Judges 13

1 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he gave them into the hand of the Philistines for 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 man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was not able to become pregnant and so she had not given birth.

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 Yahweh appeared to the woman and said to her, “See now, you have been unable to become pregnant, and you have not given birth, but you will become pregnant and you will give birth to 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 be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything unclean.

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

5 Look, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son. No razor will be used upon his head, for the child will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin to deliver Israel from 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, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like that of an angel of God, very terrible. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not 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 He said to me, 'Look! You will become pregnant, and you will give birth to a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and do not eat any food that the law declares to be unclean, because the child will be a Nazirite to God from the time he is in your 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 prayed to Yahweh and said, “Oh, Lord, please let the man of God you sent come again to us so that he may teach us what we are to do for the child who soon will 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 to the woman again when she was sitting in the field. But Manoah her husband was not 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 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Look! The man has appeared to me—the one who came to me the other day!”

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 got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, “Are you the man who spoke with my wife?” The man 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 So Manoah said, “Now may your words come true. What will be the rules for the child, and what will be his work?”

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 Yahweh said to Manoah, “She must carefully do everything that I said to her.

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

14 She may not eat anything that comes from the vines, and do not let her drink wine or strong drink or eat anything unclean. She must obey everything I have commanded her to do.”

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 Yahweh, “Please stay for a while, to give us time to 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 Yahweh said to Manoah, “Even if I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to Yahweh.” (Manoah did not know that he was the angel of Yahweh.)

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 Yahweh, “What is your name, so we may honor you when your words come true?”

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 The angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why do you ask my name? It is wonderful!”

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 with the grain offering and offered them on the rock to Yahweh. He did something marvelous while Manoah and his wife were watching.

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 When the flame went up from the altar toward the sky, the angel of Yahweh went up in the flame of the altar. Manoah and his wife saw this and lay facedown on 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 The angel of Yahweh did not appear again to Manoah or his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Yahweh.

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 are sure to 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 Yahweh wanted to kill us, he would not have received the burnt offering and the grain offering we gave him. He would not have shown us all these things, nor at this time would he have let us hear such things.”

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 Later the woman gave birth to a son, and called his name Samson. The child grew up and Yahweh blessed him.

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

25 Yahweh's Spirit began to stir 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.