Judges 6:32-40

6:32 That very day Gideon’s father named him Jerub-Baal, ¹  because he had said, “Let Baal fight with him, for it was his altar that was pulled down.”

Gideon Summons an Army and Seeks Confirmation

6:33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east ²  assembled. They crossed the Jordan River ³  and camped in the Jezreel Valley. 6:34 The Lord’s spirit took control of ⁴  Gideon. He blew a trumpet, ⁵  summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. ⁶  6:35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh and summoned them to follow him as well. ⁷  He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet him.

6:36 Gideon said to God, “If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel, ⁸  as you promised, then give me a sign as proof. ⁹  6:37 Look, I am putting a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and the ground around it ¹⁰  is dry, then I will be sure ¹¹  that you will use me to deliver Israel, ¹²  as you promised.” 6:38 The Lord did as he asked. ¹³  When he got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece, and enough dew dripped from it to fill a bowl. ¹⁴  6:39 Gideon said to God, “Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign. ¹⁵  Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make only the fleece dry, while the ground around it is covered with dew.” ¹⁶  6:40 That night God did as he asked. ¹⁷  Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.

[6:32]  ¹ tn Heb “He called him on that day Jerub-Baal.” The name means, at least by popular etymology, “Let Baal fight!”

[6:33]  ² tn Heb “Midian, Amalek, and the sons of the east.”

[6:33]  ³ tn The words “the Jordan River” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[6:34]  ⁴ tn Heb “clothed.”

[6:34]  ⁵ tn That is, “mustered an army.”

[6:34]  ⁶ tn Heb “Abiezer was summoned after him.”

[6:35]  ⁷ tn Heb “and he also was summoned after him.”

[6:36]  ⁸ tn More literally, “you are about to deliver Israel by my hand.”

[6:36]  ⁹ tn The words “then give me a sign as proof” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[6:37]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “all the ground.”

[6:37]  ¹¹ tn Or “know.”

[6:37]  ¹² tn Heb “you will deliver Israel by my hand.”

[6:38]  ¹³ tn Heb “And it was so.”

[6:38]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “dew dripped from the fleece – a bowl full of water.”

[6:39]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “Let your anger not rage at me, so that I might speak only this once.”

[6:39]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “let the fleece alone be dry, while dew is on all the ground.”

[6:40]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “God did so that night.”