1 N ow the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, so that the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines 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 T here was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had borne 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 T hen the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to 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 N ow therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing.

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

5 F or behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from 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 came and told her husband, saying, “ A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. And I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he 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 conceive and give birth to a son, and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb 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, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to 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 G od listened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting 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 S o the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came 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 T hen Manoah arose and followed his wife, and when he came to the man he said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to the 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 M anoah said, “Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?”

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

13 S o the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “ Let the woman pay attention to all that I said.

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

14 S he should not eat anything that comes from the vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; let her observe all that I commanded.”

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 T hen Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you so that we may prepare a young goat for you.”

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

16 T he 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.

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 M anoah said to the angel of the Lord, “ What is your name, so that when your words come to pass, we may honor you?”

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

18 B ut 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 young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the Lord, and He performed 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 it came about when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, 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 N ow the angel of the Lord did not appear to Manoah or his wife again. 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 S o Manoah said to his wife, “ We will surely die, for 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 had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have let us hear things like this at this time.”

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 T hen the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up 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 stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

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