1
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And then the People of Israel were back at it again, doing what was evil in GOD's sight. GOD put them under the domination of the Philistines for forty years. |
2
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At that time there was a man named Manoah from Zorah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and childless. |
3
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The angel of God appeared to her and told her, "I know that you are barren and childless, but you're going to become pregnant and bear a son. |
4
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But take much care: Drink no wine or beer; eat nothing ritually unclean. |
5
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You are, in fact, pregnant right now, carrying a son. No razor will touch his head--the boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of his birth. He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression." |
6
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The woman went to her husband and said, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God--terror laced with glory! I didn't ask him where he was from and he didn't tell me his name, |
7
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but he told me, 'You're pregnant. You're going to give birth to a son. Don't drink any wine or beer and eat nothing ritually unclean. The boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of birth to the day of his death.'" |
8
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Manoah prayed to GOD: "Master, let the man of God you sent come to us again and teach us how to raise this boy who is to be born." |
9
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God listened to Manoah. God's angel came again to the woman. She was sitting in the field; her husband Manoah wasn't there with her. |
10
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She jumped to her feet and ran and told her husband: "He's back! The man who came to me that day!" |
11
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Manoah got up and, following his wife, came to the man. He said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to my wife?" He said, "I am." |
12
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Manoah said, "So. When what you say comes true, what do you have to tell us about this boy and his work?" |
13
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The angel of God said to Manoah, |
14
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"Keep in mind everything I told the woman. Eat nothing that comes from the vine: Drink no wine or beer; eat no ritually unclean foods. She's to observe everything I commanded her." |
15
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Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you--a young goat." |
16
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GOD's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for GOD, go ahead--offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God. |
17
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Then Manoah asked the angel of God, "What's your name? When your words come true, we'd like to honor you." |
18
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The angel of GOD said, "What's this? You ask for my name? You wouldn't understand--it's sheer wonder." |
19
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So Manoah took the kid and the Grain-Offering and sacrificed them on a rock altar to GOD who works wonders. |
20
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As the flames leapt up from the altar to heaven, GOD's angel also ascended in the altar flames. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. |
21
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Manoah and his wife never saw the angel of GOD again. Only then did Manoah realize that this was GOD's angel. |
22
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He said to his wife, "We're as good as dead! We've looked on God!" |
23
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But his wife said, "If GOD were planning to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our Whole-Burnt-Offering and Grain-Offering, or revealed all these things to us--given us this birth announcement." |
24
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The woman gave birth to a son. They named him Samson. The boy grew and GOD blessed him. |
25
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The Spirit of GOD began working in him while he was staying at a Danite camp between Zorah and Eshtaol. |
Judges 13:1 English Language Bible Words basic statistical display
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