Judges 13 23

Judges 13:23 kjv

But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

Judges 13:23 nkjv

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 told us such things as these at this time."

Judges 13:23 niv

But his wife answered, "If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hands, nor shown us all these things or now told us this."

Judges 13:23 esv

But his wife said to him, "If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these."

Judges 13:23 nlt

But his wife said, "If the LORD were going to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our burnt offering and grain offering. He wouldn't have appeared to us and told us this wonderful thing and done these miracles."

Judges 13 verses

Judges 13 23 Meaning

Manoah's wife rationally rebukes her husband's fear of death, asserting that God's acceptance of their burnt and grain offerings, alongside His detailed prophetic revelation of future events, definitively demonstrates His benevolent intent to grant them life and fulfill His promises, not to destroy them.

Judges 13 23 Context

Judges 13:23 immediately follows Manoah's terrified conclusion in verse 22, "We shall surely die, for we have seen God!" His wife’s response serves as a direct, rational, and theological correction to his fear-driven misunderstanding of their encounter with the divine.

The broader chapter (Judges 13) sets the stage for Samson's birth, highlighting Israel's continued cycle of "doing evil in the sight of the LORD," resulting in forty years of Philistine oppression. God’s sovereign grace initiates salvation by sending the "Angel of the LORD" (often identified as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ) to Manoah's barren wife to announce the miraculous birth of Samson, who would begin to deliver Israel. The Angel appears twice, providing detailed instructions for Samson's Nazirite vow. The climax occurs when the Angel ascends in the flame of their burnt offering, confirming His divine identity and supernatural nature. This dramatic event prompts Manoah's intense fear, which his wife swiftly calms with profound theological insight.

Historically and culturally, the pervasive fear of dying upon seeing a divine being was common in ancient Israel (cf. Gen 32:30; Exod 33:20; Deut 5:26). Offerings, specifically the burnt offering (עוֹלָה, ʿolah – entirely consumed, signifying total devotion and atonement) and grain offering (מִנְחָה, minchah – associated with thanksgiving and dependence), were central to Israelite worship according to the Mosaic Law. God’s acceptance of an offering, often visibly affirmed by fire (Lev 9:24), was a powerful sign of His favor, indicating the worshipper's acceptance and communion with Him. The announcement of a miraculous birth to a barren couple, a recurring motif in the Bible (e.g., Isaac, Samuel), also signals divine intervention for a redemptive purpose, placing Samson's future firmly in God's providential plan.

Judges 13 23 Word analysis

• "But his wife" (וַתֹּאמֶר אִשְׁתּוֹ, vatomer ishtoh, "and his wife said"): This opening emphasizes her proactive role and distinct spiritual perception, which contrasts with her husband's fear. Her voice carries weight and authority in this moment, a noteworthy aspect given the societal context.
• "said to him" (implied): Directly addresses Manoah, correcting his erroneous conclusion.
• "If the Lord" (אִם יְהוָה, im YHWH): Uses YHWH (Yahweh), the personal, covenantal Name of God, signifying His faithfulness to Israel. "If" introduces a conditional premise for her logical argument.
• "had meant to kill us" (חָפֵץ לַהֲמִיתֵנוּ, khafetz lahamitenu, "had willed/desired to kill us"): חָפֵץ (khafetz) denotes a deliberate intention or desire. Her rebuttal focuses on God's true will, challenging Manoah's assumption of malevolent intent.
• "he would not have accepted" (לָקַח, laqakh, lit. "taken" or "received"): This verb is crucial. God's act of "taking" or "receiving" the offering implies approval and a gracious disposition, standing as a clear counter-indicator to an intent to kill.
• "a burnt offering" (הָעוֹלָה, haʿolah): A complete, ascending sacrifice, symbolizing total dedication and atonement, which would typically result in life and reconciliation if accepted by God (Lev 1).
• "and a grain offering" (וְהַמִּנְחָה, vehaminḥah): An offering typically expressing gratitude, devotion, and dependence, received as a token of peace and blessing (Lev 2). Its acceptance reinforces God's favor.
• "from our hands" (מִיָּדֵנוּ, miyadenū, "from our hand"): Highlights the personal nature of their worship and direct engagement with the divine messenger.
• "nor shown us" (וְהֶרְאָנוּ, veher'anu, "nor caused us to see/revealed to us"): Emphasizes God's active disclosure, not merely a passive appearance, through the Angel.
• "all these things" (אֶת כָּל־אֵלֶּה, et kol-elleh): Refers to the full scope of the Angel’s detailed revelations, including instructions about Samson's future. Such intricate planning for life and deliverance would be incongruous with an intent to destroy.
• "or now proclaimed to us" (וְכָעֵת הִשְׁמִיעָנוּ, vekhaʿet hishmianu, "and now caused us to hear"): הִשְׁמִיעָנוּ (hishmianu) means "to cause to hear," indicating a clear, vocal, and intentional communication of a divine plan.
• "such as this" (כָּזֹאת, kazo't): Refers to the detailed, hopeful, and future-oriented prophecy regarding Samson and his role as a deliverer for Israel.

Words-group analysis

• "If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted... nor shown us... nor now proclaimed...": This is a powerful a fortiori argument (logic from the stronger to the weaker premise). The wife argues that God’s actions of acceptance, revelation, and promise of future blessing are fundamentally inconsistent with an immediate destructive intention. It's a robust theological deduction based on God's demonstrated character.
• "accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands": This pairing signifies complete worship and supplication. God's act of receiving these specific offerings from their hands symbolized His gracious acceptance of them and their plea, implying communion and life rather than death. It was a visible sign of peace.
• "nor shown us all these things or now proclaimed to us such as this": These phrases underscore God’s intentional and detailed communication of a redemptive plan for the future. Such specific revelations of an enduring purpose would be illogical if God's current intent was immediate annihilation. It indicates a divine commitment to an unfolding future.

Judges 13 23 Bonus section

Manoah’s wife, though unnamed, stands as one of the Bible's great figures of spiritual perceptiveness. In a book often portraying male judges failing or lacking in conviction, her wisdom surpasses her husband's immediate reaction. She models a vital biblical truth: understanding God’s character by His consistent actions and reliable Word overrides superficial interpretations of fearsome events. Her statement, focusing on the intentionality behind God's gracious actions (accepting the offering and giving prophecy), implicitly clarifies that the "Angel of the Lord" indeed acted on behalf of a benevolent YHWH. This instance beautifully showcases the role of faith informed by divine revelation as the antidote to human fear, particularly in the face of the awesome divine presence often identified as a Christophany.

Judges 13 23 Commentary

Judges 13:23 encapsulates a profound theological insight delivered by Manoah’s wife, highlighting the essence of God's character. While her husband, consumed by ancient fear of divine contact leading to death, spirals into despair, she exhibits calm, clear-headed faith. Her reasoning is not simply emotional reassurance but a sound theological argument: if God intended to destroy them, why would He first accept their offerings? An accepted sacrifice symbolized God's favor, covenant blessing, and life, not impending doom. Furthermore, why would God invest time in detailing a comprehensive future plan for their family and Israel through their son Samson if His immediate intent was to cut off their lives? God's purposeful revelations of a redemptive future fundamentally contradict any intention to bring current destruction. The wife’s discernment reminds us that God's actions align with His proclaimed will; He does not give contradictory signs. Her understanding roots assurance not in subjective feelings but in objective evidence of God's grace through accepted worship and faithful promises.