17 And he said H559 unto him, If now I have found H4672 grace H2580 in thy sight, H5869 then shew H6213 me a sign H226 that thou talkest H1696 with me.
And he said, H559 Lord H136 GOD, H3069 whereby H4100 shall I know H3045 that I shall inherit it? H3423 And he said H559 unto him, Take H3947 me an heifer H5697 of three years old, H8027 and a she goat H5795 of three years old, H8027 and a ram H352 of three years old, H8027 and a turtledove, H8449 and a young pigeon. H1469 And he took H3947 unto him all these, and divided H1334 them in the midst, H8432 and laid H5414 each H376 piece H1335 one against H7125 another: H7453 but the birds H6833 divided H1334 he not. And when the fowls H5861 came down H3381 upon the carcases, H6297 Abram H87 drove them away. H5380 And when the sun H8121 was going down, H935 a deep sleep H8639 fell H5307 upon Abram; H87 and, lo, an horror H367 of great H1419 darkness H2825 fell H5307 upon him. And he said H559 unto Abram, H87 Know H3045 of a surety H3045 that thy seed H2233 shall be a stranger H1616 in a land H776 that is not theirs, and shall serve H5647 them; and they shall afflict H6031 them four H702 hundred H3967 years; H8141 And also that nation, H1471 whom they shall serve, H5647 will I judge: H1777 and afterward H310 H3651 shall they come out H3318 with great H1419 substance. H7399 And thou shalt go H935 to thy fathers H1 in peace; H7965 thou shalt be buried H6912 in a good H2896 old age. H7872 But in the fourth H7243 generation H1755 they shall come hither H2008 again: H7725 for the iniquity H5771 of the Amorites H567 is not yet H2008 full. H8003 And it came to pass, that, when the sun H8121 went down, H935 and it was dark, H5939 behold a smoking H6227 furnace, H8574 and a burning H784 lamp H3940 that passed H5674 between H996 those pieces. H1506
And Moses H4872 answered H6030 and said, H559 But, behold, they will not believe H539 me, nor hearken H8085 unto my voice: H6963 for they will say, H559 The LORD H3068 hath not appeared H7200 unto thee. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, What is that in thine hand? H3027 And he said, H559 A rod. H4294 And he said, H559 Cast H7993 it on the ground. H776 And he cast H7993 it on the ground, H776 and it became a serpent; H5175 and Moses H4872 fled H5127 from before H6440 it. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Put forth H7971 thine hand, H3027 and take H270 it by the tail. H2180 And he put forth H7971 his hand, H3027 and caught H2388 it, and it became a rod H4294 in his hand: H3709 That they may believe H539 that the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 the God H430 of Isaac, H3327 and the God H430 of Jacob, H3290 hath appeared H7200 unto thee. And the LORD H3068 said H559 furthermore H5750 unto him, Put H935 now thine hand H3027 into thy bosom. H2436 And he put H935 his hand H3027 into his bosom: H2436 and when he took H3318 it out, behold, his hand H3027 was leprous H6879 as snow. H7950 And he said, H559 Put H7725 thine hand H3027 into thy bosom H2436 again. H7725 And he put H7725 his hand H3027 into his bosom H2436 again; H7725 and plucked H3318 it out of his bosom, H2436 and, behold, it was turned again H7725 as his other flesh. H1320 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe H539 thee, neither hearken H8085 to the voice H6963 of the first H7223 sign, H226 that they will believe H539 the voice H6963 of the latter H314 sign. H226 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe H539 also these two H8147 signs, H226 neither hearken H8085 unto thy voice, H6963 that thou shalt take H3947 of the water H4325 of the river, H2975 and pour H8210 it upon the dry H3004 land: and the water H4325 which thou takest H3947 out of the river H2975 shall become blood H1818 upon the dry H3006 land.
And Gideon H1439 said H559 unto God, H430 If thou wilt H3426 save H3467 Israel H3478 by mine hand, H3027 as thou hast said, H1696 Behold, I will put H3322 a fleece H1492 of wool H6785 in the floor; H1637 and if the dew H2919 be on the fleece H1492 only, and it be dry H2721 upon all the earth H776 beside, then shall I know H3045 that thou wilt save H3467 Israel H3478 by mine hand, H3027 as thou hast said. H1696 And it was so: for he rose up early H7925 on the morrow, H4283 and thrust H2115 the fleece H1492 together, H2115 and wringed H4680 the dew H2919 out of the fleece, H1492 a bowl H5602 full H4393 of water. H4325 And Gideon H1439 said H559 unto God, H430 Let not thine anger H639 be hot H2734 against me, and I will speak H1696 but this once: H6471 let me prove, H5254 I pray thee, but this once H6471 with the fleece; H1492 let it now be dry H2721 only upon the fleece, H1492 and upon all the ground H776 let there be dew. H2919 And God H430 did H6213 so that night: H3915 for it was dry H2721 upon the fleece H1492 only, and there was dew H2919 on all the ground. H776
And Hezekiah H2396 said H559 unto Isaiah, H3470 What shall be the sign H226 that the LORD H3068 will heal H7495 me, and that I shall go up H5927 into the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 the third H7992 day? H3117 And Isaiah H3470 said, H559 This sign H226 shalt thou have of the LORD, H3068 that the LORD H3068 will do H6213 the thing H1697 that he hath spoken: H1696 shall the shadow H6738 go forward H1980 ten H6235 degrees, H4609 or go back H7725 ten H6235 degrees? H4609 And Hezekiah H3169 answered, H559 It is a light thing H7043 for the shadow H6738 to go down H5186 ten H6235 degrees: H4609 nay, but let the shadow H6738 return H7725 backward H322 ten H6235 degrees. H4609 And Isaiah H3470 the prophet H5030 cried H7121 unto the LORD: H3068 and he brought H7725 the shadow H6738 ten H6235 degrees H4609 backward, H322 by H4609 which it had gone down H3381 in the dial H4609 of Ahaz. H271
And this shall be a sign H226 unto thee from the LORD, H3068 that the LORD H3068 will do H6213 this thing H1697 that he hath spoken; H1696 Behold, I will bring again H7725 the shadow H6738 of the degrees, H4609 which is gone down H3381 in the sun H8121 dial H4609 of Ahaz, H271 ten H6235 degrees H4609 backward. H322 So the sun H8121 returned H7725 ten H6235 degrees, H4609 by which degrees H4609 it was gone down. H3381
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 6
Commentary on Judges 6 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 6
Jud 6:1-6. The Israelites, for Their Sins, Oppressed by Midian.
1. and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian—Untaught by their former experiences, the Israelites again apostatized, and new sins were followed by fresh judgments. Midian had sustained a severe blow in the time of Moses (Nu 31:1-18); and the memory of that disaster, no doubt, inflamed their resentment against the Israelites. They were wandering herdsmen, called "children of the East," from their occupying the territory east of the Red Sea, contiguous to Moab. The destructive ravages they are described as at this time committing in the land of Israel are similar to those of the Bedouin Arabs, who harass the peaceful cultivators of the soil. Unless composition is made with them, they return annually at a certain season, when they carry off the grain, seize the cattle and other property; and even life itself is in jeopardy from the attacks of those prowling marauders. The vast horde of Midianites that overran Canaan made them the greatest scourge which had ever afflicted the Israelites.
2. made … dens … in the mountains and caves—not, of course, excavating them, for they were already, but making them fit for habitation.
Jud 6:7-10. A Prophet Rebukes Them.
8. the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel—The curse of the national calamity is authoritatively traced to their infidelity as the cause.
Jud 6:11-16. An Angel Sends Gideon to Deliver Them.
11. there came an angel of the Lord—He appeared in the character and equipments of a traveller (Jud 6:21), who sat down in the shade to enjoy a little refreshment and repose. Entering into conversation on the engrossing topic of the times, the grievous oppression of the Midianites, he began urging Gideon to exert his well-known prowess on behalf of his country. Gideon, in replying, addresses him at first in a style equivalent (in Hebrew) to "sir," but afterwards gives to him the name usually applied to God.
an oak—Hebrew, "the oak"—as famous in after-times.
