The suspense in the story gets stronger, as Manoah still does not understand that he is not talking to a simple human being.

And the angel of the LORD said to Manoah: The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered And may be translated “But” (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) in this context.

If you detain me, I will not eat of your food: The angel does not refuse but says that even if he does stay, he would not eat the prepared food. This response is yet another hint to Manoah that he is not dealing with a human being. Compare verse 6.20-21, where the angel accepts Gideon’s offer of food but then makes it a sacrifice. If you detain me uses the same verb as in verse 13.15 (see comments there). In some languages it may be better to begin with “I can stay, but…” or “Even if I stay….” Revised English Bible has “Though you urge me to stay….”

I will not eat of your food is literally “I will not eat in your food.” The Hebrew word for food (lechem) actually means “bread,” but here it has a more general sense. We might say “I will not eat the food you prepare for me.”

But if you make ready a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD: The angel suggests that rather than cook a meal, Manoah prepare and present a burnt offering to Yahweh. Once again a conditional sentence is used, here to introduce an alternative act. But renders well the Hebrew waw conjunction here, but we might also say “It would be better to…” or “You might rather….” Make ready renders another occurrence of the Hebrew verb meaning “do” or “make.” Translators should use a verb that is appropriate in their language. A burnt offering was a sacrifice that was completely burned for the LORD. No part was eaten. See the comments on verse 6.26. The Hebrew words for burnt offering and offer come from the same root meaning “go up.”

(For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD): Finally the narrator makes clear to the reader-listener what seems obvious from the beginning: Manoah did not know he was talking to an angel of the LORD. Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and New International Version put this sentence in parentheses to indicate that it is an “aside.” However, this is not necessary. Most versions do not use parentheses here (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible). For renders the Hebrew particle ki, which introduces an explanation for Manoah’s actions here. But in many languages the logical connection will be clear without such a conjunction. Manoah did not know may be rendered “Manoah still did not realize.” The Hebrew expression for that he was the angel of the LORD is very emphatic, which is literally “that the angel of Yahweh [was] he.” Once again the phrase the angel of the LORD is used by the narrator, but not by Manoah nor his wife. It is not until verse 13.20 that they realize who is speaking to them.

Alternative models for this verse are:

• The angel of the LORD replied, “If I were to stay, I would not eat the food you prepare for me. Rather, you can prepare a burnt offering and offer it to the LORD.” Up till then, Manoah [still] did not know that the man was the angel of the LORD.

• Yahweh’s angel responded, “I will not eat the meal you prepare, even if you retain me. It would be better if you offered this to Yahweh as a burnt offering.” Manoah still didn’t realize that the man was Yahweh’s angel.

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 .