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the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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THE MESSAGE

Judges 13:16

God 's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for God , go ahead—offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (Holy Trinity);   Angel (a Spirit);   Conception;   God Continued...;   Manoah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Burnt Offering, the;   Offerings;   Sacrifices;   Titles and Names of Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Angel of the Lord;   Dan;   Harosheth of the Gentiles;   Sacrifice;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Angel of the Lord;   Fire;   Hospitality;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Manoah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Angels;   High Places;   Judges, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Judges, Book of;   Samson;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Levi;   Manoah;   Nazirite;   Philistines;   Rock;   Samson;   Trinity;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Manoah ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Manoah;   Samson;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Manoah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Deuteronomy;   Manoah;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Angels;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Angelology;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The angel of the Lord said to him, “If I stay, I won’t eat your food. But if you want to prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord.” (Manoah did not know he was the angel of the Lord.)
Hebrew Names Version
The angel of the LORD said to Manoach, Though you detain me, I won't eat of your bread; and if you will make ready a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD. For Manoach didn't know that he was the angel of the LORD.
King James Version
And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord . For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord .
Lexham English Bible
The angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, "If you keep me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering for Yahweh, you can offer it (for Manoah did not know that he was an angel of Yahweh)."
English Standard Version
And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord ." (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord .)
New Century Version
The angel of the Lord answered, "Even if I stay awhile, I would not eat your food. But if you want to prepare something, offer a burnt offering to the Lord ." (Manoah did not understand that the man was really the angel of the Lord .)
New English Translation
The Lord 's messenger said to Manoah, "If I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you want to make a burnt sacrifice to the Lord , you should offer it." (He said this because Manoah did not know that he was the Lord 's messenger.)
Amplified Bible
The Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD." For Manoah did not know that he was the Angel of the LORD.
New American Standard Bible
But the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Angel of the Lord said vnto Manoah, Though thou make me abide, I will not eate of thy bread, and if thou wilt make a burnt offring, offer it vnto the Lorde: for Manoah knewe not that it was an Angel of the Lorde.
Legacy Standard Bible
These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; and their mouth speaks arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of their own benefit.
Contemporary English Version
Manoah didn't realize that he was really talking to one of the Lord 's angels. The angel answered, "I can stay for a little while, although I won't eat any of your food. But if you would like to offer the goat as a sacrifice to the Lord , that would be fine."
Complete Jewish Bible
The angel of Adonai said to Manoach, "Even if I do stay, I won't eat your food; and if you prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to Adonai ." For Manoach did not know that he was the angel of Adonai .
Darby Translation
And the Angel of Jehovah said to Manoah, Though thou shouldest detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering, thou shalt offer it up to Jehovah. For Manoah knew not that he was the Angel of Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "Even if you keep me from leaving, I will not eat your food. But if you want to prepare something, offer a burnt offering to the Lord ." (Manoah did not understand that the man was really the angel of the Lord .)
George Lamsa Translation
And the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, Though you detain me, I will not eat of your food; and if you will offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD. For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.
Literal Translation
And the Angel of Jehovah said to Manoah, If you keep Me, I will not eat of your bread. And if you prepare a burnt offering, you shall offer it to Jehovah. For Manoah did not know that He was the Angel of Jehovah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles ye angell of the LORDE answered Manoah: Though thou kepest me here, yet wyll I not eate of thy bred. But yf thou wilt make a burntofferynge vnto the LORDE, thou mayest offre it. (For Manoah wist not that it was an angell of the LORDE.)
American Standard Version
And the angel of Jehovah said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt make ready a burnt-offering, thou must offer it unto Jehovah. For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of Jehovah.
Bible in Basic English
And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, Though you keep me I will not take of your food; but if you will make a burned offering, let it be offered to the Lord. For it had not come into Manoah's mind that he was the angel of the Lord.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the angel of the Lord sayde vnto Manoah: Though thou make me abide, I wil not eate of thy bread: And if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it vnto the Lorde. For Manoah wist not that it was an angell of the Lorde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah: 'Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt make ready a burnt-offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD.' For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of the LORD.
King James Version (1611)
And the Angel of the Lord said vnto Manoah, Though thou deteine mee, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it vnto the Lord: for Manoah knew not that he was an Angel of the Lord.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the angel of the Lord said to Manoe, If thou shouldest detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wouldest offer a whole-burnt-offering, to the Lord thou shalt offer it: for Manoe knew not that he was an angel of the Lord.
English Revised Version
And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt make ready a burnt offering, thou must offer it onto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
And the Angel of the LORD replied, "Even if I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD." For Manoah did not know that He was the Angel of the LORD.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom the aungel of the Lord answeride, Thouy thou constreynest me, Y schal not ete thi looues; forsothe if thou wolt make brent sacrifice, offre thou it to the Lord. And Manue wiste not, that it was `an aungel of the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
And the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Manoah, `If thou detain me -- I do not eat of thy bread; and if thou prepare a burnt-offering -- to Jehovah thou dost offer it;' for Manoah hath not known that He [is] a messenger of Jehovah.
Update Bible Version
And the angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, Though you detain me, I will not eat of your bread; and if you will make ready a burnt-offering, you must offer it to Yahweh. For Manoah didn't know that he was the angel of Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, Though thou shouldst detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering, thou must offer it to the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he [was] an angel of the LORD.
World English Bible
The angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, Though you detain me, I won't eat of your bread; and if you will make ready a burnt offering, you must offer it to Yahweh. For Manoah didn't know that he was the angel of Yahweh.
New King James Version
And the Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Though you detain Me, I will not eat your food. But if you offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD." (For Manoah did not know He was the Angel of the LORD.)
New Living Translation
"I will stay," the angel of the Lord replied, "but I will not eat anything. However, you may prepare a burnt offering as a sacrifice to the Lord ." (Manoah didn't realize it was the angel of the Lord .)
New Life Bible
The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "I will stay, but I will not eat your food. But if you get a burnt gift ready, then give it to the Lord." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.
New Revised Standard
The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "If you detain me, I will not eat your food; but if you want to prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord ." (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord .)
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
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.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the angel answered him: If thou press me I will not eat of thy bread: but if thou wilt offer a holocaust, offer it to the Lord. And Manue knew not it was the angel of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
And the angel of the LORD said to Mano'ah, "If you detain me, I will not eat of your food; but if you make ready a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD." (For Mano'ah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.)
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.

