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.

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. 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 childless.

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.

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

Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t 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. 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. 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 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, ‘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 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 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 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 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 sat in the field, but Manoah, her husband, wasn’t 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.”

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 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.”

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

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

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

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

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 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 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.”

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, “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.

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 we may honor you when your words come true.”

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? It is a name of wonder.”

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 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 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 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 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 show himself 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 die for sure. 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 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 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. The child grew up and the Lord brought good to 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 work through him at the tents of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

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