Judges 6

1 Again the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] did evil [what was bad or wicked, morally wrong] in the sight [before the eyes, in the presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]; so He delivered [gave, handed over] them into the hand [power, control] of Midian [a son of Abraham, a tribe in the desert] for seven years [a period of time, a cycle of seasons], word study 2 and the hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of Midian prevailed [was strong, gained the upper hand] against Israel [the descendants of Jacob]. Because of the Midianites [the tribe that lived in the desert north of Israel], the Israelites prepared [made, constructed] shelters [dens, hiding places] for themselves in the mountains [hill country], caves [natural holes, dark places], and strongholds [forts, places of defense]. word study 3 Whenever the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] would plant [sow, scatter seed] their crops, the Midianites [a tribe descended from Abraham, known for their desert dwelling], Amalekites [enemies of Israel, descended from Esau], and other people [nations, tribes] of the east [the front, the direction of sunrise] would come up [ascend, rise] and invade [attack, come against] them, word study 4 encamping against them as far as [up to the point of, until reaching] Gaza and destroying [ruining, laying waste to] the produce [crops, fruits of the land] of the land [earth, territory]. They left [did not spare, abandoned] Israel with no [none, lacking] sustenance [food, nourishment], neither [not even] sheep [flocks, young animals] nor oxen [cattle, bulls] nor donkeys [male donkeys, asses]. word study 5 For the Midianites came [with their cattle and tents, invading the land] with their livestock [domestic animals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats] and their tents [nomadic homes, like the tabernacle] like a great swarm [multitude, abundance] of locusts [rapidly multiplying, devouring everything]. They and their camels [valuable riding and load-bearing animals] were innumerable [without number, countless], and they entered [came into, invaded] the land [the earth, the territory] to ravage [destroy, ruin] it [the land, the territory, and its people]. word study 6 Israel [the descendants of Jacob] was greatly [exceedingly, very] impoverished [brought low, languishing] by Midian [a son of Abraham, a tribe in the desert], and the Israelites [the children of Israel] cried out [to cry out for help, publicly announcing their need] to [toward, in the direction of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 7 Now when the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] cried out [to cry out loudly, to shout for help] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] because of [on account of, due to] Midian [a son of Abraham, his country, and descendants], word study 8 He sent [dispatched, appointed] them a prophet [a spokesperson for God], who told them, “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob], says: I [the covenant-keeping God] brought you up [delivered, rescued] out of Egypt [a land of bondage], out of the house [place, dwelling] of slavery [bondage, servitude]. word study 9 I delivered [rescued, saved] you out of the hands [power, control] of Egypt [the Egyptians] and all [every] your oppressors [those who cruelly treated you, afflicted you]. I drove [expelled, cast out] them out before [in front of, from your presence] you and gave [bestowed, granted] you their land [territory, inheritance]. word study 10 And I [the Lord] said to you: ‘I am the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. You must not fear [stand in awe of, reverence] the gods [idols, false deities] of the Amorites [Canaanite tribe], in whose land [territory, region] you dwell [reside, live].’ But you did not obey [listen to, heed] Me [My voice, My command].” word study 11 Then the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] came and sat down [to dwell, remain] under the oak [a strong tree, like an elm] in Ophrah that belonged to Joash [given by the Lord] the Abiezrite [a descendant of Abiezer, meaning’my father is help’], where his son Gideon [hewer, a judge of Israel] was threshing [beating out, knocking out] wheat [the plant or grain] in a winepress [a container to squeeze grapes] to hide [to flee, escape] it from the Midianites [a tribe that lived in the desert north]. word study 12 And the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD [the supreme God, Provider] is with [together, in companionship] you, O mighty [strong, courageous] man of valor [great courage, strength, or power, a warrior].” word study 13 “Please [I beg of you, oh that], my Lord [master, ruler],” Gideon replied, “if the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is with us [in our midst, together], why has all this [trouble, calamity] happened to us? And where are all His wonders [miracles, mighty acts] of which our fathers [ancestors, forefathers] told us, saying, ‘Has not the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] brought us up out of Egypt [delivered, rescued]?’ But now the LORD [Yehovah, the faithful God] has forsaken us [left, abandoned] and delivered us into the hand [power, control] of Midian [the Midianites, our oppressors].” word study 14 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] turned to him and said, “Go [walk, move forward] in the strength [power, might] you have and save [rescue, deliver] Israel [the descendants of Jacob] from the hand [palm, control] of Midian [a tribe in the desert north of Israel]. Am I not [is it not the case that] sending [dispatching, commissioning] you?” word study 15 “Please [oh that, if it please you], my Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God],” Gideon replied, “how [by what means, in what way] can I save [rescue, deliver] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]? Indeed, my clan [family, tribe] is the weakest [poorest, least significant] in Manasseh [a tribe of Israel], and I am the youngest [least, most insignificant] in my father’s [parent’s, ancestral] house [family, household].” word study 16 “Surely [certainly, without a doubt] I will be [exist, come into being] with [together, in accompaniment] you,” the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] replied, “and you will strike down [smite, hit] all the Midianites [the descendants of Midian, a son of Abraham] as [like, in the manner of] one man [a single individual, united].” word study 17 Gideon answered, “If [perhaps, it may be] I have found [discovered, attained] favor [graciousness, kindness] in Your sight [eye, gaze], give me [show me, grant me] a sign [miracle, wonder] that it is You [specifically, personally] speaking with me [talking to me, communicating]. word study 18 Please [I pray thee] do not depart [remove yourself] from this [specified] place until I return [come back, turn back] to You. Let me bring my offering [gift, sacrifice] and set [lay, place] it before You [in Your presence].” And the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said, “I [the speaker, God Himself] will stay [dwell, remain] until you return [come again].” word study 19 So Gideon [a judge of Israel, a deliverer] went in and prepared a young goat [a kid, an immature goat] and unleavened bread [a sweet bread made without yeast] and an ephah [a unit of measurement, about 9 gallons] of flour. He placed the meat [the flesh, the body of the animal] in a basket [a woven container, a vessel for carrying food] and the broth [a liquid food made by cooking meat or vegetables] in a pot [a cooking vessel, a parur] and brought them out to present [to offer, to give] to Him under the oak [a strong tree]. word study 20 And the angel [messenger] of God [Elohim, the supreme God] said to him, “Take the meat [flesh, the body or a person] and the unleavened bread [a sweet bread made without yeast], lay them on this rock [crag, a strong and secure place], and pour out the broth [a liquid food made by cooking meat or vegetables].” And Gideon did so [thus, in agreement with the command]. word study 21 Then the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] extended the tip of the staff [support, walking stick] that was in his hand and touched the meat [flesh, body] and the unleavened bread [sweet bread without yeast]. And fire [burning, flame] flared from the rock [a refuge] and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished [departed, went away] from his sight [eye, vision]. word study 22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel [messenger, representative] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], he said, “Oh no [alas, a cry of sorrow], Lord GOD [Adonay, a title of reverence]! I have seen [experienced, looked upon] the angel [messenger, prophet] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme Being] face to face [in His presence, directly]!” word study 23 But the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to him, “Peace [shalom, completeness and wellness] be with you [to thee, upon thee]. Do not [absolutely not] be afraid [to fear, revere], for you will not [lo, in no way] die [to die, cease to exist].” word study 24 So Gideon [a judge of Israel, a hewer] built [constructed, established] an altar [a place of sacrifice] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] there [in that location, at that time] and called it [gave it the name, designated it as] The LORD Is Peace [Yehovah-shalom] [a reminder of God’s presence and promise]. To this day [until now, still standing] it stands [remains, endures] in Ophrah [a city in Israel, a place of worship] of the Abiezrites [descendants of Abiezer, a Manassite, my father is help]. word study 25 On that very [same, selfsame] night the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to Gideon, “Take your father’s [paternal, ancestral] young bull [ox, calf] and a second [another, additional] bull seven years old, tear down [overthrow, destroy] your father’s altar [place of sacrifice, worship site] to Baal [the false deity, idol], and cut down [hew down, demolish] the Asherah pole [sacred tree] beside it [nearby, adjacent to it]. word study 26 Then build [in an orderly manner, with careful arrangement] a proper altar [a place of sacrifice, for worship] to the LORD [Yehovah, the one true God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] on the top of this stronghold [a fortified place, a rock of security]. And with the wood of the Asherah pole [a wooden pole or grove of the goddess Asherah] you cut down, take the second bull [a young ox, for sacrifice] and offer it as a burnt offering [a step of dedication, a complete surrender].” word study 27 So Gideon [the hewer, a judge of Israel] took ten [a decade, a group of ten] of his servants [attendants, those who serve] and did as the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] had told [spoken, commanded] him. But because he was too afraid [feared, stood in awe] of his father’s household [family, relatives] and the men [individuals, people] of the city [town, community], he did it by night [in the darkness, under cover of darkness] rather than in the daytime [by day, when