Manoah said to the angel of the LORD …: The conversation between Manoah and the angel takes a new turn here as Manoah offers a meal to the visitor. The tradition of showing hospitality to visitors is frequently found in the stories where God’s messengers speak to people. This is true of Abraham in Gen 18.2-8 and of Gideon in verse 6.17-19. Manoah’s hospitality is very similar to that of Gideon, since both offered a kid. In Hebrew this clause begins with the Hebrew waw conjunction, which Revised Standard Version omits here. New Living Translation renders it “Then.”

Pray, let us detain you: Manoah politely asks the angel to remain and not leave. The Hebrew verb rendered detain means “restrain” or “prevent.” In Hebrew this verb is followed by the politeness marker naʾ, which is translated Pray. Good News Translation says “Please do not go yet.” We might also say “Please will you stay with us a little longer.” Here Manoah includes his wife in the request.

And prepare a kid for you: See verse 6.19. Prepare renders the Hebrew verb meaning “do” or “make.” Here it refers to slaughtering a kid (young goat), cutting it up, and cooking it. This preparation took at least several hours. The pronoun you refers to the angel. In some languages translators may want to expand for you to “for you to eat” (Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation).

This invitation to stay for a meal will play an important role in the events that follow.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh [or, the LORD’s angel], “Please stay with us a little longer. We want to cook a young goat for you.”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .