Focused Passage

Judges 6:36-40

Gideon's Call: Covenant Rebuke, Household Idols, and the LORD's Patient Presence

Judges 6 moves from relapse and Midianite devastation, to prophetic covenant rebuke, to the LORD's call of fearful Gideon, to altar-building and household idol-destruction, to Spirit-enabled mobilization, and finally to fleece signs that reveal both Gideon's hesitancy and the LORD's patient confirmation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

36Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said,

37then behold, I will place a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”

38And that is what happened. When Gideon arose the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time let it be dry, and the ground covered with dew.”

40And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 36

Cross-references

Judges 6:14Classic cross-references Isaiah 7:11Classic cross-references Exodus 3:12Classic cross-references Judges 6:17Classic cross-references Matthew 16:1Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Gideonגִּדְע֖וֹןH1439Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionGodהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםH430Article | Noun - masculine pluralIfאִם־H518Conjunction. . .יֶשְׁךָ֞H3426Adverb | second person masculine singularYou are going to saveמוֹשִׁ֧יעַH3467Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularby my handבְּיָדִ֛יH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerasכַּאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeYou have saidדִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃H1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular

Verse 37

Cross-references

Genesis 24:14Classic cross-references Isaiah 38:7Classic cross-references Hosea 14:5Classic cross-references Matthew 15:24Classic cross-references Amos 4:7Classic cross-references

Original words

then beholdהִנֵּ֣הH2009InterjectionIאָנֹכִ֗יH595Pronoun - first person common singularwill placeמַצִּ֛יגH3322Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markera fleeceגִּזַּ֥תH1492Noun - feminine singular constructof woolהַצֶּ֖מֶרH6785Article | Noun - masculine singularon the threshing floorבַּגֹּ֑רֶןH1637Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularIfאִ֡םH518Conjunctionthere isיִהְיֶ֨הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulardewטַל֩H2919Noun - masculine singularonlyלְבַדָּ֗הּH905Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular. . .וְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositiononעַֽל־H5921Prepositionthe fleeceהַגִּזָּ֜הH1492Article | Noun - feminine singularand allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe groundהָאָ֙רֶץ֙H776Article | Noun - feminine singularis dryחֹ֔רֶבH2721Noun - masculine singularthen I will knowוְיָדַעְתִּ֗יH3045Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularthatכִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionYou are going to saveתוֹשִׁ֧יעַH3467Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularby my handבְּיָדִ֛יH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerasכַּאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeYou have saidדִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃H1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular

Verse 38

Cross-references

Isaiah 35:7Classic cross-references

Original words

And that is whatכֵ֕ןH3651Adverbhappenedוַיְהִי־H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularWhen [Gideon] aroseוַיַּשְׁכֵּם֙H7925Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe next morningמִֽמָּחֳרָ֔תH4283Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularhe squeezedוַיָּ֖זַרH2115Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe fleeceהַגִּזָּ֑הH1492Article | Noun - feminine singularand wrungוַיִּ֤מֶץH4680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularoutמִן־H4480Prepositionthe dewטַל֙H2919Noun - masculine singular. . .הַגִּזָּ֔הH1492Article | Noun - feminine singularvvvמְל֥וֹאH4393Noun - masculine singular constructa bowlfulהַסֵּ֖פֶלH5602Article | Noun - masculine singularof waterמָֽיִם׃H4325Noun - masculine plural

Verse 39

Cross-references

Genesis 18:32Classic cross-references Isaiah 50:2Classic cross-references Psalms 107:33Classic cross-references Matthew 21:43Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Gideonגִּדְעוֹן֙H1439Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionGodהָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔יםH430Article | Noun - masculine pluralDo notאַל־H408Adverbbe angryיִ֤חַרH2734Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular. . .אַפְּךָ֙H639Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularwith meבִּ֔יPreposition | first person common singularlet me speakוַאֲדַבְּרָ֖הH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularone more timeאַ֣ךְH389Adverb. . .הַפָּ֑עַםH6471Article | Noun - feminine singularPlease allow meנָּא־H4994Interjection. . .רַק־H7535Adverbone moreהַפַּ֙עַם֙H6471Article | Noun - feminine singulartestאֲנַסֶּ֤הH5254Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singularwith the fleeceבַּגִּזָּ֔הH1492Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularThis timeנָ֨אH4994Interjectionlet it beיְהִי־H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singulardryחֹ֤רֶבH2721Noun - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Preposition. . .הַגִּזָּה֙H1492Article | Noun - feminine singular. . .לְבַדָּ֔הּH905Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularand the groundהָאָ֖רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular-יִֽהְיֶה־H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularcoveredכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular construct. . .וְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionwith dewטָּֽל׃H2919Noun - masculine singular

Verse 40

Original words

And thatהַה֑וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularnightבַּלַּ֣יְלָהH3915Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularGodאֱלֹהִ֛יםH430Noun - masculine pluraldidוַיַּ֧עַשׂH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularsoכֵּ֖ןH3651AdverbOnlyלְבַדָּ֔הּH905Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular. . .וְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe fleeceהַגִּזָּה֙H1492Article | Noun - feminine singularwasוַיְהִי־H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulardryחֹ֤רֶבH2721Noun - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionand dewטָֽל׃פH2919Noun - masculine singularcoveredהָ֥יָהH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .כָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe groundהָאָ֖רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular

Read full chapter context All Judges chapters

<- Judges 5 Judges 6 Judges 7 ->