Judges 6 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Judges 6 meaning explained in AI Summary

Gideon's Call: This chapter introduces Gideon, a hesitant farmer, who is called by God to be a judge and deliver the Israelites from the Midianites.

Chapter 6 of Judges marks the beginning of Gideon's story, a timid man chosen by God to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression.

1. Israel's Sin and Oppression (v. 1-6): The Israelites again turn away from God and face the consequences. The Midianites, a nomadic people, oppress them for seven years, stealing their crops and livestock, leaving them impoverished and hiding in fear.

2. God's Compassion and Call to Gideon (v. 7-24): God hears Israel's cries for help and sends an angel to Gideon, a man from the weakest clan of Manasseh. The angel finds Gideon threshing wheat in hiding and addresses him as a "mighty warrior." Gideon questions God's presence and the promise of deliverance, citing Israel's suffering. As a sign, Gideon asks for proof through a miraculous fire that consumes his offering. God grants his request, confirming his calling. Gideon builds an altar to the Lord, named "The Lord is Peace."

3. Gideon's First Act of Obedience (v. 25-32): Following God's command, Gideon destroys the altar of Baal belonging to his father and cuts down the Asherah pole beside it. He then builds an altar to the Lord and offers a sacrifice. The people are outraged but Joash, Gideon's father, defends him, challenging them to let Baal defend himself. Gideon earns the name "Jerubbaal" meaning "Let Baal contend with him."

4. The Spirit of the Lord Empowers Gideon (v. 33-35): The Midianites and their allies gather to fight. The Spirit of the Lord comes upon Gideon, empowering him for the battle ahead. He sends messengers throughout the land, calling for volunteers to join his army.

Chapter 6 sets the stage for Gideon's journey as a reluctant hero chosen by God. It highlights God's faithfulness to his people despite their unfaithfulness and his willingness to use anyone, even the seemingly insignificant, to accomplish his purposes.

Judges 6 bible study ai commentary

Judges 6 explores the classic cycle of sin, suffering, and salvation, centering on God's calling of an unlikely and fearful hero, Gideon. In the face of devastating oppression born from Israel's idolatry, God doesn't just send a deliverer; He first sends a prophet to diagnose the spiritual rot. The subsequent call of Gideon from a state of hidden fear to a commissioned leader, though fraught with doubt and testing, highlights a core biblical theme: God's power is made perfect in human weakness, and true deliverance begins with confronting idolatry within one's own camp before facing the enemy without.

Judges 6 context

The events occur in the early Iron Age (c. 1200-1000 B.C.), a period of socio-political instability in Canaan. Israel is a loose confederation of tribes, not a unified kingdom. The primary antagonists, the Midianites, Amalekites, and "people of the east," were nomadic groups from the Arabian desert. Their use of domesticated camels gave them unprecedented military mobility, allowing them to conduct swift, devastating raids deep into Israelite territory during harvest time, crippling the agrarian economy. Culturally, Israel was engaged in syncretism, attempting to worship YHWH alongside the Canaanite deities Baal (god of storms and fertility) and Asherah (his consort goddess, often represented by a sacred pole or tree). This chapter is a direct theological polemic, demonstrating YHWH's absolute authority over these powerless idols.

Judges 6:1-6

1 The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens and the caves and the strongholds that are in the mountains. 3 For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. 4 They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come like locusts in number—both they and their camels were without number—and they would enter the land to lay it waste. 6 And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the LORD.

In-depth-analysis

V. 1: Follows the established cyclical pattern in Judges: sin ("did what was evil"), leading to divine judgment through an oppressor. The "seven years" signifies a period of complete suffering.
V. 2: The oppression was so severe it drove the Israelites from their homes into hiding in mountains and caves, a complete reversal of the settlement they achieved under Joshua.
V. 4: The raids were systematic and economically devastating. The mention of "as far as Gaza" shows the raids covered the entire breadth of the land, from the Jordan Valley to the Mediterranean coast. They didn't occupy the land, but stripped it of all agricultural wealth ("no sustenance").
V. 5: The comparison to "locusts" is a powerful image of an overwhelming, unstoppable, and destructive horde. Their uncountable camels signify a technologically superior and terrifying force.
V. 6: Israel's cry to the LORD comes only after being "brought very low." It is a cry of desperation, not necessarily of genuine repentance at this stage.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 28:30-31: "You shall plant a vineyard... but you shall not gather the grapes... Your ox shall be slaughtered... and not be given back to you." (A direct fulfillment of the covenant curses for disobedience).
Judges 2:11-14: "They abandoned the LORD... so the anger of the LORD was kindled... and he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies." (The foundational pattern for chapter 6).
Joel 1:4: "What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten..." (Echoes the imagery of total agricultural devastation).

