Judges 13

1 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight; and the LORD 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 childless.

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 LORD’s angel appeared to the woman, and said to her, “See now, you are barren and childless; 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 beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing;

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

5 for, behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son. No razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. 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. 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, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink. Don’t eat any unclean thing, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to 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 entreated the LORD, and said, “Oh, Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us, and teach us what we should 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 hurried and ran, and told her husband, saying to him, “Behold, the man who came to me that 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 followed his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife?” 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 words happen. What shall the child’s way of life and mission be?”

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

13 The LORD’s angel said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her beware.

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. Let her observe all that I commanded her.”

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 LORD’s angel, “Please stay with us, that we may make a young goat ready 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 LORD’s angel said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I won’t eat your bread. If you will prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD.” For Manoah didn’t know that he was the LORD’s angel.

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 LORD’s angel, “What is your name, that when your words happen, 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 The LORD’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since 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 with the meal offering, and offered it on the rock to the LORD. Then the angel did an amazing thing as Manoah and his wife watched.

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 when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, the LORD’s angel ascended in the flame of the altar. Manoah and his wife watched; 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 LORD’s angel didn’t appear to Manoah or to his wife any more. Then Manoah knew that he was the LORD’s angel.

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 the LORD were pleased to kill us, he wouldn’t have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hand, and he wouldn’t have shown us all these things, nor would he have told us such things as these at this time.”

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. The child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

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

25 The LORD’s Spirit began to move 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.