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Verse

Judges 13:6

ESV Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name,
NIV Then the woman went to her husband and told him, 'A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn't ask him where he came from, and he didn't tell me his name.
NASB 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. So I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.
CSB Then the woman went and told her husband, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the awe-inspiring angel of God. I didn't ask him where he came from, and he didn't tell me his name.
NLT The woman ran and told her husband, 'A man of God appeared to me! He looked like one of God’s angels, terrifying to see. I didn’t ask where he was from, and he didn’t tell me his name.
KJV Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:

What does Judges 13:6 mean?

The "angel of the LORD," Yahweh Himself in human form, has appeared to a barren woman. His good news to her is that she will have a son (Judges 13:2–5). This child will be special and is to be set apart, even before birth, as a Nazarite (Numbers 6:1–21). He is destined to begin to save Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13:1). This baby would grow to become Israel's next deliverer (Judges 2:16).

Once the "angel of the LORD" leaves, Manoah's wife rushes to tell her husband what has happened. She doesn't yet understand exactly who has been talking to her. She describes the visitor as a man who looked like an angel. She uses a Hebrew root word translated as "awesome." In modern English, this has become a generic, positive description. However, both the Hebrew and English words are meant to refer to something that inspires "awe:" a reverent, astonished, even fearful response. What the woman saw was simultaneously beautiful and intimidating.

As she's talking, she seems to realize how little she knows about the messenger. They did not discuss names or personal details. She reports the wonderful, startling things she was told in the following verse (Judges 13:7).

Manoah's wife gives a description consistent with other biblical appearances of "the angel of the LORD." This is likely not a common angel, in the proper sense. The figure is so closely associated with Yahweh—the One True God—that He is often referred to both as "the angel of the LORD" as well as simply "the LORD" (Judges 6:12–14). This is often called a "theophany:" God in a tangible, temporary form which is both human and awesomely divine.
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