1 T he people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord again. So the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.

Now 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.

2 T here was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites. His name was Manoah. His wife was not able to have children.

There 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.

3 T hen the angel of the Lord came to the woman and said to her, “See, you have not been able to have any children. But the Lord will make it possible for you to have a child and you will give birth to a son.

Then 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.

4 S o be careful not to drink wine or strong drink. Do not eat anything that is unclean.

Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing.

5 Y ou will have a child and give birth to a son. His hair must never be cut. Because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the time he is born. He will begin to take Israel away from the Philistines’ power.”

For 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.”

6 T hen the woman came and told her husband. She said, “A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God, filling me with fear. I did not ask him where he came from. 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 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.

7 B ut he said to me, ‘See, it will be possible for you to have a child and give birth to a son. Do not drink wine or strong drink or eat anything that is unclean. For the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the time he is born to the time he dies.’”

But 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.’”

8 T hen Manoah asked the Lord, saying, “O Lord, let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again. Let him teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born.”

Then 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.”

9 G od listened to Manoah. The angel of God came again to the woman while 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 was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her.

10 S o the woman ran to her husband in a hurry. She told him, “See, the man who came the other day has come to me again.”

So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came the other day has appeared to me.”

11 M anoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man he said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to the woman?” And he said, “I am.”

Then 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.”

12 M anoah said, “When your words come true, what will be the boy’s way of life? What should he do?”

Manoah said, “Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?”

13 T he angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Let the woman be careful to do all I have said.

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

14 S he must not eat anything from the vine or drink wine or strong drink. She must not eat anything that is unclean. Let her obey all I have told her.”

She 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.”

15 M anoah said to the angel of the Lord, “We ask of you, stay with us. So we may get a young goat ready for you to eat.”

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

16 T he 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.

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.

17 M anoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name? So we may honor you when your words come true.”

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

18 B ut the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name? It is a name of wonder.”

But the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”

19 S o Manoah took the young goat with the grain gift. And he gave it on the rock to the Lord. Then the Lord did powerful works while Manoah and his wife watched.

So 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.

20 F or the fire went up from the altar toward heaven. And the angel of the Lord went up in the fire of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell with their faces on the ground.

For 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.

21 T he angel of the Lord did not show himself to Manoah or his wife again. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord.

Now 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.

22 S o Manoah said to his wife, “We will die for sure. For we have seen God.”

So Manoah said to his wife, “ We will surely die, for we have seen God.”

23 B ut his wife said to him, “If the Lord had wanted to kill us, He would not have received a burnt gift and grain gift from us. He would not have shown us all these things, or let us hear these things.”

But 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.”

24 T hen the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The child grew up and the Lord brought good to him.

Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up and the Lord blessed him.

25 A nd the Spirit of the Lord began to work through him at the tents of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.