the Lord replied, “Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering,(M) offer it to the Lord.” (Manoah did not realize(N) that it was the angel of the Lord.)

17 Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the Lord, “What is your name,(O) so that we may honor you when your word comes true?”

18 He replied, “Why do you ask my name?(P) It is beyond understanding.[a] 19 Then Manoah took a young goat, together with the grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock(Q) to the Lord. And the Lord did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: 20 As the flame(R) blazed up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground.(S)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Judges 13:18 Or is wonderful