Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Manoah's earnest request to "prepare a young goat" shows he still sees the divine visitor as a guest, not as God himself, highlighting the profound humility and discernment required when encountering the sacred. This hospitality, a deeply human impulse, underscores the initial misunderstanding of the angel's true identity, setting the stage for a divine revelation that transcends earthly categories of guest and host.
Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Manoah, still processing the incredible news that his wife will bear a son destined to deliver Israel, invites the divine messenger to stay for a meal. Believing him to be a prophet or a distinguished stranger, Manoah wishes to offer hospitality by preparing a young goat, a delicacy, as a gesture of respect. This invitation comes just as the angel is about to depart after delivering his message, setting the stage for a crucial interaction about sacrifice and divine identity.
When God’s messengers appear, our human instinct is to offer hospitality. But how do we know if we're offering a meal to a guest or a sacrifice to God?
Manoah, encountering a divine being he perceives as a man or a prophet, extends an offer of hospitality: 'let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.' This offer reflects ancient customs of honoring esteemed visitors. The choice of a 'young goat' was specific – a delicacy, often served to honored guests or used in sacrifices. The text intentionally leaves it somewhat unclear whether Manoah’s primary intention is to offer a meal for the visitor's sustenance or to present an offering to the Lord. This ambiguity highlights the delicate balance between human understanding and divine revelation.
Manoah's simple offer of a meal takes an unexpected turn, revealing a deeper theological truth about divine acceptance.
The angel’s response to Manoah’s offer is pivotal. He redirects the intention from mere hospitality to sacrifice: 'But if you offer a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD.' This redirects Manoah’s actions from entertaining a guest to acknowledging the divine authority of the visitor. The angel implies that while he, as God’s messenger, can receive hospitality, the true recipient of worship and sacrifice is God alone. This distinction is crucial: Manoah thought he was preparing a meal for a prophet; the angel clarifies that this is an opportunity for a sacred offering to the Lord.
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Manoah's offer to prepare a goat is rooted in ancient customs of hospitality towards honored guests, particularly prophets. His initial misunderstanding of the angel's divine nature shapes his interaction, highlighting the cultural norms of the time and the awe-inspiring encounter with the supernatural.
c. 1160 BC
Period of Israelite Oppression
The period leading up to Samson's birth was marked by cycles of Israelite disobedience, followed by oppression by surrounding nations, including the Philistines. This context highlights the need for a divinely appointed deliverer.
c. 1160 BC
Angel Appears to Manoah's Wife
An angel of the LORD appears to Manoah's barren wife, announcing that she will conceive and bear a son who will begin to save Israel from the Philistines. This miraculous conception sets the stage for Samson's birth.
c. 1160 BC
Angel Appears to Manoah
Manoah prays to see the angel again, and the angel reappears to his wife. Manoah then questions the angel directly, seeking understanding of the child's future and proper upbringing.
c. 1160 BC— this verse
Manoah Offers Hospitality
Manoah, still believing the visitor to be a man and a prophet, offers to prepare a young goat as a meal, intending to show hospitality and perhaps gain further insight.
c. 1160 BC
Angel Directs Manoah to Sacrifice
The angel corrects Manoah's understanding, stating that he will not eat the food, but instructs Manoah to prepare a burnt offering to the LORD. This reveals the divine nature of the visitor.
c. 1160 BC
Samson's Birth and Nazirite Vow
Samson is born, and later consecrated as a Nazirite according to the angel's instructions. His life is dedicated to God from the womb, marked by specific vows and a divinely appointed mission.
This passage shows Abraham's hospitable impulse to offer refreshment, a gesture mirroring Manoah's desire to prepare a meal for his divine guest.
Genesis 19:1Here, hospitality is also offered to angelic visitors, highlighting the cultural norm of welcoming and providing for strangers, even those with an unusual appearance.
Judges 6:18This verse details Gideon's similar attempt to offer hospitality to the angel of the LORD, demonstrating a recurring theme of humans seeking to provide for divine messengers.
1 Samuel 28:8Saul, in his desperation, sought out a medium, highlighting the human tendency to seek counsel from perceived spiritual authorities, whether divine or not, much like Manoah's initial understanding of the visitor.
Luke 14:15Jesus speaks of those invited to a great banquet, illustrating the value placed on feasting and sharing meals as expressions of honor and fellowship, a concept relevant to Manoah's offer.
clarkeJudges 13:15: "And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee."
Until we shall have made ready a kid - Not knowing his quality, Manoah wished to do this as an act of hospitality.
pooleJudges 13:15: "And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee."
Supposing him to be a man and a prophet, to whom he would in this manner express his respect, as was usual to strangers. See Genesis 18:5 Judges 6:18 .
Manoah's earnest request to "prepare a young goat" shows he still sees the divine visitor as a guest, not as God himself, highlighting the profound humility and discernment required when encountering the sacred. This hospitality, a deeply human impulse, underscores the initial misunderstanding of the angel's true identity, setting the stage for a divine revelation that transcends earthly categories of guest and host.
Manoah, still processing the incredible news that his wife will bear a son destined to deliver Israel, invites the divine messenger to stay for a meal. Believing him to be a prophet or a distinguished stranger, Manoah wishes to offer hospitality by preparing a young goat, a delicacy, as a gesture of respect. This invitation comes just as the angel is about to depart after delivering his message, setting the stage for a crucial interaction about sacrifice and divine identity.
Manoah, still processing the incredible news that his wife will bear a son destined to deliver Israel, invites the divine messenger to stay for a meal. Believing him to be a prophet or a distinguished stranger, Manoah wishes to offer hospitality by preparing a young goat, a delicacy, as a gesture of respect. This invitation comes just as the angel is about to depart after delivering his message, setting the stage for a crucial interaction about sacrifice and divine identity.
"Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.”" — Manoah's earnest request to "prepare a young goat" shows he still sees the divine visitor as a guest, not as God himself, highlighting the profound humility and discernment required when encountering…
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Last reviewed October 2026