Cross references

Deu 32:15-18 (Forgetting God), Lev 26:14-17 (Covenant curses), Psa 106:40-44 (Pattern of sin and deliverance), Neh 9:26-27 (Israel's repeated cycle of rebellion).

Judges 6:7-10

7 When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites, 8 the LORD sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery. 9 And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 And I said to you, ‘I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.”

In-depth-analysis

V. 7-8: God's first response to their cry for help is not a warrior, but a prophet. Before providing deliverance, He provides diagnosis. He addresses the root cause of their suffering: their sin.
V. 8-9: The prophet recounts God's acts of salvation (the Exodus) and faithfulness (giving them the land). This reminds them of God's character and their covenant obligations.
V. 10: The message concludes with a sharp rebuke. Their primary sin was fear of pagan gods ("fear the gods of the Amorites"), which led to worshiping them, directly violating the foundational command of their covenant relationship with YHWH. They broke faith, so God removed His protection.

Bible references

Exodus 20:2-3: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt... you shall have no other gods before me." (The prophet directly quotes the essence of the First Commandment, which they violated).
2 Kings 17:35-39: "You shall not fear other gods... but the LORD your God you shall fear, and he will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." (An almost identical rebuke given to Israel before the Assyrian exile).
Joshua 24:14-18: "Fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served." (Recalls the covenant renewal at Shechem, which this generation has forgotten).

Cross references

Jer 2:5-7 (God's accusation against Israel's faithlessness), Hos 13:4-6 (Forgetting God after being satisfied), Mal 1:6 (A son honors his father).

Judges 6:11-16

11 Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers told us about... But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” 16 But the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

In-depth-analysis

V. 11: The Angel of the LORD (malak YHWH) appears. This figure often speaks and acts with divine authority, leading to interpretations of him being a theophany or Christophany. Gideon's action—threshing wheat in a winepress—is a perfect picture of fear and oppression. A winepress is a pit, used for hiding, while threshing was normally done on an open, windy hilltop.
V. 12: The greeting "mighty man of valor" (gibbor he-hayil) is deeply ironic given Gideon's actions, or it is prophetic, speaking to who he will become through God's power.
V. 13: Gideon's response is not faith, but a complaint filled with doubt. He challenges the foundation of Israel's faith ("where are all his wonderful deeds?"), questioning God's presence and power.
V. 14: The text shifts from "Angel of the LORD" to "the LORD" (YHWH), signifying a direct, divine interaction. "Go in this might of yours" refers not to Gideon's own meager strength, but the strength he has just been given by the divine call and presence.
V. 15-16: Gideon's excuses (weakest clan, least in his house) are classic in biblical call narratives. God's response bypasses the excuse and provides the only thing that matters: "I will be with you." The aorance of victory lies in God's presence, not Gideon's status or ability.

Bible references

Exodus 3:11-12: "Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go...?' He said, 'But I will be with you...'" (Gideon's call and excuse mirrors Moses's).
1 Corinthians 1:27: "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." (The principle of God using the weak and lowly, exemplified by Gideon).
Luke 1:28-30: "The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.' Mary was greatly troubled..." (Mirrors the angelic greeting and subsequent confusion/humility).

Cross references

Gen 18:1-2 (The LORD appearing in human form), Isa 41:10 (Fear not, for I am with you), Jer 1:6-8 (Jeremiah's similar "I am too young" excuse), 2 Cor 12:9-10 (My power is made perfect in weakness).

Judges 6:17-24

17 And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me... 21 Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. 22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” 23 But the LORD said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it, The LORD Is Peace.

In-depth-analysis

V. 17-21: Gideon asks for a sign, not of the mission's success, but to confirm the messenger's divine identity. He prepares a meal (a young goat and unleavened cakes), treating the visitor as an honored guest. The supernatural consumption of this offering by fire from a rock is the sign. This act mimics sacrificial worship, confirming the divine nature of the "Angel."
V. 22: Upon realizing he has seen a divine being face-to-face, Gideon is terrified, believing he will die, reflecting the Old Testament understanding of the gulf between sinful humanity and a holy God.
V. 23: God responds with a word of grace and reassurance: "Peace to you" (Shalom lekha). It is the divine counter to human fear. Shalom means more than absence of conflict; it is wholeness, well-being, and right relationship with God.
V. 24: In response, Gideon builds an altar named "YHWH-Shalom" ("The LORD is Peace"). This act memorializes his encounter, turning a place of fear into a place of worship. The name proclaims the character of God that he just experienced.

Bible references

Leviticus 9:24: "And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering... on the altar." (The miraculous fire echoes God's acceptance of the priests' inaugural sacrifice).
Exodus 33:20: "But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” (Explains the source of Gideon's terror).
John 20:19: "Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'" (Christ gives the same reassuring Shalom to his fearful disciples after the resurrection).

