Judges 13:12

12 So Manoah asked him, “When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy’s life and work?”

Judges 13:12 in Other Translations

12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?

12 And Manoah said, "Now when your words come true, what is to be the child's manner of life, and what is his mission?"

12 So Manoah asked him, “When your words come true, what kind of rules should govern the boy’s life and work?”

12 Manoah said, "So. When what you say comes true, what do you have to tell us about this boy and his work?"

12 Then Manoah asked, "When Your words come true, what will the boy's responsibilities and mission be?"

Judges 13:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 13:12

And Manoah said, now let thy words come to pass
Which was not only a wish that they might, but a prayer of faith that they would come pass:

how shall we order the child? and how shall we do unto him?
he believed a child would be born, and as he was to be a Nazarite, he knew what were the rules and orders to be observed concerning one in common; but as he was to be an extraordinary one, he was desirous of knowing what particular laws and rules were to be observed with respect to him, or what more was to be done to him than to another: the words may be rendered, as in the margin of our Bibles, "what shall be the judgment of the child, and his work?" and seems to relate not to what should be done to it, but what that should do; for being an extraordinary Nazarite, he supposed that some extraordinary work would be done by him, and he was curious to know it; and so Abarbinel interprets it of his request to know things future and wonderful, that should be done after the child was grown up; but this the angel chose not to inform him of, since it might have been prejudicial to them, should the Philistines get knowledge that this child would be a judge and saviour of Israel, and do such and such things to them as he did, they would have sought to have slain his wife while she bare him, or the child when born; and it may be observed, that though the angel told the woman at first, that he should "begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines", ( Judges 13:5 ) , yet she said nothing of it to her husband, nor did the angel repeat it.

Judges 13:12 In-Context

10 The woman hurried to tell her husband, “He’s here! The man who appeared to me the other day!”

11 Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, “Are you the man who talked to my wife?” “I am,” he said.

12 So Manoah asked him, “When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy’s life and work?”

13 The angel of the LORD answered, “Your wife must do all that I have told her.

14 She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink any wine or other fermented drink nor eat anything unclean. She must do everything I have commanded her.”