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Gideon Summons an Army and Seeks Confirmation

33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east[a] assembled. They crossed the Jordan River[b] and camped in the Jezreel Valley. 34 The Lord’s Spirit took control of[c] Gideon. He blew a trumpet,[d] summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.[e] 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh and summoned them to follow him as well.[f] He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet him.

36 Gideon said to God, “If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel,[g] as you promised, then give me a sign as proof.[h] 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[i] is dry, then I will be sure[j] that you will use me to deliver Israel,[k] as you promised.” 38 The Lord did as he asked.[l] When he got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece, and enough dew dripped from it to fill a bowl.[m] 39 Gideon said to God, “Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign.[n] 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.”[o] 40 That night God did as he asked.[p] Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 6:33 tn Heb “Midian, Amalek, and the sons of the east.”
  2. Judges 6:33 tn The words “the Jordan River” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  3. Judges 6:34 tn Heb “clothed.”
  4. Judges 6:34 tn That is, “mustered an army.”
  5. Judges 6:34 tn Heb “Abiezer was summoned after him.”
  6. Judges 6:35 tn Heb “and he also was summoned after him.”
  7. Judges 6:36 tn More literally, “you are about to deliver Israel by my hand.”
  8. Judges 6:36 tn The words “then give me a sign as proof” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  9. Judges 6:37 tn Heb “and on all the ground.”
  10. Judges 6:37 tn Or “know.”
  11. Judges 6:37 tn Heb “you will deliver Israel by my hand.”
  12. Judges 6:38 tn Heb “And it was so.”
  13. Judges 6:38 tn Heb “dew dripped from the fleece—a bowl full of water.”
  14. Judges 6:39 tn Heb “Let your anger not rage at me, so that I might speak only this once.”
  15. Judges 6:39 tn Heb “Let the fleece alone be dry, while dew is on all the ground.”
  16. Judges 6:40 tn Heb “God did so that night.”

33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. 34 But Yahweh’s Spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken, 37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I’ll know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken.”

38 It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

39 Gideon said to God, “Don’t let your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Please let me make a trial just this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.”

40 God did so that night; for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

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