then 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." beholdThe word "behold" is often used in Scripture to draw attention to something significant or to introduce a divine revelation. In Hebrew, it is "הִנֵּה" (hinneh), which serves as an imperative to pay attention. Here, it underscores the importance of Gideon's request for a sign from God, emphasizing the gravity and sincerity of his plea. I will place
This phrase indicates an intentional act by Gideon. The Hebrew root "שׂוּם" (sum) means to set, place, or appoint. Gideon's action is deliberate, reflecting his desire for confirmation from God. It shows his willingness to actively seek God's guidance and assurance in a tangible way. a fleece of wool
The "fleece of wool" is a symbol of purity and innocence, often associated with sacrificial offerings in the Old Testament. Wool, derived from sheep, is significant in biblical symbolism, representing the people of God (as sheep) and their dependence on the Shepherd. Gideon's use of a fleece highlights his need for divine intervention and clarity. on the threshing floor
The "threshing floor" is a place of separation and revelation in biblical times. It was where grain was separated from chaff, symbolizing judgment and discernment. Spiritually, it represents a place where God reveals His will and purposes. Gideon's choice of location for the fleece testifies to his desire for a clear and unmistakable sign from God. If dew is only on the fleece
"Dew" in the Bible often symbolizes divine blessing and favor. In Hebrew, "טַל" (tal) is seen as a gift from God, providing moisture and life. Gideon's request for dew only on the fleece signifies his need for a specific and personal confirmation of God's promise, highlighting his faith mingled with doubt. and all the ground is dry
The contrast between the wet fleece and the dry ground serves as a miraculous sign. Dry ground, in Hebrew "חָרֵב" (chareb), often symbolizes barrenness or lack. This stark difference would confirm to Gideon that the event was supernatural, reinforcing his trust in God's promise to deliver Israel. then I will know
This phrase reflects Gideon's desire for certainty. The Hebrew "יָדַע" (yada) means to know intimately or experientially. Gideon seeks an experiential confirmation of God's word, demonstrating his need for assurance in the face of overwhelming odds. that You will deliver Israel
The deliverance of Israel is central to God's covenant promises. The Hebrew "יָשַׁע" (yasha) means to save or deliver, pointing to God's role as the Savior of His people. Gideon's request is rooted in the belief that God is faithful to His promises and will act on behalf of His chosen nation. by my hand
Gideon acknowledges his role as an instrument in God's plan. The phrase "by my hand" signifies human agency under divine direction. It reflects the biblical theme of God using ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes, emphasizing the partnership between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. as You have said
This phrase underscores the importance of God's word and promises. Gideon's request is based on what God has already spoken, highlighting the reliability and authority of divine revelation. It serves as a reminder that faith is grounded in the certainty of God's spoken word and His unchanging nature. Persons / Places / Events 1. GideonA judge of Israel chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. He is known for his cautious and questioning nature, seeking confirmation from God. 2. Fleece of WoolThe object used by Gideon to seek a sign from God. It symbolizes Gideon's need for assurance and God's willingness to provide it. 3. Threshing FloorThe location where Gideon placed the fleece. Threshing floors were open areas used for separating grain from chaff, symbolizing a place of decision and revelation. 4. MidianitesThe oppressors of Israel during Gideon's time. Their oppression led to Israel's cry for deliverance, setting the stage for Gideon's leadership. 5. DewRepresents the miraculous sign Gideon requested from God. Dew on the fleece while the ground remained dry was a supernatural confirmation of God's promise. Teaching Points Seeking Assurance from GodIt's natural to seek confirmation from God when faced with daunting tasks. Gideon's request for a sign shows that God understands our need for assurance and is patient with our doubts. God's Patience with Our DoubtsGod did not rebuke Gideon for his request but graciously provided the sign. This teaches us about God's patience and willingness to meet us where we are in our faith journey. Faith in ActionWhile Gideon sought signs, he ultimately acted on God's command. Our faith should lead to action, trusting in God's promises even when we seek confirmation. The Importance of ObedienceGideon's account reminds us that obedience to God's call is crucial, even when we feel inadequate or uncertain. God equips those He calls. God's Sovereignty and PowerThe miracle of the dew on the fleece demonstrates God's control over nature and His ability to intervene in our lives in supernatural ways. Bible Study Questions 1. What does Gideon's request for a sign reveal about his character and relationship with God? 2. How can we discern when it is appropriate to seek signs or confirmation from God in our own lives? 3. In what ways does Gideon's account encourage us to trust in God's promises, even when we feel uncertain or inadequate? 4. How does the concept of God's patience with Gideon challenge or comfort you in your own faith journey? 5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's assurance in a challenging situation. How did it impact your faith and actions? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 4Like Gideon, Moses also sought signs from God to confirm his calling to lead Israel out of Egypt. This connection highlights the human tendency to seek assurance from God. 1 Kings 18Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal involved a test of divine power, similar to Gideon's test with the fleece, demonstrating God's sovereignty and ability to perform miracles. Hebrews 11Gideon is listed among the heroes of faith, showing that despite his initial doubts, his actions were ultimately rooted in faith and obedience to God. People Abiezer, Abiezrites, Amalek, Amalekites, Amorites, Asher, Egyptians, Ephah, Gideon, Israelites, Jerubbaal, Jezreel, Joash, Manasseh, Midianites, Naphtali, Ophrah, ZebulunPlaces Egypt, Gaza, Jezreel Valley, Jordan River, Midian, OphrahTopics Alone, Behold, Beside, Besides, Deliver, Dew, Drought, Dry, Fleece, Floor, Grain-floor, Ground, Hast, Laying, Placing, Purpose, Salvation, Save, Sheep, Spoken, Threshing, Threshing-floor, Wilt, WoolDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 6:37 4524 threshing-floor Judges 6:36-38 5472 proof, evidence Judges 6:36-40 1403 God, revelation
5877 hesitation Library Gideon's Altar
'Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah- shalom [God is peace].'--JUDGES vi. 24. I need not tell over again, less vividly, the picturesque story in this chapter, of the simple husbandman up in the hills, engaged furtively in threshing out a little wheat in some hollow in the rock where he might hide it from the keen eyes of the oppressors; and of how the angel of the Lord, unrecognised at first, appeared to him; and gradually there dawned upon his mind the suspicion …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureGideon's Fleece
'Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that Thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as Thou hast said.'-- JUDGES vi. 37. The decisive moment had come when Gideon, with his hastily gathered raw levies, was about to plunge down to the plain to face immensely superior forces trained to warfare. No wonder that the equally untrained leader's heart heat faster. Many a soldier, who will be steadfastly …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Jehovam-Shalem, the Lord Send Peace. Judg 6:24
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John Newton—Olney Hymns Whether it is a Sin to Tempt God?
