Judges 13:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?”

NIV: Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, 'What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?'

NASB: And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, 'What is your name, so that when your words are fulfilled, we may honor you?'

CSB: Then Manoah said to him, "What is your name, so that we may honor you when your words come true? "

NLT: Then Manoah asked the angel of the Lord, 'What is your name? For when all this comes true, we want to honor you.'

KJV: And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?

NKJV: Then Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, “What is Your name, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?”

Manoah is grateful to a stranger, a "man of God" whom he thinks is some kind of prophet (Judges 13:2–14). That figure brought good news that Manoah and his wife will finally have a child, a son. The couple wants to honor this visitor in some way, not understanding this is "the angel of the LORD;" in this context, this means they are speaking with some temporary manifestation of God, Himself. After Manoah offers a special meal, the "man" suggested using the goat and other food as burnt offering, instead. Manoah will do this, but first he has a question.

Once again expressing trusting faith that God's promises will come true, Manoah asks for the "man's" name. He wants to know who to honor when these prophecies are fulfilled. This faith in the truthfulness of a stranger's God-given message is impressive. That makes it more curious that Manoah seems slow to recognize the stranger as anything more than merely human. As the following verses show, it will take more hints and surprises to make the situation clear.

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 5/8/2024 10:19:33 PM