Judges 13

1 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of YHWH; and YHWH delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, —so Yahweh delivered them up into the hand of the Philistines, forty years.

2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and did not bear.

And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, and, his name, was Manoah; and, his wife, was barren, and had borne no child.

3 The angel of YHWH appeared to the woman, and said to her, "See now, you are barren, and do not bear; but you shall conceive, and bear a son.

And the messenger of Yahweh appeared unto the woman, —and said unto her—Lo! I pray thee, thou, art barren, and hast borne no child, but thou shalt conceive, and shalt bear a son.

4 Now therefore please be careful and drink no wine nor strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing.

Now, therefore, beware, I pray thee, and do not drink wine or strong drink, —nor eat anything unclean;

5 For look, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor will come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. And he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

for lo! thou, art about to conceive and bear a son, and no, razor, shall come on his head, for, one separate unto God, shall the boy be from his birth, —and, he, shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, "A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome; and I didn't ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name,

So the woman came in, and told her husband, saying, A man of God, came unto me, and, his, appearance, was as the appearance of the messenger of God, reverend exceedingly, —and I asked him not whence he was, and, his name, he told me not.

7 but he said to me, 'Look, you shall conceive, and bear a son. And now drink no wine nor strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day of his death.'"

But he said unto me, Lo! thou art about to conceive, and bear a son, —now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, nor eat anything unclean, for, one separate unto God, shall the boy be, from his birth until the day of his death.

8 Then Manoah pleaded with YHWH, and said, "Oh, Lord, please let the man of God whom you did send come again to us, and teach us what we shall do to the child who shall be born."

Then Manoah made entreaty unto Yahweh, and said: Pardon, O My Lord! the man of God whom thou didst send, I pray thee, let him come again unto us, that he may teach us what we are to do, unto the boy that is to be born.

9 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, wasn't with her.

And God hearkened unto the voice of Manoah, —and the messenger of God came again unto the woman, as, she, was sitting in the field, Manoah her husband, not being with her.

10 The woman ran quickly, and told her husband, and said to him, "Look, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me."

So the woman made haste, and ran, and told her husband, —and said unto him, Lo! the man, hath appeared unto me, who came the other day unto me.

11 Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to the woman?" He said, "I am."

Then Manoah arose, and followed his wife, —and came unto the man, and said unto him—Art, thou, the man that spake unto the wife? And he said—I am.

12 Manoah said, "Now let your word happen. How shall the child be raised and what is he to do?"

And Manoah said, Now, let thy words come to pass, —What shall be the rule for the boy, and his work?

13 The angel of YHWH said to Manoah, "Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful.

And the messenger of Yahweh said unto Manoah, —Of all that I said unto the woman, let her beware.

14 She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. All that I have commanded her she is to observe."

Of nothing that cometh of the vine, may she eat, nor wine nor strong drink, let her drink, nor, anything unclean, let her eat, —all that I commanded her, let her observe.

15 Manoah said to the angel of YHWH, "Please, stay a bit longer that we may prepare a young goat for you."

And Manoah said unto the messenger of Yahweh, —I pray thee, let us detain thee, that we may make ready for thy presence, a kid.

16 The angel of YHWH said to Manoah, "Though you detain me, I won't eat of your bread. And if you prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to YHWH." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of YHWH.

But the messenger of Yahweh said unto Manoah—Though thou detain me, yet will I not eat of thy food, and, though thou make ready an ascending-sacrifice, unto Yahweh, must thou cause it to ascend. For Manoah had not discerned that, the angel of Yahweh, he was.

17 Manoah said to the angel of YHWH, "What is your name, that when your words come true we may honor you?"

Then said Manoah unto the messenger of Yahweh, What is thy name, —that, when thy word cometh to pass, we may do thee honour?

18 And the angel of YHWH said to him, "Why do you ask for my name? It is incomprehensible."

And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore is it, that thou shouldst ask after my name, —seeing that, it, is Wonderful?

19 So Manoah took the young goat and a grain offering, and offered it on the rock to YHWH, YHWH who works wonders. And Manoah and his wife looked on.

So Manoah took the kid, and the meal-offering, and caused them to ascend upon the rock unto Yahweh, who was about to do, wondrously, while Manoah and his wife were looking on.

20 For it happened, when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, that the angel of YHWH ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on, and they fell on their faces to the ground.

And it came to pass, when the flame ascended from off the altar, towards the heavens, that the messenger of Yahweh ascended in the flame of the altar, —while Manoah and his wife were looking on. Then fell they on their faces, to the earth.

21 But the angel of YHWH did not appear again to Manoah or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of YHWH.

And the messenger of Yahweh did no more appear unto Manoah or unto his wife. Then, Manoah knew that, the messenger of Yahweh, he was.

22 Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, because we have seen God."

And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall, die, —for, upon God, have we looked.

23 But his wife said to him, "If YHWH meant to kill us, he wouldn't have received a burnt offering and a grain offering from us, neither would he have shown us all these things, nor would he have spoken to us now like this."

But his wife said unto him, If Yahweh had been pleased to put us to death, he would not have received at our hand, an ascending-sacrifice and a meal-offering, nor would he have shewed us all these things, —and, at such a time, have let us hear the like of this!

24 The woman bore a son, and named him Samson. And the child grew, and YHWH blessed him.

So the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson, —and the boy grew, and Yahweh blessed him.

25 And the Spirit of YHWH began to direct him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

And the spirit of Yahweh began to urge him to and fro, in the camp of Dan, —between Zorah and Eshtaol.