Judges 13:17

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) What is thy name?—Comp. Genesis 32:29; Exodus 3:13; Proverbs 30:4.

We may do thee honour.—Especially by a gift, which is the commonest Eastern notion of the word (Numbers 22:17; Jos. Antt. v. 8, § 3).

Benson Commentary

Jdg 13:17-18. That when thy sayings come to pass, we may do thee honour — Either by making honourable mention of thee, or by showing respect to thee by a present, such as they usually gave to prophets. Seeing it is secret — Meaning, not only, that it would be of no importance or service to him to know his name; but that his name was hidden from mortal men, and wonderful, as the word פלאיpeli signifies, and is translated Isaiah 9:6, where it is applied to Christ, the wonderful child born, and son given, who has the government upon his shoulders, and is the mighty God. The angel means, My nature and essence, often signified by name in the Scriptures, are incomprehensible. This shows, that this was the Angel of the covenant, the Son of God, that spoke to Manoah.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:15-23 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 known as far as is needful for us. Prayer is the ascent of the soul to God. But without Christ in the heart by faith, our services are offensive smoke; in him, acceptable flame. We may apply this to Christ's sacrifice of himself for us; he ascended in the flame of his own offering, for by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, Heb 9:12. In Manoah's reflections there is great fear; We shall surely die. In his wife's reflection there is great faith. As a help meet for him, she encouraged him. Let believers who have had communion with God in the word and prayer, to whom he has graciously manifested himself, and who have had reason to think God has accepted their works, take encouragement from thence in a cloudy and dark day. God would not have done what he has done for my soul, if he had designed to forsake me, and leave me to perish at last; for his work is perfect. Learn to reason as Manoah's wife; If God designed me to perish under his wrath, he would not give me tokens of his favour.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Do thee honor - If applied to a man, it would be by gifts, such for instance as Balak promised to the prophet Balaam Numbers 22:17, and such as were usually given to seers 1 Samuel 9:7-8; 2 Kings 5:5, 2 Kings 5:15 : if to God, it would be by sacrifices Isaiah 43:23.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17-20. 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.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Either by making honourable mention of time, or by performing respect and service to thee, by a present, which they usually gave to prophets, 1 Samuel 9:7,8 1 Kings 14:3.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, what is thy name,.... Who art thou, and by what name art thou called? for since he could not prevail upon him to stay and eat a meal with him, he desired to know his name, and where he lived, that when he heard his name mentioned he might speak well of him, or send to him upon occasion; or if any message was sent from him, as Jarchi suggests, that he might show a respect to him, and observe it: and particularly:

that when thy sayings come to pass, we may do thee honour? say that such a prophet, whose name is such, and lives in such a place, foretold these things; or that they might send him a present, in gratitude for, and as a reward of his service and trouble; so the reward of a labourer, and the maintenance of a Gospel minister, is called "honour", 1 Timothy 5:17 and thus Josephus (o) understood it, that they might give him thanks, and send him a present.

(o) Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 3.

Geneva Study Bible

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. Still uncertain what to think, Manoah puts a direct question. may do thee honour as a prophet whose word (Hebr. marg.) comes true; cf. Numbers 22:17; Numbers 22:37, 1 Samuel 9:6.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - What is thy name? See note to ver. 6. The phrase is very peculiar, literally, Who is thy name? as if he had been going to say, Who art thou? and then changed the form to is thy name. The Hebrews seem to have attached great importance to names, a circumstance due, in part, to every name being significant in the spoken language (see Genesis 4:1, 25; Genesis 5:29; Genesis 16:5, etc.; Genesis 17:19; 25:25, 26; 29 and Genesis 30; 1 Samuel 1:20 Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 62:4; Jeremiah 23:6; Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:9, 10; Revelation 19:16, etc., and. many other passages). Compare also the phrase, the name of the Lord (Isaiah 30:27; Exodus 23:21; Exodus 33:19; Exodus 34:5, 6, 7). Manoah had certainly some suspicious as to the mysterious character of his visitor, and expected the name to reveal his true nature. We may do thee honour. Manoah seems throughout to use ambiguous language, suitable either to a man, if he was speaking to a man, or to a celestial visitant, should he be angel or God. Judges 13:17

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Manoah then asked his name: שׁמך מי, lit., "Who is thy name?" מי inquires after the person; מה, the nature of quality (see Ewald, 325, a.). "For if thy word come to pass, we will do thee honour." This was the reason why he asked after his name. כּבּד, to honour by presents, so as to show one's self grateful (see Numbers 22:17, Numbers 22:37; Numbers 24:11).