Judges 13:11-15

Judges 13:11

And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.

 

Manoah then arose and followed his wife to the place where the man was.  When they arrived, Manoah asked him if he was the man who previously spoke to his wife concerning the prophecy.  The man responded that he was the one.  It might have been that the angel had toned down his appearance a little and became more like a regular man since it seems Manoah spoke to him as one would speak to another human being yet he spoke to him in reverence.

 

Judges 13:12

And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?

 

Manoah then confirms the prophecy and asks him to let his words come to pass.  He then asks two important questions concerning his upbringing.  First, how will they order the child which means how will they govern the child and according to what ordinances since he will be a Nazarite especially in reference to his future mission.  Secondly, he asks how shall we do unto him?  What else beyond the primary ordinances of a Nazirite are we to do for him?  They were looking at his present upbringing and his future mission in freeing the Israelites from the hold of the Philistines.

 

Judges 13:13

And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.

 

Then the angel responds to Manoah but not with answers to his questions but counsel for his wife that she is to observe everything that she was commanded to do according to the laws of the Nazirite.  The word “beware” means to “carefully observe.”

 

Judges 13:14

She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.

 

The angel then recites the requirements for keeping the laws of the Nazarite and that she is not to eat anything that comes from the vine because it is the vine which is the source for wine and intoxicating beverage.  She not to eat anything which is considered unclean according to the Levitical laws and once again he counsels strongly that she is to carefully observe everything that she was commanded.

 

Judges 13:15

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.

 

Manoah being a man of hospitality asked the angel if he would be willing to be detained until he is able to have a kid prepared for food for them.  Manoah had treated him as if he was a prophet and would hopefully stay with them and break bread.  Maybe Manoah wanted to speak with him and gain some more heavenly insights.  The kid was a young goat that Manoah was hoping to share with him.

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