Contextual Overview

15 Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you—a young goat." 16 God 's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for God , go ahead—offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God. 17 Then Manoah asked the angel of God, "What's your name? When your words come true, we'd like to honor you." 18 The angel of God said, "What's this? You ask for my name? You wouldn't understand—it's sheer wonder." 19So Manoah took the kid and the Grain-Offering and sacrificed them on a rock altar to God who works wonders. As the flames leapt up from the altar to heaven, God 's angel also ascended in the altar flames. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. Manoah and his wife never saw the angel of God again. Only then did Manoah realize that this was God 's angel. He said to his wife, "We're as good as dead! We've looked on God!" But his wife said, "If God were planning to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our Whole-Burnt-Offering and Grain-Offering, or revealed all these things to us—given us this birth announcement." The woman gave birth to a son. They named him Samson. The boy grew and God blessed him. The Spirit of God began working in him while he was staying at a Danite camp between Zorah and Eshtaol. 22Samson And then the People of Israel were back at it again, doing what was evil in God 's sight. God put them under the domination of the Philistines for forty years. At that time there was a man named Manoah from Zorah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and childless. The angel of God appeared to her and told her, "I know that you are barren and childless, but you're going to become pregnant and bear a son. But take much care: Drink no wine or beer; eat nothing ritually unclean. You are, in fact, pregnant right now, carrying a son. No razor will touch his head—the boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of his birth. He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression." The woman went to her husband and said, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God—terror laced with glory! I didn't ask him where he was from and he didn't tell me his name, but he told me, ‘You're pregnant. You're going to give birth to a son. Don't drink any wine or beer and eat nothing ritually unclean. The boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of birth to the day of his death.'" Manoah prayed to God : "Master, let the man of God you sent come to us again and teach us how to raise this boy who is to be born." God listened to Manoah. God's angel came again to the woman. She was sitting in the field; her husband Manoah wasn't there with her. She jumped to her feet and ran and told her husband: "He's back! The man who came to me that day!" Manoah got up and, following his wife, came to the man. He said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to my wife?" He said, "I am." Manoah said, "So. When what you say comes true, what do you have to tell us about this boy and his work?" The angel of God said to Manoah, "Keep in mind everything I told the woman. Eat nothing that comes from the vine: Drink no wine or beer; eat no ritually unclean foods. She's to observe everything I commanded her." Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you—a young goat." God 's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for God , go ahead—offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God. Then Manoah asked the angel of God, "What's your name? When your words come true, we'd like to honor you." The angel of God said, "What's this? You ask for my name? You wouldn't understand—it's sheer wonder." So Manoah took the kid and the Grain-Offering and sacrificed them on a rock altar to God who works wonders. As the flames leapt up from the altar to heaven, God 's angel also ascended in the altar flames. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. Manoah and his wife never saw the angel of God again. Only then did Manoah realize that this was God 's angel. He said to his wife, "We're as good as dead! We've looked on God!" 23 But his wife said, "If God were planning to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our Whole-Burnt-Offering and Grain-Offering, or revealed all these things to us—given us this birth announcement."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I will not: As I am a spiritual being, I subsist not by earthly food; and cannot partake of your bounty.