visible]. word study 28 When the men [people, inhabitants] of the city [town, settlement] got up [rose early, at the break of day] in the morning [dawn, early light], there was Baal’s [the false god’s] altar [place of sacrifice, worship site] torn down [broken, destroyed, cast down], with the Asherah pole [sacred tree] cut down [hewn, felled] beside it and the second [another, additional] bull [young ox, sacrifice] offered up [presented, sacrificed] on the newly [recently, freshly] built [constructed, established] altar [place of worship, sacrifice]. word study 29 “Who [which person, what individual] did this [thing, act, deed]?” they said [spoke, uttered] to one another [each other, neighbor]. And after they had investigated [searched, inquired] thoroughly [diligently, carefully], they were told [informed, answered], “Gideon [hewer, mighty warrior] son [descendant, offspring] of Joash [given by the Lord, God is generous] did [made, performed] it [this thing, act].” word study 30 Then the men [citizens, inhabitants] of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son [child, descendant]. He must die [be put to death, executed], because he has torn down [destroyed, broken] Baal’s [the false god’s] altar [place of sacrifice] and cut down [removed, eliminated] the Asherah pole [a wooden pole or grove of the goddess Asherah] beside it [next to, adjacent to].” word study 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Are you contending [arguing, pleading the case] for Baal [the Phoenician deity, a false god]? Are you trying to save [rescue, deliver] him? Whoever pleads [argues, contends] his case will be put to death [executed, killed] by morning [at dawn, before the day begins]! If Baal is a god [a deity, a divine being], let him contend [fight, argue] for himself with the one who has torn down [destroyed, broken] his altar [a place of sacrifice, worship].” word study 32 So on that day Gideon was called [given the name, known as] Jerubbaal [let Baal contend, a challenge to the false god], that is to say [meaning, signifying], “Let Baal [the Phoenician deity, a false god] contend [argue, plead] with him,” because he had torn down [destroyed, broken] Baal’s altar [a place of sacrifice, for worship]. word study 33 Then all [the entire multitude, every single one] the Midianites [a tribe descended from Abraham], Amalekites [enemies of Israel, descendants of Esau], and other people [nations, tribes] of the east [the direction of the rising sun, the front] gathered together [assembled, united], crossed over [passed, transitioned] the Jordan, and camped [pitched their tents, settled] in the Valley [lowland area, plain] of Jezreel [God sows, a place of nurtured growth]. word study 34 So the Spirit [the breath of life] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] came upon Gideon [the hewer, a judge of Israel], who blew [to blow or strike] the ram’s horn [a trumpet or cornet, often made from a ram’s horn] and rallied [to cry out, to gather together] the Abiezrites [the clan of Abiezer, my father is help] behind him [after, in the rear]. word study 35 Calling them to arms [to gather, to muster], Gideon sent [dispatched, commissioned] messengers [representatives, ambassadors] throughout Manasseh [the tribe of Manasseh], as well as [including, also] Asher [the tribe of Asher], Zebulun [the tribe of Zebulun], and Naphtali [the tribe of Naphtali], so that they came up [ascended, went up] to meet [encounter, gather with] him. word study 36 Then Gideon [the hewer, a judge of Israel] said to God [Elohim, the supreme One], “If [as a condition, a test of faith] You are going to save [rescue, deliver] Israel [the descendants of Jacob] by my hand [my strength, my authority], as [in accordance with, just like] You have said [spoken, promised], word study 37 then behold [look, take notice], I will place [set, establish] a fleece of wool on the threshing floor [a place of separation, where grain is separated from chaff]. If there is dew [moisture] only on the fleece and all the ground [land, earth] is dry [in a state of drought, barrenness], then I will know [be certain, have confidence] that You are going to save [rescue, deliver] Israel [God’s chosen people, the descendants of Jacob] by my hand [my strength, my power], as You have said [promised, spoken].” word study 38 And that is what happened [came to pass, occurred]. When Gideon arose [rose up early, got up] the next morning [morrow, the following day], he squeezed [pressed, thrust together] the fleece [a woolly covering, a sheep’s coat] and wrung out [drained, sucked out] the dew [moisture, gentle rain]—a bowlful [a full container, a large quantity] of water [refreshment, spiritual nourishment]. word study 39 Then Gideon [a judge of Israel, a leader] said to God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], “Do not be angry [incensed, furious] with me; let me speak [communicate, express] one more time [once again, this once]. Please [I pray, I beseech] allow me one more test [trial, proof] with the fleece [a simple, everyday object, a woolen garment]. This time let it be dry [parched, without dew], and the ground [the earth, the land] covered with dew [moisture, mist].” word study 40 And that night [in the darkness, during the period of rest] God [Elohim, the one supreme God] did so [as Gideon had requested, in accordance with his will]. Only the fleece [the wool, a simple, everyday term] was dry [experienced drought, without moisture], and dew [the moisture that covers plants and grass overnight] covered [was upon, rested on] the ground [the land, the earth, the soil]. word study