In the biblical narrative found in the Book of Judges, Manoah, the father of Samson, exhibits a notable curiosity regarding the identity of an angelic messenger. This event is recorded in Judges 13, where the angel of the LORD appears to Manoah's wife, announcing the birth of Samson and instructing her on how to raise the child who is to be a Nazirite dedicated to God from the womb.

After the initial visitation to his wife, Manoah prays for the angel to return so that he might receive further instruction. God answers his prayer, and the angel appears again. During this encounter, Manoah seeks to know more about the divine messenger. In Judges 13:17 , Manoah inquires, "What is your name, so that we may honor you when your words come to pass?"

The angel's response is both intriguing and profound. In Judges 13:18 , the angel replies, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?" The term "wonderful" here can be understood as beyond human comprehension or extraordinary, suggesting the divine nature of the messenger and the mystery surrounding God's ways.

Manoah's curiosity reflects a common human desire to understand and categorize the divine, yet it also highlights the limitations of human understanding when faced with the transcendent nature of God and His messengers. The angel's refusal to disclose his name serves as a reminder of the holiness and otherness of God, whose ways and thoughts are higher than those of humans (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9).

This encounter emphasizes the importance of faith and obedience over the need for complete understanding. Manoah and his wife respond with worship and sacrifice, acknowledging the divine presence and accepting the message without fully grasping the identity of the messenger. In Judges 13:20-21 , it is recorded that as the flame from the altar ascended toward heaven, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame, and Manoah and his wife fell facedown to the ground, realizing they had seen a manifestation of God.

The narrative of Manoah's curiosity and the angel's response serves as a theological reflection on the nature of divine revelation. It underscores the belief that while God reveals Himself to humanity, there remains an element of mystery that calls for reverence, trust, and submission to His will.Judges 13:17,18
And Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, What is your name, that when your sayings come to pass we may do you honor?
Nave's Topical Index

Of the Name of God
... the vanities of the nations, they cannot know their own ... that it is high presumption
and bold curiosity to search ... my name, saith the angel to Manoah, for "it is ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture vii of the name.htm

The Unity of the Divine Essence in Three Persons Taught, in ...
... Hence Manoah's exclamation, "We shall die; for we have seen ... a labyrinth whenever
it indulges its curiosity, and thus ... I know that many who would be thought wise ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 13 the unity of.htm

The Pilgrim's Progress
... enter thou, With all thy boys; and then, as thou know'st how, Tell who they are,
also from whence they came; Perhaps they know them by their looks, or name. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the pilgrims progress.htm

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Curious: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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