Judges 13:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the woman came and told her husband, "A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name,

NIV: Then the woman went to her husband and told him, "A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn’t ask him where he came from, and he didn’t tell me his name.

NASB: Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, 'A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. So I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.

CSB: Then the woman went and told her husband, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the awe-inspiring angel of God. I didn’t ask him where he came from, and he didn’t tell me his name.

NLT: The woman ran and told her husband, 'A man of God appeared to me! He looked like one of God’s angels, terrifying to see. I didn’t ask where he was from, and he didn’t tell me his name.

KJV: Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:

NKJV: So the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A Man of God came to me, and His countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of God, very awesome; but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name.

The "angel of the LORD," Yahweh Himself in human form, has appeared to a barren woman. His good news to her is that she will have a son (Judges 13:2–5). This child will be special and is to be set apart, even before birth, as a Nazarite (Numbers 6:1–21). He is destined to begin to save Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13:1). This baby would grow to become Israel's next deliverer (Judges 2:16).

Once the "angel of the LORD" leaves, Manoah's wife rushes to tell her husband what has happened. She doesn't yet understand exactly who has been talking to her. She describes the visitor as a man who looked like an angel. She uses a Hebrew root word translated as "awesome." In modern English, this has become a generic, positive description. However, both the Hebrew and English words are meant to refer to something that inspires "awe:" a reverent, astonished, even fearful response. What the woman saw was simultaneously beautiful and intimidating.

As she's talking, she seems to realize how little she knows about the messenger. They did not discuss names or personal details. She reports the wonderful, startling things she was told in the following verse (Judges 13:7).

Manoah's wife gives a description consistent with other biblical appearances of "the angel of the LORD." This is likely not a common angel, in the proper sense. The figure is so closely associated with Yahweh—the One True God—that He is often referred to both as "the angel of the LORD" as well as simply "the LORD" (Judges 6:12–14). This is often called a "theophany:" God in a tangible, temporary form which is both human and awesomely divine.

Judges 13:1–7 begins as Israel, once again, descends into sin and evil, resulting in hardship. This passage describes an interaction between a childless women and a messenger from God, possibly Yahweh Himself in human form. He tells her she will give birth to a son who is to be dedicated as a Nazirite from the womb. This child's purpose will be to begin rescuing Israel from oppression under the Philistines. The woman tells her husband, Manoah, who is from the tribe of Dan.

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).