Judges 13:20

20 as the flame went up toward the sky from the altar, the angel of ADONAI went up in the flame from the altar. When Manoach and his wife saw it, they fell to the ground on their faces.

Judges 13:20 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 13:20

For it came to pass, when the flame went up towards heaven
from off the altar
That is, from the rock, which served instead of an altar, and from whence perhaps the fire sprung which consumed both the burnt offering and the meat offering, the flame of which went up to heaven; this rock or altar having no covering, but was "sub dio", open to the heavens:

that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar;
making use of the smoke, as Josephus ^F18 says, as a vehicle in which he openly went up to heaven:

and Manoah and his wife looked on it;
on the flame and smoke, and the angel in it as he ascended; just as the disciples of Christ looked steadfastly on him as he went up to heaven, when a cloud received him out of their sight, ( Acts 1:9 Acts 1:10 )

and fell on their faces to the ground;
with astonishment and surprise at what they saw, through fear and reverence of the divine Being, of whose presence they were now sensible, and as worshipping of him, and praying to him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Ibid. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 3.)

Judges 13:20 In-Context

18 The angel of ADONAI answered him, "Why are you asking about my name? It is wonderful."

19 Manoach took the kid and the grain offering and offered them on the rock to ADONAI. Then, with Manoach and his wife looking on, the angel did something wonderful -

20 as the flame went up toward the sky from the altar, the angel of ADONAI went up in the flame from the altar. When Manoach and his wife saw it, they fell to the ground on their faces.

21 But the angel of ADONAI did not appear again to Manoach or his wife. Then Manoach realized it had been the angel of ADONAI.

22 Manoach said to his wife, "We will surely die, because we have seen God!"