Judges 13:8 · Bible study
Judges 13:8 Commentary: Manoah's Prayer
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Manoah prays for the angel to return and teach him how to raise Samson. A model of humble faith that seeks God's specific guidance.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Manoah prays for the angel to return and teach him how to raise Samson, showing faith that seeks practical guidance.
- Key words: “entreated” (H6279), earnest prayer; “teach” (H3384), direct, instruct; “the child” (היּוּלד), one who will be born.
- Main debate: Whether the prayer signals doubt or faithful humility; the supplied commentators consistently argue for the latter.
- Theological theme: God’s promises create responsibilities, and He welcomes requests for wisdom in fulfilling them.
- Best use: As a teaching text on prayer, parenthood, and seeking God’s will for unique callings.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, “Please, O Lord, let the man of God You sent us come to us again to teach us how to raise the boy who is to be born.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Then Manoah entreated Jehovah, and said, Oh, Lord, I pray thee, let the man of God whom thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Manoah maketh entreaty unto Jehovah, and saith, `O, my Lord, the man of God whom Thou didst send, let him come in, I pray thee, again unto us, and direct us what we do to the youth who is born.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Then Manoah prayed to Jehovah, and said, Ah Lord! let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, I pray thee, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Then Manue prayed to the Lord, and said: I beseech thee, O Lord, that the man of God, whom thou didst send, may come again, and teach us what we ought to do concerning the child, that shall be born.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces oró Manoa á Jehová, y dijo: Ah, Señor mío, yo te ruego que aquel varón de Dios que enviaste, torne ahora á venir á nosotros, y nos enseñe lo que hayamos de hacer con el niño que ha de nacer.
Então orou Manoá ao SENHOR, e disse: Ah, Senhor meu, eu te rogo que aquele homem de Deus que enviaste, torne agora a vir a nós, e nos ensine o que havemos de fazer com o menino que há de nascer.
Manoach fit cette prière à l’ Éternel: Ah! Seigneur, que l’ homme de Dieu que tu as envoyé vienne encore vers nous, et qu’ il nous enseigne ce que nous devons faire pour l’ enfant qui naîtra!
Da bat Manoah den HERRN und sprach: Ach Herr, laß den Mann Gottes wieder zu uns kommen, den du gesandt hast, daß er uns lehre, was wir mit dem Knaben tun sollen, der geboren soll werden.
Toen aanbad Manoach den HEERE vuriglijk, en zeide: Och, HEERE! dat toch de Man Gods, Dien Gij gezonden hebt, weder tot ons kome, en ons lere, wat wij dat knechtje doen zullen, dat geboren zal worden.
Allora Manoah supplicò l’Eterno, e disse: “O Signore, ti prego che l’uomo di Dio mandato da te torni di nuovo a noi e c’insegni quello che dobbiam fare per il bambino che nascerà”.
Tedy się modlił Manue Panu, mówiąc: Proszę Panie mój, mąż Boży, któregoś posłał, niech przyjdzie proszę znowu do nas, a nauczy nas, co czynić mamy z dziecięciem, które się narodzi?
Маной помолился Господу и сказал: Господи! пусть придет опять к нам человек Божий, которого посылал Ты, и научит нас, что нам делать с имеющим родиться младенцем.
瑪挪亞 就祈求 耶和華 說：「主 啊，求 你再 差遣 那 神 人 到我們 這裡來，好指教我們 怎樣 待 這將要生 的孩子。」
Then Manoah made prayer to the Lord, and said, O Lord, let the man of God whom you sent come to us again and make clear to us what we are to do for the child who is to come.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 13:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Manoah's prayer reveals genuine faith, not doubt. He takes the promise of a son for granted and never questions its truth. Matthew Henry stresses that Manoah trusted his wife and did not treat the announcement with incredulity. Gill notes that Manoah already knew the standard Nazirite laws but wanted further instruction for this extraordinary case, a lifelong Nazirite from birth. Keil and Delitzsch describe him as "firmly convinced of the truth of this announcement, and at the same time reflecting upon the obligation which it imposed upon the parents." Lange calls him "believing, yet desirous of confirmation." The shared judgment is that Manoah's request for the "man of God" to return and teach them is an act of humble dependence on divine guidance for a sacred responsibility. He does not seek to negotiate or verify the promise; he asks for wisdom to fulfill it.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Manoah believes the divine promise and prays for specific instruction on how to raise the child according to God's will.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Manoah's faith vs. need for confirmation | Manoah believed the promise of a son and did not doubt the angel's message. | Lange describes him as 'believing, yet desirous of confirmation,' while Gill and Henry see no trace of doubt, only a humble readiness to obey fully. |
| Who initiated the prayer | The text explicitly says Manoah entreated the Lord. | The Jewish historian Josephus attributes the prayer to the woman, but Gill rejects this, affirming the biblical account. |
| Whether additional instruction was needed | Manoah already knew the Nazirite laws given in Numbers 6. | Gill holds that Manoah wanted 'what was further to be done' in an extraordinary case; some interpreters suggest the prayer was primarily for personal reassurance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The opening of Judges 13 sets the stage: "The Israelites again did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years." Manoah and his wife live in Zorah, in the territory of Dan, near Philistine control. Barrenness is a recurring motif in Scripture, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and often precedes a birth through which God delivers or blesses His people. The angel's appearance to Manoah's wife without revealing his name (v.6) and later ascending in the flame of the altar (v.20) align with other theophanies.
