Judges 13:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, "Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me."

NIV: The woman hurried to tell her husband, "He’s here! The man who appeared to me the other day!"

NASB: So the woman hurried and ran, and told her husband, 'Behold, the man who came the other day has appeared to me!'

CSB: The woman ran quickly to her husband and told him, "The man who came to me the other day has just come back!"

NLT: So she quickly ran and told her husband, 'The man who appeared to me the other day is here again!'

KJV: And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.

NKJV: Then the woman ran in haste and told her husband, and said to him, “Look, the Man who came to me the other day has just now appeared to me!”

Manoah's wife again tells him that she's encountered a divine messenger, whom she called "the man of God" (Judges 13:6). After the first appearance (Judges 13:2–5), Manoah prayed for God to send the same "angel of the LORD" (Judges 13:3) back to talk to both parents about how to raise the promised child.

Now Manoah's wife tells him the same man from the first appearance has arrived again. Whether she spoke with the figure, or not, Scripture does not say. All we know is that she ran to find Manoah; she clearly wants him to be involved in this incredible thing happening to her.

Judges 13:8–25 explains how Manoah learned of his wife's interaction with a messenger from God. He prays for more understanding, so he can properly fulfill his obligations. The angel of the Lord appears, again, and repeats his instructions. The child is to be consecrated as a Nazirite for his entire life. Manoah prepares a sacrifice, and the angel disappears into the flames. This further confirms the truth of the message. Manoah and his wife name their child Samson, who shows signs of blessing and the influence of God's Spirit from an early age.

The Lord appoints another deliverer for Israel, this time in response to oppression under the Philistines. An impressive stranger appears to Manoah and his wife, announcing they will have a son. This child is to be set apart as a Nazarite from before birth until death. His mother must not drink wine or strong drink or eat any unclean thing. This visitor then disappears into the flames of a burnt offering. The couple realizes they have seen a manifestation of Yahweh, Himself. Samson is born and soon shows signs of God's influence.

After Jephthah's rescue (Judges 11—12) this passage begins with another generation sinning against God. As is the pattern of the book of Judges, this leads to oppression. Israel is subject to forty years of misery under the Philistines. God appears to the wife of Manoah in the territory of Dan. She is commanded to consecrate her unborn son as a Nazarite, and that this child will begin to save Israel from the Philistines. Samson is born and is blessed by God. This is as pure as Samson's life will be—the rest of his story is an awkward, scandalous example of the Lord using flawed people to accomplish His great purposes.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).

Accessed 12/21/2024 10:13:33 PM