New International Version
Judges 13:20
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.
Judges 13:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.
- New King James Version (NKJV)it happened as the flame went up toward heaven from the altar—the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar! When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground.
- New Living Translation (NLT)As the flames from the altar shot up toward the sky, the angel of the Lord ascended in the fire. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell with their faces to the ground.
Context of Judges 13:20
18He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” 19Then Manoah took a young goat, together with the grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock to the Lord. And the Lord did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: As 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. 22“We are doomed to die!” he said to his wife. “We have seen God!”
Read all of Judges 13Judges 13:20 word by word
וַיְהִי֩ בַעֲל֨וֹת הַלַּ֜הַב מֵעַ֤ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וַיַּ֥עַל מַלְאַךְ־יְהוָ֖ה בְּלַ֣הַב הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וּמָנ֤וֹחַ וְאִשְׁתּוֹ֙ רֹאִ֔ים וַיִּפְּל֥וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם אָֽרְצָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For it came to pass, when the flameלַ֫הַבlahab · flameH3851
- went upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- toward heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- from off the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- that the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- And Manoahמָנוֹחַmânôach · ManoahH4495
- and his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- looked onרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- and fell onנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- their facesפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- to the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
Cross-references for Judges 13:20
- 2 Kings 2:11As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
- Psalms 47:5God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
- Hebrews 1:3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
- Genesis 17:3Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
- Leviticus 9:24Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.
- 1 Chronicles 21:16David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
- Ezekiel 1:26Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.
- Daniel 10:9Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.
- Matthew 17:6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.
Commentaries on Judges 13:20
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 What Manoah asked for instruction in his duty, he was readily told; but what he asked to gratify his curiosity, was denied. God has in his word given full directions concerning our duty, but never designed to answer other questionings. There are secret things which belong not to us, of which we must be quite contented to be ignorant, while in this world. The name of our Lord is wonderful and secret; but by his wonderful works he makes himself…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-22Humans cannot fully experience God's holy presence and survive (see Judges 6:20–24; Exodus 19:21; 33:20). The Old Testament often describes God appearing on earth in human form. These appearances point forward to God’s full and final appearance on earth in the incarnation of Jesus.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2017-20. Manoah said unto the angel ..., What is thy name?--Manoah's request elicited the most unequivocal proofs of the divinity of his supernatural visitor--in his name "secret" (in the Margin, "wonderful"), and in the miraculous flame that betokened the acceptance of the sacrifice. Jud 13:24, 25. Samson Born.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 13:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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