Judges 13:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.”

NIV: Then Manoah prayed to the LORD: 'Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.'

NASB: Then Manoah pleaded with the Lord and said, 'Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again so that he may teach us what we are to do for the boy who is to be born.'

CSB: Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, "Please, Lord, let the man of God you sent come again to us and teach us what we should do for the boy who will be born."

NLT: Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, saying, 'Lord, please let the man of God come back to us again and give us more instructions about this son who is to be born.'

KJV: Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

NKJV: Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, and said, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.”

Manoah (Judges 13:2) could have responded in several ways to his wife's story. She claimed a man who looked like an angel told her she would have a son, despite being barren (Judges 13:3–5). Even more unique was her claim that this child is to be set apart under Nazirite vows (Numbers 6:1–20)—no contact with alcohol, grapes, or cutting his hair—and that was destined to begin to save Israel from Philistine oppression (Judges 13:1).

Manoah responds in faith and a measure of anxiety. He believes his wife and trusts this message (Judges 13:6–7) was from God. He immediately prays to the Lord to send the man of God back to teach them how to raise this child. Some commentators suggest Manoah doubts his wife's story and wants to see it confirmed with his own eyes. According to what he says, however, Manoah is asking for details about "how" to obey the command, not verifying "if" it was given. That's a prayer of deep faith.

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).