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.
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- 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
Christian Standard Bible
The Sign of the Fleece
33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Jezreel Valley.(A)
34 The Spirit of the Lord enveloped[a] Gideon,(B) and he blew the ram’s horn and the Abiezrites rallied behind him. 35 He sent messengers throughout all of Manasseh, who rallied behind him. He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, who also came to meet him.
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will deliver Israel by me, as you said, 37 I will put a wool fleece here on the threshing floor. If dew is only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry, I will know that you will deliver Israel by me, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. When he got up early in the morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung dew out of it, filling a bowl with water.
39 Gideon then said to God, “Don’t be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me to make one more test with the fleece. Let it remain dry, and the dew be all over the ground.” 40 That night God did as Gideon requested: only the fleece was dry, and dew was all over the ground.
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- 6:34 Lit clothed; 1Ch 12:18; 2Ch 24:20
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