and if: etc. Rather, "but if thou wilt offer," etc.. unto thee, Judges 13:23, Judges 6:26

Reciprocal: Genesis 16:10 - the angel Genesis 18:7 - General Genesis 32:29 - Wherefore Jonah 1:16 - offered

Cross-References

Genesis 13:1
So Abram left Egypt and went back to the Negev, he and his wife and everything he owned, and Lot still with him. By now Abram was very rich, loaded with cattle and silver and gold.
Genesis 13:3
He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to God .
Genesis 13:14
After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you."
Genesis 13:18
Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .
Genesis 15:5
Then he took him outside and said, "Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You're going to have a big family, Abram!"
Genesis 17:20
"And Ishmael? Yes, I heard your prayer for him. I'll also bless him; I'll make sure he has plenty of children—a huge family. He'll father twelve princes; I'll make him a great nation. But I'll establish my covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will give you about this time next year."
Genesis 28:3
"And may The Strong God bless you and give you many, many children, a congregation of peoples; and pass on the blessing of Abraham to you and your descendants so that you will get this land in which you live, this land God gave Abraham."
Genesis 35:11
God continued, I am The Strong God. Have children! Flourish! A nation—a whole company of nations!— will come from you. Kings will come from your loins; the land I gave Abraham and Isaac I now give to you, and pass it on to your descendants.
Genesis 46:3
God said, "I am the God of your father. Don't be afraid of going down to Egypt. I'm going to make you a great nation there. I'll go with you down to Egypt; I'll also bring you back here. And when you die, Joseph will be with you; with his own hand he'll close your eyes."
1 Kings 4:20
Judah and Israel were densely populated—like sand on an ocean beach! All their needs were met; they ate and drank and were happy. Solomon was sovereign over all the kingdoms from the River Euphrates in the east to the country of the Philistines in the west, all the way to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and were vassals of Solomon all his life.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah,.... In answer to his request:

though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; that is, should he be prevailed upon to stay awhile with him, until an entertainment should be got ready, he would not eat of any of his provisions; for "bread" is put for all eatables, or whatsoever he might provide for the entertainment:

and if, or "but if" n

thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord; if he meant to provide not a festival entertainment, but a sacrifice, then he should take care that he did not offer it to strange gods, as was now very much the custom with Israel in this their time of apostasy,

Judges 13:1 but to the true Jehovah, and not to a servant of his, a prophet or an angel, but to himself:

for Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord; he took him to be a man, a prophet sent of God, and not an angel; and much less the uncreated one, to whom as such only the sacrifice could be offered.

n ואם "si autem", V. L. "quod si", Tigurine version; "sin autem", Junius Tremellius "si vero", Piscator.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 13:16. I will not eat of thy bread — As I am a spiritual being, I subsist not by earthly food.

And if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering — Neither shall I receive that homage which belongs to God; thou must therefore offer thy burnt-offering to Jehovah.


 
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