Judges 13 · Verse 18

Judges 13:18

And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
Judges 13:18, King James Version

Judges 13:18 in other translations

BSB“Why do you ask my name,” said the angel of the LORD, “since it is beyond comprehension?”
WEBThe LORD’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible?”
ASVAnd the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore askest thou after my name, seeing it is wonderful?
YLTAnd the messenger of Jehovah saith to him, ‘Why is this--thou dost ask for My name? --and it is Wonderful.'
DARBYAnd the Angel of Jehovah said to him, How is it that thou askest after my name, seeing it is wonderful?
BBEBut the angel of the Lord said to him, Why are you questioning me about my name, seeing that it is a wonder?
WebsterAnd the angel of the LORD said to him, why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

What does Judges 13:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 13:17-20

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. Jud 13:24, 25. Samson Born.

Read the full comment on Judges 13:17-20 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Seeing it is secret? - It was because it was secret that they wished to know it. The angel does not say that it was secret, but הוא פלאי hu peli it is Wonderful; the very character that is given to Jesus Christ, Isa 9:6 : His name shall be called, פלא Wonderful; and it is supposed by some that the angel gives this as his name, and consequently that he was our blessed Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 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…

Read the full comment on Judges 13:15-23 →

Judges 13:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לּוֹ֙loto <the> him
מַלְאַ֣ךְmal.'Akh[the] angel ofH4397
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לָ֥מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
זֶּ֖הzehthisH2088
תִּשְׁאַ֣לtish.'Alare you askingH7592
לִשְׁמִ֑יlish.Mito name myH8034
וְהוּא\־ve.hu'-and itH1931
פֶ֛לִאי\׃\ \סFe.li[is] incomprehensibleH6383

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 13:18

  • Genesis 32:29

    And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

  • Isaiah 9:6

    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

  • Judges 13:6

    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:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Why askest.
6; Ge 32:29
secret. or, wonderful.It was because his name was secret that Manoah wished to know it. But the angel does not say it was secret, but {hoo pailee,} "it is wonderful;" the very character given to the Messiah: "His name shall be called {pailai,} Wonderful," Isa 9:6.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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?

  • Judges 13:18

    And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

  • Judges 13:19

    So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.

Read all of Judges 13

Judges 13:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el ángel de Jehová respondió: ¿Por qué preguntas por mi nombre, que es oculto?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’Ange de l’ Éternel lui dit: Pourquoi demandes-tu mon nom? Il est merveilleux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der Engel Jehovas sprach zu ihm: Warum fragst du denn nach meinem Namen? er ist ja wunderbar!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cui ille respondit: Cur quæris nomen meum, quod est mirabile?