Judges 13:6 · Bible study
Judges 13:6 Commentary: Why She Didn't Ask the Angel's Name
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Manoah's wife did not ask the angel his name and what her description reveals about her understanding of the divine visitor.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The woman reports a divine encounter marked by awe and mystery, focusing on the message more than the messenger's identity.
- Key words: 'man of God' (prophet), 'angel of God' (divine messenger), 'very awesome' (nora' me'od, reverent fear).
- Main debate: Did she ask his name or not? The Hebrew text says no; the Old Greek and Vulgate include the question and his refusal.
- Theological theme: The hiddenness of God's identity alongside His self-revelation; faithful witness without full understanding.
- Best use: A model of humble testimony, teaching that awe is an appropriate response to God's presence and that the core message can be trusted even when details remain veiled.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So the woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me. His appearance was like the angel of God, exceedingly awesome. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome. I didn’t ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name;
KJV King James Version 1769
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:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of the angel of God, very terrible; and I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the woman cometh and speaketh to her husband, saying, `A man of God hath come unto me, and his appearance is as the appearance of a messenger of God, very fearful, and I have not asked him whence he is , and his name he hath not declared to me;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of an angel of God, very terrible; but I did not ask him whence he was, neither did he tell me his name.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And when she was come to her husband, she said to him: A man of God came to me, having the countenance of an angel, very awful. And when I asked him whence he came, and by what name he was called, he would not tell me:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y la mujer vino y contólo á su marido, diciendo: Un varón de Dios vino á mí, cuyo aspecto era como el aspecto de un ángel de Dios, terrible en gran manera; y no le pregunté de dónde ni quién era, ni tampoco él me dijo su nombre.
E a mulher veio e contou-o a seu marido, dizendo: Um homem de Deus veio a mim, cujo aspecto era como o aspecto de um anjo de Deus, terrível em grande maneira; e não lhe perguntei de onde nem quem era, nem tampouco ele me disse seu nome.
La femme alla dire à son mari; Un homme de Dieu est venu vers moi, et il avait l’ aspect d’ un ange de Dieu, un aspect redoutable. Je ne lui ai pas demandé d’où il était, et il ne m’ a pas fait connaître son nom.
Da kam das Weib und sagte es ihrem Mann an und sprach: Es kam ein Mann Gottes zu mir, und seine Gestalt war anzusehen wie ein Engel Gottes, gar erschrecklich, daß ich ihn nicht fragte, woher oder wohin; und er sagte mir nicht, wie er hieße.
Toen kwam deze vrouw in, en sprak tot haar man, zeggende: Er kwam een Man Gods tot mij, Wiens aangezicht was als het aangezicht van een Engel Gods, zeer vreselijk; en ik vraagde Hem niet, van waar Hij was, en Zijn naam gaf Hij mij niet te kennen.
E la donna andò a dire a suo marito: “Un uomo di Dio è venuto da me; avea il sembiante d’un angelo di Dio: un sembiante terribile fuor di modo. Io non gli ho domandato donde fosse, ed egli non m’ha detto il suo nome;
Tedy przyszła niewiasta, i powiedziała to mężowi swemu, mówiąc: Mąż Boży przyszedł do mnie, którego oblicze było jako oblicze Anioła Bożego, bardzo straszne, i nie pytałam go, skąd był, ani mi imienia swego oznajmił.
Жена пришла и сказала мужу своему: человек Божий приходил ко мне, которого вид, как вид Ангела Божия, весьма почтенный; я не спросила его, откуда он, и он не сказал мне имени своего;
婦人 就回去 對丈夫 說：「有一個神 人 到我面前 來，他的相貌如 神 使者 的相貌，甚是 可畏。我沒有 問 他 從 哪裡來，他也沒有 將 他的名 告訴 我，
Then the woman came in, and said to her husband, A man came to me, and his form was like the form of a god, causing great fear; I put no question to him about where he came from, and he did not give me his name;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 13:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the woman's description in verse 6 reveals her recognition of a divine encounter. She calls the visitor 'a man of God,' the standard phrase for a prophet (Deuteronomy 33:1), but adds that his appearance was 'like the face of the angel of God, very awesome' (WEB). Gill observes that though she had never seen an angel, she compares him to one, noting the majestic and venerable countenance. Keil and Delitzsch note that 'the woman therefore imagined the person who appeared to her to have been a prophet, whose majestic appearance, however, had produced the impression that he was a superior being.' The phrase 'very terrible' (KJV, ASV) or 'exceedingly awesome' (BSB) translates the Hebrew nora' me'od, indicating a fear that is reverence more than terror. On the question of asking his name, commentators divide. Some, like Keil and Delitzsch, believe she did not ask because of her awe. Others note a textual variant: the Vulgate and some Septuagint manuscripts omit the negative, suggesting she did ask but he refused to tell. The Hebrew text as it stands states she did not ask. All agree the narrative highlights the mysterious nature of the messenger.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Awe prevented asking: The Hebrew text states she did not ask; commentators like Keil & Delitzsch argue that her awe at the majestic appearance made her refrain from inquiry.
