Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible?”
Parallel Translations
-
Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible?”
-
And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
-
And the angel of the LORD said unto him: 'Wherefore askest thou after my name, seeing it is hidden?'
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Judges 13:18 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 32:29 Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” He blessed him there.
- Isaiah 9:6 For a child is born to us. A son is given to us; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Judges 13:6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome. I didn’t ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name;
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Or, marvelous.
Or, marvelous.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Jdg 13:18 And the angel of the LORD said…
Jdg 13:18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it [is] secret?
Ver. 18. Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?] Or, Wonderful, that is, incomprehensible. I am called as I am called; but such is thy weakness, that it surpasseth thy conception. So Bede, Victorinus, and others expound it. God, as he surmounteth all creatures, so he surpasseth all notion, all name. Afri vocant Deum ignotum Amon, idest, Heus tu quis es! {a} Christ, not only as God, but as Mediator also, is called Wonderful. {Isa 9:6}
Read full note →
{a} Plutarch, lib. De Iside et Osiride.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Or, hidden from mortal men; or, wonderful, such as…
Or, hidden from mortal men; or, wonderful, such as thou canst not comprehend; my nature or essence (which is oft signified by name in Scripture) is incomprehensible. This shows that this was the Angel of the covenant, the Son of God.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And the angel of the Lord said unto him,....…
And the angel of the Lord said unto him,.... Being so importunate, and pressing upon him:
why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? and not to be known; as his nature and essence as a divine Person, which may be meant by his name, is what passes knowledge, is infinite and incomprehensible; see Pro 30:4 or "wonderful" (p); which is one of the names of Christ, and fitly agrees with him, who is wonderful in his person, as God and man; in his incarnation, in his offices and relations, in his love to his people, and in all he is unto them, and has done for them; See Gill on Isa 9:6.
Read full note →
(p) Sept. "mirabile", V. L. Montanus; "mirificus", Junius & Tremellius.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Secret - Hidden from mortal men: or, wonderful, such…
Secret - Hidden from mortal men: or, wonderful, such as thou canst not comprehend: my nature and essence, (which is often signified by name in scripture) is incomprehensible. This shews, that this was the angel of the covenant, the Son of God.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 18. Seeing it is secret?] It was because…
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's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Secret - Rather, “wonderful,” as in the margin. In…
Secret - Rather, “wonderful,” as in the margin. In Jdg 13:19 the Angel “did wondrously,” probably as the Angel that Appeared to Gideon had done, bringing fire from the rock. See the marginal references and notes.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Wonderful. Hebrew Peli. Some have concluded that this was…
Wonderful. Hebrew Peli. Some have concluded that this was the proper name of the angel, as it is one of the titles of the Messias, Isaias ix. 6. But it is more probable that the angel did not reveal his name. (Chaldean) Others divide this sentence thus, "and he (the angel, or rather God) was wonderful." He was the author of all miracles, to whom sacrifice was immediately offered. It is doubtful whether the angels have distinctive names. But we read of Michael, &c., and there is no reason why they should not have names denoting their peculiar dignity and offices. (Calmet) --- Michael, the guardian of the church, perhaps appeared on this occasion. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 18. Why askest thou thus after my name —…
18. Why askest thou thus after my name — Not a rebuke, but one of those profound questions which lead a man to look into the depths of his heart, and read its inner motions. It was designed to lead Manoah to ponder thoroughly, then and afterwards, the several facts in this memorable theophany.
Seeing it is secret — Rather, and it is Wonderful. It is the adjective form of the same word which in Isa_9:6 is rendered Wonderful. There is a deep significance beneath this word, involving the marvellous person, character, and works of Him who in the fulness of times “was made flesh and dwelt among us… the glory of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Joh_1:14.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 18. Wherefore … my name] The same words in…
18. Wherefore … my name] The same words in Gen_32:29. Manoah’s question is not answered, for to reveal the name is to reveal the essential nature and attributes, Exo_3:15; Exo_34:5-7; cf. Gen_27:36, 1Sa_25:25, Rth_1:20. The secret was to be disclosed, but only after an act of obedient homage; cf. St Joh_7:17.
wonderful] hard to be understood, not secret (marg.): prophets use the word to describe God’s dealings with His people, Exo_15:11; Isa_25:1; Isa_29:14 etc. The divine Name is inscrutable, like the divine action, Psa_139:6.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (18) Seeing it is secret.—The word is peli, which…
(18) Seeing it is secret.—The word is peli, which in Isa_9:5 is rendered “wonderful.” The word is an adjective, not the actual name of the angel. The only angel who names himself in Scripture is Gabriel.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain It is secret. The Hebrew word does not mean…
It is secret. The Hebrew word does not mean secret, but wonderful, as it is rendered in Isa_9:6, and elsewhere. His name was one which, as St. Paul expresses it, it is not lawful, or possible, for a man to utter, (2Co_12:4) it was so transcendently wonderful. The feeling of the Hebrews in abstaining from uttering the name hwjy was akin to this. Some take the angel to say that WONDERFUL is his name, but the A.V is right in prefixing seeing seeing it is wonderful.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.