Judges 6:12-18

New International Version

¹² When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you,^(A) mighty warrior.^(B)”

¹³ “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders^(C) that our ancestors told^(D) us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned^(E) us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

¹⁴ The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have^(F) and save^(G) Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

¹⁵ “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan^(H) is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.^(I)”

¹⁶ The Lord answered, “I will be with you^(J), and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

¹⁷ Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign^(K) that it is really you talking to me. ¹⁸ Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.”

And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.”