Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 13:18

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

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.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

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 hu peli, it is WONDERFUL; the very character that is given to Jesus Christ, Isa 9:6: His name shall be called, Wonderful; and it is supposed by some that the angel gives this as his name, and consequently that he was our blessed Lord.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

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.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

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 Pr 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 comments on Isa 9:6].

p , Sept. “mirabile”, V. L. Montanus; “mirificus”, Junius & Tremellius.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The angel replied, “ Why askest thou then after my name? truly it is wonderful.” The Kethibh is the adjectival form from , for which the Keri has , the pausal form of (from the radical = ). The word therefore is not the proper name of the angel of the Lord, but expresses the character of his name; and as the name simply denotes the nature, it expresses the peculiarity of his nature also. It is to be understood in an absolute sense, – “absolutely and supremely wonderful” ( Seb. Schmidt), – as a predicate belonging to God alone (compare the term “Wonderful” in Isa 9:6), and not to be toned down as it is by Bertheau, who explains it as signifying “neither easy to utter nor easy to comprehend.”

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

(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.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

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.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘ And the Angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why do you ask after my name, seeing it is Wonderful?” ’

This may mean that His name was ‘beyond knowing’, because He was beyond knowing in His essence, absolutely and supremely wonderful, or it may mean that it was a secret not revealed to men because it was too high for them, or it may be indicating what he was, ‘Wonderful’, precious and important beyond measure. Compare the name given to the coming Messianic king in Isa 9:6.

Both Jacob (Gen 32:27) and Moses (Exo 3:13) had earlier sought to know God’s name. Like Manoah Jacob was asked why he wanted to know it. To Moses was revealed the full significance of the name Yahweh, that He was what He would be. But both through it had life-changing experiences. It is doubtful that any of them sought His name to give them power over Him (although in pagan circles that was often the purpose of finding a god’s name), rather it was that they may duly honour Him. Manoah certainly did not have the former in mind. He thought he was speaking to a prophet. But the words would undoubtedly stir questions in his mind.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Jdg 13:18. Seeing it is secret More properly rendered in the margin, wonderful; compare Isa 9:6 where this same name of wonderful is applied to Christ, the wonderful Word incarnate for the redemption of mankind.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

“Handfuls of Purpose”

For All Gleaners

“Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?” Jdg 13:18 .

Men are continually driven back from secret altars, and forbidden to indulge their curiosity in sacred places. We may receive anonymous blessings. It is difficult to distinguish sometimes between curiosity and reverent inquiry. Sometimes we are more interested in the secret things than in the things revealed. When we are conscious of such interest we may know that we are animated by curiosity, and not by the spirit of reverential inquiry. In coming to the Bible we must come for ripe fruit, for practical blessings ready to be handled, for the things which we can immediately understand and apply; and we must not be deterred from our use and enjoyment of these because a secret seems to be hidden within them all, and a ghostly presence seems to be moving in shadow across the pages as we peruse them. There is a point at which the knowable ends: at that point we may either become fools or wise men fools because we say there is nothing worth knowing, or wise men by saying the temporal must be conducted in the light of the eternal, the finite must be ennobled by a consciousness of the infinite, the human must be lifted up to its noblest significance by the assured presence and judgment of the divine.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

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

a Plutarch, lib. De Iside et Osiride.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)