Objection 1: It would seem that it is not a sin to tempt God. For God has not commanded sin. Yet He has commanded men to try, which is the same as to tempt, Him: for it is written (Malach. 3:10): "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in My house; and try Me in this, saith the Lord, if I open not unto you the flood-gates of heaven." Therefore it seems not to be a sin to tempt God. Objection 2: Further, a man is tempted not only in order to test his knowledge and his power, …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Man Now Deprived of Freedom of Will, and Miserably Enslaved.
1. Connection of the previous with the four following chapters. In order to lay a proper foundation for the discussion of free will, two obstacles in the way to be removed--viz. sloth and pride. The basis and sum of the whole discussion. The solid structure of this basis, and a clear demonstration of it by the argument a majori ad minus. Also from the inconveniences and absurdities arising from the obstacle of pride. 2. The second part of the chapter containing the opinions of others. 1. The opinions …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Unity of the Divine Essence in Three Persons Taught, in Scripture, from the Foundation of the World.
1. Scripture, in teaching that the essence of God is immense and spiritual, refutes not only idolaters and the foolish wisdom of the world, but also the Manichees and Anthropomorphites. These latter briefly refuted. 2. In this one essence are three persons, yet so that neither is there a triple God, nor is the simple essence of God divided. Meaning of the word Person in this discussion. Three hypostases in God, or the essence of God. 3. Objection of those who, in this discussion, reject the use of …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Subterraneous Places. Mines. Caves.
Thus having taken some notice of the superficies of the land, let us a little search into its bowels. You may divide the subterraneous country into three parts: the metal mines, the caves, and the places of burial. This land was eminently noted for metal mines, so that "its stones," in very many places, "were iron, and out of its hills was digged brass," Deuteronomy 8:9. From these gain accrued to the Jews: but to the Christians, not seldom slavery and misery; being frequently condemned hither by …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Jesus Calls Four Fishermen to Follow Him.
(Sea of Galilee, Near Capernaum.) ^A Matt. IV. 18-22; ^B Mark I. 16-20; ^C Luke V. 1-11. ^a 18 And walking ^b 16 And passing along by the sea of Galilee [This lake is a pear-shaped body of water, about twelve and a half miles long and about seven miles across at its widest place. It is 682 feet below sea level; its waters are fresh, clear and abounding in fish, and it is surrounded by hills and mountains, which rise from 600 to 1,000 feet above it. Its greatest depth is about 165 feet], he [Jesus] …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Of the Sacraments.
1. Of the sacraments in general. A sacrament defined. 2. Meaning of the word sacrament. 3. Definition explained. Why God seals his promises to us by sacraments. 4. The word which ought to accompany the element, that the sacrament may be complete. 5. Error of those who attempt to separate the word, or promise of God, from the element. 6. Why sacraments are called Signs of the Covenant. 7. They are such signs, though the wicked should receive them, but are signs of grace only to believers. 8. Objections …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Doctrine of God
I. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD: (Vs. Atheism). 1. ASSUMED BY THE SCRIPTURES. 2. PROOFS OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. a) Universal belief in the Existence of God. b) Cosmological:--Argument from Cause. c) Teleological:--Argument from Design. d) Ontological:--Argument from Being. e) Anthropological:--Moral Argument. f) Argument from Congruity. g) Argument from Scripture. II. THE NATURE OF GOD: (Vs. Agnosticism) 1. THE SPIRITUALITY OF GOD: (Vs. Materialism). 2. THE PERSONALITY OF GOD: (Vs. Pantheism). 3. THE UNITY …
Rev. William Evans—The Great Doctrines of the Bible And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah
"And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come forth unto Me (one) [Pg 480] to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are the times of old, the days of eternity." The close connection of this verse with what immediately precedes (Caspari is wrong in considering iv. 9-14 as an episode) is evident, not only from the [Hebrew: v] copulative, and from the analogy of the near relation of the announcement of salvation to the prophecy of disaster …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
BY JOHN BUNYAN. London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1684. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. THIS valuable treatise was first published in a pocket volume in 1684, and has only been reprinted in Whitfield's edition of Bunyan's works, 2 vols. folio, 1767. No man could have been better qualified to give advice to sufferers for righteousness' sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 6:37 NIVJudges 6:37 NLTJudges 6:37 ESVJudges 6:37 NASBJudges 6:37 KJV
Judges 6:37 Commentaries
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