- Asking revealed refusal: The LXX and Vulgate omit the negative, suggesting she asked but the angel would not answer—consistent with the angel's later reticence in verses 17-18.
What is clear: The woman recognized the visitor as a divine messenger and was deeply awed by his appearance, and she faithfully reported the message she received.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The identity of the visitor | He is a divine messenger sent by God, commonly associated with the angel of the Lord who appears elsewhere in Judges. | Some interpreters (e.g., Gill) see him as the pre-incarnate Son of God; others (Keil & Delitzsch) view him as an angelic messenger distinct from God, though one who speaks with divine authority. |
| Did the woman ask his name? | The Masoretic Hebrew text states she did not ask; this is the basis for most English translations. | The Vulgate and Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint omit the negative, indicating she asked but he refused to answer. This variant is noted by Adam Clarke and the Cambridge Bible, and some commentators find it plausible given Eastern customs of inquiry. |
| The meaning of 'awesome/terrible' | The Hebrew term <em>nora'</em> conveys both fear and reverence before the divine. | Translations differ: KJV and ASV use 'terrible,' which can imply fright; BSB and WEB use 'awesome,' which emphasizes reverent wonder. The balance between terror and awe depends on the reader's view of theophany. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The opening verses of Judges 13 place this encounter during Israel's forty-year oppression by the Philistines. Into this darkness, the angel of Yahweh appears to an unnamed, barren woman with news of a son who will begin to deliver Israel. The term 'man of God' (ish ha'elohim) was commonly used for prophets like Moses (Deuteronomy 33:1) and others in the books of Samuel and Kings. Manoah's wife uses it here as her best category for the visitor. Yet she immediately qualifies it: his appearance was like the 'angel of God.' The Hebrew word mal'akh can mean messenger or angel; here it likely points to the theophanic angel who speaks for God himself, as seen earlier in Judges (2:1, 6:11).
Her description of his countenance as 'very awesome' (nora' me'od) echoes Jacob's response at Bethel: 'How awesome this place is!' (Genesis 28:17). In ancient Near Eastern encounters with divine beings, asking the name was significant (Genesis 32:29). The Cambridge Bible notes that 'a strange visitor is first asked whence he comes…and then he is expected to give his name. Such is the rule of Eastern manners; the reticence on both sides in the present case is noted as unusual.' The woman's failure to ask, or the angel's refusal to tell, underscores the mystery. Manoah's later prayer (verse 8) asks that the 'man of God' return, showing he accepts his wife's portrayal.
Textual Notes
The main textual issue in verse 6 concerns the presence or absence of the negative particle with 'asked.' The Masoretic Hebrew text includes the negative: 'I did not ask him.' However, the Vulgate and Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint omit the negative, implying instead that she did ask but he would not tell. The Complutensian Polyglot includes the negative in the Septuagint, showing the variant was known and debated. Adam Clarke discusses this at length, noting that the Vulgate reads: 'Whom when I asked who he was and whence he came, and by what name he was called, he would not tell me.' Most English translations follow the Hebrew, but the textual variant is cited in critical apparatuses and influences how some commentators read the scene.
Reception History
Early Jewish and Christian interpreters saw the woman's awe as the proper response to a divine encounter. The textual variant where she asks but is refused (adopted by Jerome's Vulgate) influenced medieval readings that emphasized the angel's hiddenness and the limits of human knowledge when facing God. Reformation-era commentators like Matthew Henry focused on her faithful report of the message despite unanswered questions, seeing in her an example of simple obedience. In modern scholarship, the narrative's portrayal of the unnamed woman as a perceptive and receptive witness has been highlighted, especially in contrast to Manoah's initial need for confirmation. Across traditions, her testimony has been valued as the catalyst for the family's preparation for Samson's birth.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Awe of Encountering God. The woman's description moves from 'man of God' to 'angel of God, very awesome.' She uses the language she knows, but the encounter exceeds her categories. The Hebrew nora' conveys reverent fear, not paralyzing terror. This is the proper human response to the holy: not curiosity but worship.
- The Humility of Not Knowing. She did not ask his name or origin. Whether from awe or from a sense that some things should not be pressed, her reticence models restraint before mystery. Not every question needs an answer when God has given the message that matters.