Ophrah—a city in the tribe of Manasseh, about sixteen miles north of Jericho, in the district belonging to the family of Abiezer (Jos 17:2).
his son Gideon threshed wheat by the wine-press—This incident tells emphatically the tale of public distress. The small quantity of grain he was threshing, indicated by his using a flail instead of the customary treading of cattle—the unusual place, near a wine-press, under a tree, and on the bare ground, not a wooden floor, for the prevention of noise—all these circumstances reveal the extreme dread in which the people were living.
13. if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?—Gideon's language betrays want of reflection, for the very chastisements God had brought on His people showed His presence with, and His interest in, them.
14-16. the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might … have not I sent thee?—The command and the promise made Gideon aware of the real character of his visitor; and yet like Moses, from a sense of humility, or a shrinking at the magnitude of the undertaking, he excused himself from entering on the enterprise. And even though assured that, with the divine aid, he would overcome the Midianites as easily as if they were but one man, he still hesitates and wishes to be better assured that the mission was really from God. He resembles Moses also in the desire for a sign; and in both cases it was the rarity of revelations in such periods of general corruption that made them so desirous of having the fullest conviction of being addressed by a heavenly messenger. The request was reasonable, and it was graciously granted [Jud 6:18].
Jud 6:17-32. Gideon's Present Consumed by Fire.
18. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I … bring forth my present—Hebrew, my mincha, or "meat offering"; and his idea probably was to prove, by his visitor's partaking of the entertainment, whether or not he was more than man.
19-23. Gideon went in, and made ready a kid; … the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot—(See on Ge 18:7). The flesh seems to have been roasted, which is done by cutting it into kobab, that is, into small pieces, fixed on a skewer, and put before the fire. The broth was for immediate use; the other, brought in a hand-basket was intended to be a future supply to the traveller. The miraculous fire that consumed it and the vanishing of the stranger, not by walking, but as a spirit in the fire, filled Gideon with awe. A consciousness of demerit fills the heart of every fallen man at the thought of God, with fear of His wrath; and this feeling was increased by a belief prevalent in ancient times, that whoever saw an angel would forthwith die. The acceptance of Gideon's sacrifice betokened the acceptance of his person; but it required an express assurance of the divine blessing, given in some unknown manner, to restore his comfort and peace of mind.
24-32. it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him—The transaction in which Gideon is here described as engaged was not entered on till the night after the vision.
25. Take thy father's … second bullock—The Midianites had probably reduced the family herd; or, as Gideon's father was addicted to idolatry, the best may have been fattened for the service of Baal; so that the second was the only remaining one fit for sacrifice to God.
throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath—standing upon his ground, though kept for the common use of the townsmen.
cut down the grove that is by it—dedicated to Ashtaroth. With the aid of ten confidential servants he demolished the one altar and raised on the appointed spot the altar of the Lord; but, for fear of opposition, the work had to be done under cover of night. A violent commotion was excited next day, and vengeance vowed against Gideon as the perpetrator. "Joash, his father, quieted the mob in a manner similar to that of the town clerk of Ephesus. It was not for them to take the matter into their own hands. The one, however, made an appeal to the magistrate; the other to the idolatrous god himself" [Chalmers].
Jud 6:33-39. The Signs.
33. all the Midianites … pitched in Jezreel—The confederated troops of Midian, Amalek, and their neighbors, crossing the Jordan to make a fresh inroad on Canaan, encamped in the plains of Esdraelon (anciently Jezreel). The southern part of the Ghor lies in a very low level, so that there is a steep and difficult descent into Canaan by the southern wadies. Keeping this in view, we see the reason why the Midianite army, from the east of Jordan, entered Canaan by the northern wadies of the Ghor, opposite Jezreel.
34. the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon—Called in this sudden emergency into the public service of his country, he was supernaturally endowed with wisdom and energy commensurate with the magnitude of the danger and the difficulties of his position. His summons to war was enthusiastically obeyed by all the neighboring tribes. On the eve of a perilous enterprise, he sought to fortify his mind with a fresh assurance of a divine call to the responsible office. The miracle of the fleece was a very remarkable one—especially, considering the copious dews that fall in his country. The divine patience and condescension were wonderfully manifested in reversing the form of the miracle. Gideon himself seems to have been conscious of incurring the displeasure of God by his hesitancy and doubts; but He bears with the infirmities of His people.