Judges 6:33-40
New English Translation
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Judges 6:33 tn Heb “Midian, Amalek, and the sons of the east.”
- Judges 6:33 tn The words “the Jordan River” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Judges 6:34 tn Heb “clothed.”
- Judges 6:34 tn That is, “mustered an army.”
- Judges 6:34 tn Heb “Abiezer was summoned after him.”
- Judges 6:35 tn Heb “and he also was summoned after him.”
- Judges 6:36 tn More literally, “you are about to deliver Israel by my hand.”
- Judges 6:36 tn The words “then give me a sign as proof” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Judges 6:37 tn Heb “and on all the ground.”
- Judges 6:37 tn Or “know.”
- Judges 6:37 tn Heb “you will deliver Israel by my hand.”
- Judges 6:38 tn Heb “And it was so.”
- Judges 6:38 tn Heb “dew dripped from the fleece—a bowl full of water.”
- Judges 6:39 tn Heb “Let your anger not rage at me, so that I might speak only this once.”
- Judges 6:39 tn Heb “Let the fleece alone be dry, while dew is on all the ground.”
- Judges 6:40 tn Heb “God did so that night.”
Judges 6:33-40
Common English Bible
Gideon seeks a sign
33 Some time later, all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other easterners joined together, came over, and set up camp in the Jezreel Valley. 34 Then the Lord’s spirit came over Gideon, and he sounded the horn and summoned the Abiezrites to follow him. 35 He sent messengers into all of Manasseh, and they were also summoned to follow him. Then he sent messengers into Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali too, and they marched up to meet them.
36 But then Gideon said to God, “To see if you really intend to rescue Israel through me as you have declared, 37 I’m now putting a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece but all the ground is dry, then I’ll know that you are going to rescue Israel through me, as you have declared.” 38 And that is what happened. When he got up early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung out enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Don’t be angry with me, but let me speak just one more time. Please let me make just one more test with the fleece: now let only the fleece be dry and let dew be on all the ground.” 40 And God did so that night. Only the fleece was dry, but there was dew on all the ground.
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