For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
When the flame rose up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the LORD went up in the flame. Manoah and his wife saw this happen and immediately fell face-down on the ground.
The writer is describing how Manoah and his wife finally realized they had been talking with God's angel, and they responded by bowing down in worship and awe.
📚 Historical Context
In the period of the Judges, around 1100 BC, Israel was under oppression from the Philistines, and God raised up leaders like Samson to deliver His people. Manoah, a man from the tribe of Dan, and his barren wife received a visit from an angel who announced the birth of a special son who would be a Nazarite dedicated to God. As they offered a sacrifice to confirm the angel's message, the angel ascended in the flame of the altar, causing them to fall in worship.
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