- The Faith That Reports What It Has Seen. She came and told her husband. She passed on the angel's words faithfully (verse 7). Her testimony became the foundation for Manoah's subsequent prayer. She did not need full understanding to be a faithful witness.
Five-point outline
- The Visitor Described: A man of God yet more than a man.
- The Response of Awe: 'Very awesome', a fear that draws near rather than flees.
- The Unasked Question: Why she did not ask his name, from reverence or from the narrative's design to keep the focus on the message.
- The Message That Overrides Mystery: The birth announcement is clear even when the messenger's identity is veiled.
- The Family That Believes Together: She tells her husband; he prays; God answers. Faith is shared.
Illustration hooks
- A visitor of obvious importance arrives, and you sense that asking personal questions would break the spell of the moment. You simply listen and report later.
- Standing before a great work of art or a vast landscape, you feel awe that silences your usual curiosity. The experience itself is enough.
- Receiving news that changes your life, you forget to ask the details that seemed important earlier. The core message overshadows everything else.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God sometimes leave us with unanswered questions after a powerful encounter?
- How can I tell the difference between healthy reverence and avoidance of God?
- What does it mean that this unnamed woman is the primary witness in this story? What does that say about who God chooses to reveal Himself to?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures a moment when a woman meets God and must report what she saw without having all the answers. Her testimony is shaped by awe, not by complete understanding. In a culture that often demands certainty, her example invites us to consider how we share what God has done even when mystery remains.
Discussion questions
- What words does the woman use to describe the visitor? What do they reveal about her first impression?
- Why do you think she calls him 'a man of God' rather than 'an angel'? Does her description change as she speaks?
- She notes that she did not ask his name or where he was from. What reasons might explain this? Consider cultural expectations, her emotional state, and the narrative's purpose.
- How does the word 'awesome' (Hebrew nora') function here? Is it fear, wonder, or both? Compare with Genesis 28:17.
- In what ways does the woman's report differ from Manoah's later reaction (verse 8)? What does this suggest about her spiritual perception?
- When in your life have you experienced awe that silenced your questions? How did you process that encounter afterward?
- How can we faithfully share what God has done when aspects of the experience remain unexplained?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 28:16 | Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” |
| Genesis 28:17 | He was afraid, and said, “How awesome this place is! This is none other than God’s house, and this is the gate of heaven.” |
| Genesis 32:29 | Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” So he blessed him there. |
| Exodus 3:2 | Yahweh’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. |
| Exodus 3:6 | Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. |
| Deuteronomy 33:1 | This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. |
| Joshua 14:6 | Then the children of Judah came near to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the thing that Yahweh spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh Barnea. |
| Judges 13:8 | Then Manoah entreated Yahweh, and said, “Oh, Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us, and teach us what we should do to the child who shall be born.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to a textual variation in this verse. Some ancient versions, like the Latin Vulgate and Greek Septuagint in certain manuscripts, show Jacob asking the stranger's name but being refused an answer. Others, including the Hebrew original and Syriac, have Jacob not asking at all.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that "a man of God" is a standard Old Testament title for a prophet, also used by Paul for Timothy. For "countenance" he notes the Hebrew word means "his appearance, not merely his facial expression."
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the phrase “a man of God” usually means a prophet, but here the visitor seems almost superhuman. According to Eastern custom, a host first asks a stranger’s origin and then his name. In this encounter, both sides remain silent, making the exchange remarkably unusual.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws attention to the woman's careful description: she recognized the visitor as an "Angel of God" by his fearful appearance, yet she did not ask where he came from, nor did he reveal his name. This highlights both the dignity and the restraint of the encounter.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists the visitor was no mere prophet like Phinehas but the Son of God himself, appearing in human form. He explains that "very terrible" describes an awe-inspiring, majestic presence, not something frightening. The woman's failure to ask his name or origin, Gill suggests, came from her astonishment at both his appearance and his joyful message.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that Manoah immediately turned the angel's announcement into earnest prayer, not passive waiting. This moment illustrates the pattern God designed: His promises and human prayer work together, with prayer as the means through which He brings His pledged gifts to completion.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
The woman describes her visitor as both a man of God, meaning a prophet, and like the angel of God, the divine messenger in whom God reveals himself. Keil-Delitzsch notes that she took him for a prophet, but his terrifying majesty left the impression of a superior being, so she dared not ask his name or where he came from.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that Samson is unique among the judges because his Nazarite vow is imposed from birth, not chosen. This shows that when the people lack penitence and faith, the objective power of the law itself becomes God's instrument for deliverance, working even through an unwilling hero.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees a deliberate pattern in Israel's repeated fall and rescue. He observes that sin made a savior necessary, and God allowed sin to increase so that his grace could overflow all the more through the deliverer he raised up.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.