The Nazirite vow, detailed in Numbers 6, involved abstaining from wine and grape products, letting the hair grow uncut, and avoiding contact with a dead body. For most Nazirites the vow was temporary, but Samson's was for life, beginning before birth. That is why the mother also received restrictions (v.4): she could not drink wine or eat unclean things during the pregnancy.
Manoah's prayer reflects his grasp of this unique situation. He calls the messenger "the man of God whom you sent", already identifying him as God's agent. His request "teach us what we should do to the child who shall be born" shows he understands that parenting this promised child requires more than instinct. He wants the divine instructions repeated and clarified. The narrative then shows God answering: the angel returns to the woman in the field (v.9). Manoah's prayer is not a sign of weak faith but of responsible faith. He knows that the promise brings obligations, and he refuses to presume he knows how to carry them out.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. Keil and Delitzsch observe a minor orthographic difference in the word for “the child”: the Kethib is היּוּלד (a Pual participle with dropped מ), while the Qere reads היּלּד . This does not affect the meaning.
Reception History
In Christian tradition, Judges 13:8 has been cited as a model of parental prayer and humble dependence on divine guidance. Matthew Henry (1710) praises Manoah for trusting his wife and taking the promise for granted, setting him apart from Zechariah. Gill (1748) commends Manoah's carefulness to obey God's will in an extraordinary case. The verse appears in devotional literature on seeking specific instruction for children dedicated to God. Some Reformed writers have used it to illustrate the principle that faith does not stop at assent but moves toward obedient inquiry.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Faith that believes God's promise also asks for further instruction.
- God's promises come with responsibilities that require humility to learn.
- God answers the prayer of those who seek His guidance for the tasks He gives.
Five-point outline
- The context: Israel's oppression and a barren woman prepare for God's unexpected deliverance (vv.1-5).
- Manoah hears the angel's message through his wife and immediately prays for more direction (vv.6-8).
- His prayer shows he takes the promise seriously and does not assume he knows how to proceed (v.8).
- God responds by sending the angel again, though not directly to Manoah at first (v.9).
- Manoh's posture of seeking instruction becomes a template for all who receive a calling from God.
Illustration hooks
- A couple adopting a child with special needs; they believe it is God's will but need practical training and support.
- A person sensing a call to ministry but feeling overwhelmed by the next steps; they pray for someone to mentor them.
- Parents who have dedicated their child to God but struggle with how to nurture that dedication in daily life.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if my desire for more guidance is a lack of faith or a healthy dependence on God?
- When God gives me a responsibility, can I pray for someone to teach me without seeming ungrateful?
- What does it look like to raise a child for God when the calling seems unusual or countercultural?
Leading a Discussion
Manoah heard his wife's report, did not doubt, and immediately prayed for the messenger to return and teach them. His prayer is a model of faith that does not stop at belief but moves toward obedience. As you study this verse, consider how you respond when God gives you a promise or a calling that requires more than you know how to do.
Discussion questions
- What does Manoah's prayer reveal about his understanding of God and of the child to be born?
- Why does he ask for the man of God to come again, rather than simply trusting the original message?
- How does the surrounding context (vv.2-7) help you understand why Manoah prayed this way?
- In what ways is Manoah's request a proper model for parents and for anyone entrusted with a special task from God?
- Compare Manoah's response to Zechariah's in Luke 1:18. Both received news of a child, but their reactions differ. What accounts for the difference?
- When have you felt the need to ask God for further instruction after receiving a promise or calling? What did that prayer look like?
- How can your group support one another in seeking God's specific guidance for the responsibilities He has given each of you?
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)
| Job 34:32 | Teach me that which I don’t see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’? |
| Proverbs 3:5 | Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. |
| Proverbs 3:6 | In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. |
| Acts 9:6 | But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.” |
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
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Manoah does not simply ask for a son; he prays that God’s messenger will return and teach him how to raise the child. The Geneva note highlights that even after receiving a promise, godly parents must seek specific guidance for their role in bringing up children.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill corrects Josephus by insisting it was Manoah, not his wife, who prayed. Manoah already believed the message and knew the general Nazarite laws, but sought further instruction for this extraordinary case of a lifelong Nazarite, showing his eager readiness to obey God in every detail.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observes that Manoah, fully convinced of the angel's promise and aware of the responsibility it placed on him, asked God to send the messenger back to teach him how to treat the coming child. His request was granted, but the angel appeared to his wife alone.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange contrasts Manoah's cautious faith, which needs repeated signs, with his wife's immediate spiritual sensitivity. She recognizes the angel at once, asks no questions, and later reasons wisely that God's acceptance of their offering proves He intends life, not death. Her intuitive faith outpaces her husband's hesitant questioning.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes Manoah's remarkable faith. He believed his wife's report without doubt, took the promised child for granted, and prayed earnestly for the angel to return and teach them. Henry contrasts this with Zechariah the priest, who doubted despite a direct angelic appearance.
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.