KJV ORIGINAL
And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Manoah said to his wife, 'We're going to die for sure, because we have seen God.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Manoah is terrified because he believes that seeing God means certain death, reflecting the ancient belief that no one could look upon God and live.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Hebrew culture, there was a widespread belief that seeing God directly would result in death because of God's overwhelming holiness and human sinfulness. Manoah had just witnessed an angel of the Lord (whom he believed was God himself) perform a miraculous sign by ascending in the flames of their sacrifice. This encounter was part of the announcement that Manoah's wife would bear Samson, who would become a judge of Israel.
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