1 A nd the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.

The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight; and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

2 A nd there was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children.

There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and childless.

3 A nd the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, Behold, you are barren and have no children, but you shall become pregnant and bear a son.

Yahweh’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.

4 T herefore beware and drink no wine or strong drink and eat nothing unclean.

Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing:

5 F or behold, you shall become pregnant and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from birth, and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.

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.”

6 T hen the woman went and told her husband, saying, A Man of God came to me and his face was like the face of the Angel of God, to be greatly and reverently feared. I did not ask him from where he came, and he did not tell me his name.

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; and I didn’t ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name;

7 B ut he said to me, Behold, you shall become pregnant and bear a son, and now drink no wine or strong drink and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from birth to the day of his death.

but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”

8 T hen Manoah entreated the Lord and said, O Lord, let the Man of God whom You sent come again to us and teach us what we shall do with the child that shall be born.

Then Manoah entreated Yahweh, 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.”

9 A nd 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 was not with her.

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.

10 A nd the woman ran in haste and told her husband and said to him, Behold, the Man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.

The woman hurried and ran, and told her husband, and said to him, “Behold, the man who came to me that day has appeared to me,”

11 A nd Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the Man and said to him, Are you the Man who spoke to this woman? And he said, I am.

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.”

12 A nd Manoah said, Now when your words come true, how shall we manage the child, and what is he to do?

Manoah said, “Now let your words happen. What shall the child’s way of life and mission be?”

13 A nd the Angel of the Lord said to Manoah, Let the mother beware of all that I told her.

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

14 S he may not eat of anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.

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.”

15 A nd Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, Pray, let us detain you that we may prepare a kid for you.

Manoah said to Yahweh’s angel, “Please stay with us, that we may make a young goat ready for you.”

16 A nd the Angel of the Lord said to Manoah, Though you detain me, I will not eat of your food, but if you make ready a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord. For Manoah did not know that he was the Angel of the Lord.

Yahweh’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 Yahweh.” For Manoah didn’t know that he was Yahweh’s angel.

17 A nd Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, What is your name, so that when your words come true, we may do you honor?

Manoah said to Yahweh’s angel, “What is your name, that when your words happen, we may honor you?”

18 A nd the Angel of the Lord said to him, Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?

Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible ?”

19 S o Manoah took the kid with the cereal offering and offered it upon a rock to the Lord, the Angel working wonders, while Manoah and his wife looked on.

So Manoah took the young goat with the meal offering, and offered it on the rock to Yahweh. Then the angel did an amazing thing as Manoah and his wife watched.

20 F or when the flame went up toward the heavens from the altar, the Angel of the Lord ascended in the altar flame. And Manoah and his wife looked on, and they fell on their faces to the ground.

For when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, Yahweh’s angel ascended in the flame of the altar. Manoah and his wife watched; and they fell on their faces to the ground.

21 T he Angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the Angel of the Lord.

But Yahweh’s angel didn’t appear to Manoah or to his wife any more. Then Manoah knew that he was Yahweh’s angel.

22 A nd Manoah said to his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God.”

23 B ut his wife said to him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt offering and a cereal offering from our hands, nor have shown us all these things or now have announced such things as these.

But his wife said to him, “If Yahweh were pleased to kill us, he wouldn’t have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hand, and he wouldn’t he have shown us all these things, nor would he have told us such things as these at this time.”

24 A nd the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew and the Lord blessed him.

The woman bore a son, and named him Samson. The child grew, and Yahweh blessed him.

25 A nd the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in Mahaneh-dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Yahweh’s Spirit began to move him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.