20 For it came to pass, when the flame H3851 went up H5927 toward heaven H8064 from off the altar, H4196 that the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 ascended H5927 in the flame H3851 of the altar. H4196 And Manoah H4495 and his wife H802 looked on H7200 it, and fell on H5307 their faces H6440 to the ground. H776
And there came H3318 a fire H784 out from before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and consumed H398 upon the altar H4196 the burnt offering H5930 and the fat: H2459 which when all the people H5971 saw, H7200 they shouted, H7442 and fell H5307 on their faces. H6440
And David H1732 lifted up H5375 his eyes, H5869 and saw H7200 the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 stand H5975 between the earth H776 and the heaven, H8064 having a drawn H8025 sword H2719 in his hand H3027 stretched out H5186 over Jerusalem. H3389 Then David H1732 and the elders H2205 of Israel, who were clothed H3680 in sackcloth, H8242 fell H5307 upon their faces. H6440
As the appearance H4758 of the bow H7198 that is in the cloud H6051 in the day H3117 of rain, H1653 so was the appearance H4758 of the brightness H5051 round about. H5439 This was the appearance H4758 of the likeness H1823 of the glory H3519 of the LORD. H3068 And when I saw H7200 it, I fell H5307 upon my face, H6440 and I heard H8085 a voice H6963 of one that spake. H1696
And G2532 when the disciples G3101 heard G191 it, they fell G4098 on G1909 their G846 face, G4383 and G2532 were sore G4970 afraid. G5399
And Abram H87 fell H5307 on his face: H6440 and God H430 talked H1696 with him, saying, H559
And it came to pass, as they still H1980 went on, H1980 and talked, H1696 that, behold, there appeared a chariot H7393 of fire, H784 and horses H5483 of fire, H784 and parted H6504 them both H8147 asunder; H996 and Elijah H452 went up H5927 by a whirlwind H5591 into heaven. H8064
And David H1732 built H1129 there an altar H4196 unto the LORD, H3068 and offered H5927 burnt offerings H5930 and peace offerings, H8002 and called H7121 upon the LORD; H3068 and he answered H6030 him from heaven H8064 by fire H784 upon the altar H4196 of burnt offering. H5930
God H430 is gone up H5927 with a shout, H8643 the LORD H3068 with the sound H6963 of a trumpet. H7782
And above H4605 the firmament H7549 that was over their heads H7218 was the likeness H1823 of a throne, H3678 as the appearance H4758 of a sapphire H5601 stone: H68 and upon the likeness H1823 of the throne H3678 was the likeness H1823 as the appearance H4758 of a man H120 above H4605 upon it.
Yet heard H8085 I the voice H6963 of his words: H1697 and when I heard H8085 the voice H6963 of his words, H1697 then was I in a deep sleep H7290 on my face, H6440 and my face H6440 toward the ground. H776
Who G3739 being G5607 the brightness G541 of his glory, G1391 and G2532 the express image G5481 of his G846 person, G5287 and G5037 upholding G5342 all things G3956 by the word G4487 of his G846 power, G1411 when he had G4160 G2512 by G1223 himself G1438 purged G4160 G2512 our G2257 sins, G266 sat down G2523 on G1722 the right hand G1188 of the Majesty G3172 on G1722 high; G5308
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 13
Commentary on Judges 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Jud 13:1. Israel Serves the Philistines Forty Years.
1. the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years—The Israelites were represented (Jud 10:6, 7) as having fallen universally into a state of gross and confirmed idolatry, and in chastisement of this great apostasy, the Lord raised up enemies that harassed them in various quarters, especially the Ammonites and Philistines. The invasions and defeat of the former were narrated in the two chapters immediately preceding this; and now the sacred historian proceeds to describe the inroads of the latter people. The period of Philistine ascendency comprised forty years, reckoning from the time of Elon till the death of Samson.
Jud 13:2-10. An Angel Appears to Manoah's Wife.
2. Zorah—a Danite town (Jos 15:33) lying on the common boundary of Judah and Dan, so that it was near the Philistine border.
3. the angel of the Lord—The messenger of the covenant, the divine personage who made so many remarkable appearances of a similar kind already described.
5. thou shalt conceive, and bear a son—This predicted child was to be a Nazarite. The mother was, therefore, for the sake of her promised offspring, required to practice the rigid abstinence of the Nazarite law (see on Nu 6:2).
he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines—a prophecy encouraging to a patriotic man; the terms of it, however, indicated that the period of deliverance was still to be distant.
6-8. then Manoah entreated the Lord—On being informed by his wife of the welcome intimation, the husband made it the subject of earnest prayer to God. This is a remarkable instance, indicative of the connection which God has established between prayer and the fulfilment of His promises.
Jud 13:11-14. The Angel Appears to Manoah.
11. Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman?—Manoah's intense desire for the repetition of the angel's visit was prompted not by doubts or anxieties of any kind, but was the fruit of lively faith, and of his great anxiety to follow out the instructions given. Blessed was he who had not seen, yet had believed.
Jud 13:15-23. Manoah's Sacrifice.
15. Manoah said unto the angel …, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid—The stranger declined the intended hospitality and intimated that if the meat were to be an offering, it must be presented to the Lord [Jud 13:6]. Manoah needed this instruction, for his purpose was to offer the prepared viands to him, not as the Lord, but as what he imagined him to be, not even an angel (Jud 13:16), but a prophet or merely human messenger. It was on this account, and not as rejecting divine honors, that he spoke in this manner to Manoah. The angel's language was exactly similar to that of our Lord (Mt 19:17).
17-20. Manoah said unto the angel …, What is thy name?—Manoah's request elicited the most unequivocal proofs of the divinity of his supernatural visitor—in his name "secret" (in the Margin, "wonderful"), and in the miraculous flame that betokened the acceptance of the sacrifice.
Jud 13:24, 25. Samson Born.
24. the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson—The birth of this child of promise, and the report of the important national services he was to render, must, from the first, have made him an object of peculiar interest and careful instruction.
25. the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times—not, probably, as it moved the prophets, who were charged with an inspired message, but kindling in his youthful bosom a spirit of high and devoted patriotism.
Eshtaol—the free city. It, as well as Zorah, stood on the border between Judah and Dan.