Judges 13 9

Judges 13:9 kjv

And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.

Judges 13:9 nkjv

And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the Angel of God came to the woman again as she was sitting in the field; but Manoah her husband was not with her.

Judges 13:9 niv

God heard Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman while she was out in the field; but her husband Manoah was not with her.

Judges 13:9 esv

And 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.

Judges 13:9 nlt

God answered Manoah's prayer, and the angel of God appeared once again to his wife as she was sitting in the field. But her husband, Manoah, was not with her.

Judges 13 verses

Judges 13 9 Meaning

Judges 13:9 describes God's direct and affirmative response to Manoah's prayer for further instruction regarding the previously announced birth of Samson. God, demonstrating His attentiveness to the supplications of His people, once again sent His divine messenger, the Angel of God, to Manoah's wife, confirming His prior revelation to her. The scene explicitly notes that this encounter occurred while she was alone in the field, emphasizing God's sovereign choice to communicate directly with her, even in the absence of her husband.

Judges 13 9 Context

Judges 13 marks the beginning of the narrative of Samson, the final judge before the era of Samuel and the monarchy. The Philistines had oppressed Israel for forty years (Jdg 13:1). Amidst this long period of oppression, Manoah and his barren wife from the tribe of Dan are introduced. The initial verse (Jdg 13:3) describes the Angel of the LORD appearing directly to Manoah's wife, informing her of the miraculous birth of a son who would be a Nazirite and begin to deliver Israel. Upon hearing this extraordinary news, Manoah's wife recounted the divine encounter to her husband (Jdg 13:6-7). Despite her accurate testimony, Manoah, perhaps seeking personal confirmation or more detailed instructions for such an important task, prayed to God, "O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born" (Jdg 13:8). Verse 9 describes God's direct response to Manoah's specific request. It reiterates the circumstances of the first visit, emphasizing the woman's solitary encounter with the divine messenger, setting the stage for Manoah's direct interaction in subsequent verses, thereby validating his wife's account and the divine origin of the message.

Judges 13 9 Word analysis

• And God: Hebrew: Weha'elohim (וְהָאֱלֹהִים). Elohim is the generic, majestic plural term for God, emphasizing His sovereign power and authority. The "and" (We) connects this action directly to Manoah's previous prayer (v. 8), showing immediate divine responsiveness.
• hearkened: Hebrew: vayyishma' (וַיִּשְׁמַע). From the root shama', meaning "to hear," but often implies more than just perceiving sound; it conveys listening with attention, understanding, and willingness to respond or obey. Here, it means God not only heard Manoah's request but also acted upon it, demonstrating His attentiveness to the prayers of His people.
• to the voice of Manoah: Hebrew: leḳol Manoach (לְק֥וֹל מָנֽוֹחַ). Specifically indicating that God responded to Manoah's expressed plea, highlighting the efficacy of prayer in bringing about divine intervention. Manoah's "voice" was his spoken prayer (v. 8).
• and the angel of God: Hebrew: u malak ha'elohim (וּמַלְאַ֧ךְ הָאֱלֹהִים). This specific designation, Malak Elohim, ("Messenger of God") is interchangeable with "Angel of the LORD" (Malak Yahweh), often considered a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, due to the Angel's authority and acceptance of worship in other biblical instances (e.g., Jdg 6:11-12, 22). Here, the definite article "the" points to the specific divine messenger seen earlier (Jdg 13:3).
• came again: Hebrew: yoshov od (עוֹד), implying repetition. The verb implies returning or repeating an action. This signifies God's faithfulness in confirming His word. It also subtly validates the woman's earlier encounter and Manoah's request for verification.
• unto the woman: Hebrew: el ha'ishah (אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה). This specifies the recipient of the angelic visit. Despite Manoah's prayer for the angel to come to us (v. 8), the angel first appeared only to the woman again, underlining her prior legitimate divine encounter and perhaps emphasizing her primary role in receiving this specific revelation.
• as she sat: Hebrew: hi' yoshevet (הִ֤יא יֹשֶׁ֖בֶת). The imperfect tense, depicting an ongoing action. She was habitually sitting, perhaps resting or performing some light duty.
• in the field: Hebrew: basadeh (בַּשָּׂדֶֽה). A common, everyday setting, not a sacred space like a tabernacle or altar. This underscores that divine encounters can occur anywhere, affirming God's accessibility and His sovereignty over place. It is the same location where the Angel appeared the first time (Jdg 13:3).
• but Manoah her husband: Hebrew: u Manoach ishah (וּמָנ֥וֹחַ אִישָׁהּ֙). "Ishah" means "her husband." The name Manoah is explicitly mentioned to emphasize his specific absence.
• was not with her: Hebrew: einah imah (אֵֽינֶנָּה עִמָּהּ). This repeated detail from Jdg 13:3 is crucial. It stresses that the Angel consistently chose to appear to the woman alone for the initial phase of the revelation, even when the request for confirmation came from Manoah. This highlights the independent validity of the woman's experience and God's sovereign methods of communication, affirming her credibility and the purity of her divine encounter without immediate male intermediary.

Judges 13 9 Bonus section

The consistent use of "Angel of God" (Malak Elohim) or "Angel of the LORD" (Malak Yahweh) throughout Judges 13, including in this verse, points to a unique biblical figure who frequently serves as God's personal representative. Often, this figure speaks with divine authority ("I myself...") and accepts worship, leading many biblical scholars to identify these instances as Christophanies—pre-incarnate appearances of the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. This means that God the Son directly engaged with Manoah and his wife concerning Samson's birth, emphasizing the importance of Samson's role in the deliverance of Israel. The careful repetition that Manoah's wife was alone during both the initial angelic encounter and this crucial confirmatory appearance validates her spiritual receptivity and agency, challenging any potential cultural expectation that divine communication should primarily flow through the male head of household. It subtly reinforces God's direct, personal interaction with individuals He chooses, regardless of gender or marital status.

Judges 13 9 Commentary

Judges 13:9 is a pivotal verse that highlights several theological truths. First, it powerfully demonstrates God's attentiveness and responsiveness to prayer. Manoah prayed a specific request—for the Angel of God to return and give further instruction (Jdg 13:8)—and God hearkened, indicating an immediate and purposeful response, not merely hearing but acting. This affirms the effectiveness of supplication and God's willingness to engage directly with His people's concerns. Second, the verse underscores the role and credibility of Manoah's wife in receiving divine revelation. Despite Manoah's prayer, the Angel of God appeared again to the woman, and pointedly, Manoah her husband was not with her. This mirrors the first encounter (Jdg 13:3) and serves as a divine validation of her original testimony. It ensures that Manoah would have no room to doubt his wife's account and the divine origin of the message, since the Angel had deliberately chosen to communicate with her first on both occasions. Third, the repeated appearance of the "Angel of God" in an everyday setting like "the field" shows that divine encounter is not confined to sacred spaces. God can and does reveal Himself in ordinary circumstances to ordinary individuals. This instance serves to establish the Nazareth-vow, setting apart the child Samson, as genuinely God's plan. God often confirms His Word to ensure faith and understanding for those called to difficult tasks, such as raising a deliverer for Israel.