Chapter
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Verse

Judges 13:11

ESV And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.”
NIV Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, 'Are you the man who talked to my wife?' 'I am,' he said.
NASB So Manoah got up 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.'
CSB So Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he asked, "Are you the man who spoke to my wife? ""I am," he said.
NLT Manoah ran back with his wife and asked, 'Are you the man who spoke to my wife the other day?' 'Yes,' he replied, 'I am.'
KJV And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.

What does Judges 13:11 mean?

As far as Manoah and his wife know, an unusual man has appeared to her with a happy and startling announcement. Though she has been barren, they will now have a son. This son will be unique. He will be set apart to the Lord as a Nazarite. He won't be allowed to drink alcohol or have his hair cut. While those vows are established already in the Law (Numbers 6:1–21), it's unprecedented for someone to be so dedicated while still in the womb. The boy's destiny will be to begin to save Israel from the oppressing Philistines (Judges 13:2–7).

The couple seems to understand the "man of God" is from the Lord—or likely even God Himself in some temporary form—but Manoah longs for more information. He asks God to send the "man" back to talk more about how to raise their son (Judges 13:8). God grants Manoah's prayer but delays sharing direct information with Manoah, at least at first.

When "the angel of God" returns, He appears again to Manoah's wife when her husband is not around. She runs and brings Manoah back, so he can ask, awkwardly, if this is the being who spoke to his wife. The "angel of the LORD" says simply, "I am" and stops talking. While many interpreters believe this is a "theophany" where God Himself appears, He does not use the exact same phrase spoken to Moses (Exodus 3:14). To Moses, God called Himself e'heyeh aser' e'heyeh, literally "I am who I am." Here, the Angel simply uses the word ā'ni, somewhat like saying, "yes, I." When they later ask for His name, He will imply that it's beyond their understanding (Judges 13:18).
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