Judges 13:9-11: The Angel's Second Visit
- Dr. Dilday
- Nov 21, 2018
- 1 min read
Verse 9:[1] 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.
[He appeared again to the wife] Why to her? Because, since the barrenness was more vexing to her than to Manoah, she prayer for a longer time and more fervently for it to be removed (Mencohius).
Verse 10:[2] And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
[Whom I had previously seen, אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א בַיּ֖וֹם אֵלָֽי׃] Who came, or had come, in the day to me (Montanus), on that day (Syriac, Arabic, Junius and Tremellius), today (Pagnine, Munster, similarly Jonathan). On that same day, as all interpreters agree (Martyr).
Verse 11:[3] 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.
[I am (thus the Syriac, Arabic, Munster, Tigurinus), אָנִי] I (Montanus). I am (Pagnine).
[1] Hebrew: וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּק֣וֹל מָנ֑וֹחַ וַיָּבֹ֣א מַלְאַךְ֩ הָאֱלֹהִ֙ים ע֜וֹד אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֗ה וְהִיא֙ יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וּמָנ֥וֹחַ אִישָׁ֖הּ אֵ֥ין עִמָּֽהּ׃
[2] Hebrew: וַתְּמַהֵר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתָּ֖רָץ וַתַּגֵּ֣ד לְאִישָׁ֑הּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּ֙ה נִרְאָ֤ה אֵלַי֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א בַיּ֖וֹם אֵלָֽי׃
[3] Hebrew: וַיָּ֛קָם וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מָנ֖וֹחַ אַחֲרֵ֣י אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־הָאִ֔ישׁ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ הַאַתָּ֥ה הָאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתָּ אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽנִי׃
Fisher's Catechism: 'Question 2.20: How was the will of God made known to the church, before it was committed to writing?
Answer: By immediate revelations, Genesis 2:16-17, and Genesis 3:15; by frequent appearances of the Son of God, delighting, beforehand, to try on the human likeness, Genesis 18:2, compared with Genesis 5:3; Judges 13:11, compared with Judges 13:18-19; by the ministry of the holy angels, Genesis 19:1,15; Hebrews 2:2, and of the patriarchs, Jude 14-15; Hebrews 11:7.'
Matthew Henry: 'God graciously granted [Manoah's prayer]: God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, Judges 13:9. Note, God will not fail some way or other to guide those by his counsel that are sincerely desirous to know their duty, and apply themselves to him to teach them, Psalm 25:8-9....
The angel appears the second time also to the wife, when she is sitting alone, probably tending the flocks, or otherwise well employed in the field where she has retired. Solitude is often a good opportunity of communion with God; good people have thought themselves never less alone than when alone, if God be with them....
She goes in all haste to call her husband, doubtless humbly beseeching the stay of…