Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Judges 13: 2-3, 6, 8-9, 11-21

Judges 13: 2-3, 6, 8-9, 12-21...2A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was sterile and remained childless. 3The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, "You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son.

6Then 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. 8Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: "O Lord, I beg of you, let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.

9God 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. 11Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, "Are you the one who talked to my wife?" "I am," he said. 12So Manoah asked him, "When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule for the boy's life and work?" 13The angel of the LORD answered, "Your wife must do all that I have told her. 14She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink any wine or other fermented drink nor eat anything unclean. She must do everything I have commanded her. 15Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you." 16The angel of the LORD replied, "Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD." (Manoah did not realize that it was the angel of the LORD.) 17Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, "What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?" 18He replied, "Why do ask my name? It is beyond understanding." 19Then Manoah took a young goat, together with a grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock to the LORD. And the LORD did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: 20As the flame blazed up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground. 21When the angel of the LORD did not show himself again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realized that it was the angel of the LORD.