Judges 6:33-40

Gideon Summons an Army and Seeks Confirmation

6:33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east ¹  assembled. They crossed the Jordan River ²  and camped in the Jezreel Valley. 6:34 The Lord’s spirit took control of ³  Gideon. He blew a trumpet, ⁴  summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. ⁵  6:35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh and summoned them to follow him as well. ⁶  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, ⁷  as you promised, then give me a sign as proof. ⁸  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 ⁹  is dry, then I will be sure ¹⁰  that you will use me to deliver Israel, ¹¹  as you promised.” 6:38 The Lord did as he asked. ¹²  When he got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece, and enough dew dripped from it to fill a bowl. ¹³  6:39 Gideon said to God, “Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign. ¹⁴  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.” ¹⁵  6:40 That night God did as he asked. ¹⁶  Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.

[6:33]  ¹ tn Heb “Midian, Amalek, and the sons of the east.”

[6:33]  ² tn The words “the Jordan River” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[6:34]  ³ tn Heb “clothed.”

[6:34]  ⁴ tn That is, “mustered an army.”

[6:34]  ⁵ tn Heb “Abiezer was summoned after him.”

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

[6:36]  ⁷ tn More literally, “you are about to deliver Israel by my hand.”

[6:36]  ⁸ tn The words “then give me a sign as proof” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[6:37]  ⁹ tn Heb “all the ground.”

[6:37]  ¹⁰ tn Or “know.”

[6:37]  ¹¹ tn Heb “you will deliver Israel by my hand.”

[6:38]  ¹² tn Heb “And it was so.”

[6:38]  ¹³ tn Heb “dew dripped from the fleece – a bowl full of water.”

[6:39]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “Let your anger not rage at me, so that I might speak only this once.”

[6:39]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “let the fleece alone be dry, while dew is on all the ground.”

[6:40]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “God did so that night.”