Cross references

Gen 32:30 (Jacob seeing God face-to-face), 1 Kings 18:38 (Elijah's sacrifice consumed by fire), Dan 10:17-19 (Daniel's fear and divine strengthening).

Judges 6:25-32

25 That same night the LORD said to him, “Take your father's bull... and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it 26 and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of the stronghold... 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night. ... 31 But Joash said... "Will you contend for Baal? ...if he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been pulled down." 32 Therefore on that day he was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he had pulled down his altar.

In-depth-analysis

V. 25-27: Gideon’s first military-style command is not against Midian, but against the idolatry in his own home. Deliverance from an external enemy must be preceded by spiritual purification internally. His fear is still evident as he acts by night, yet his obedience is paramount.
V. 28-30: The town's reaction is outrage. Their primary allegiance is to Baal, not YHWH. They see Gideon’s act as a capital offense and demand his life, showing how deeply rooted the apostasy was.
V. 31: Gideon’s father, Joash, has a change of heart. He defends his son with a brilliant and sarcastic polemic. He challenges the townspeople's right to defend Baal and shifts the burden of proof to the idol itself: "If he is a god, let him contend for himself." This moment publicly exposes Baal’s impotence.
V. 32: Gideon is given a new name: Jerubbaal ("Let Baal Contend"). It functions as a public mockery of Baal's inability to avenge the destruction of his own altar.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 7:5: "But thus you shall deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire." (Gideon is directly obeying a core command of the Torah).
1 Kings 18:27-29: "And Elijah mocked them, saying, 'Cry aloud, for he is a god...'" (Elijah's contest on Mt. Carmel similarly mocks Baal's powerlessness).
2 Corinthians 6:16-17: "What agreement has the temple of God with idols? ...Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord." (The NT call for spiritual separation and purification).

Cross references

Exo 34:13 (Destroying pagan altars), Deu 13:6-11 (Punishment for enticing to idolatry), 2 Ki 23:4-7 (Josiah's similar reforms).

Polemics

The account is a masterclass in religious polemic. Baal, the Canaanite god of storms, fertility, and cosmic order, was believed to protect agricultural communities. The Midianite raids demonstrated his failure. Joash's argument "Let him contend for himself" is the ultimate verbal slam, reframing Gideon's crime as a test of Baal's divinity, a test he spectacularly fails by his silence and inaction. It challenges the entire community's worldview.

Judges 6:33-35

33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun, and to Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.

In-depth-analysis

V. 33: The enemy gathers in the Valley of Jezreel, a large, flat, fertile plain perfect for a major military staging area. The threat is now at its peak.
V. 34: The Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon (Hebrew lavshah, lit. "wrapped itself around"). This is a powerful, active image of divine empowerment. It is not just inspiration but a divine investiture of power and authority. This empowerment enables Gideon to act boldly. He sounds the shofar (trumpet), the biblical signal for alarm and a call to holy war.
V. 35: Having passed the test of faith by destroying the idols, Gideon now receives a positive response from the people. His own clan (the Abiezrites, who recently wanted him dead) and the northern tribes rally to his call. His public stand for YHWH has validated him as a leader.

Bible references

Numbers 10:9: "And when you go to war in your land... you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets... and you shall be saved from your enemies." (The sounding of the trumpet is a prescribed act of faith to call on God in battle).
1 Samuel 16:13: "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward." (Similar divine empowerment for a chosen leader).
Luke 24:49: "And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (The same "clothing" metaphor used for the Holy Spirit at Pentecost).

Cross references

Judg 3:10 (Spirit on Othniel), Judg 11:29 (Spirit on Jephthah), Judg 14:6 (Spirit on Samson), 1 Chr 12:18 (Spirit clothing Amasai).

Judges 6:36-40

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. ... 39 Then Gideon said to God... “Let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night.

In-depth-analysis

V. 36: Gideon's courage wavers again in the face of the massive enemy army. His request for a sign is not to test God's identity (as in v. 17) but to seek re-aorance for the specific promise: that God would save Israel by his hand.
V. 37-38: The first test (wet fleece, dry ground) is a minor miracle. A fleece would naturally collect dew more than bare ground. God condescends to Gideon's need for confirmation.
V. 39-40: The second test is bolder because it is contrary to nature (dry fleece, wet ground). It requires a more direct and undeniable miracle. Gideon's phrasing is cautious and respectful ("Let not your anger burn against me"), acknowledging his audacity.
Analysis: While this is often viewed as a sign of weak faith, many scholars and theologians see it differently. It can be seen as Gideon’s careful, practical attempt to ensure he is acting on God's will before leading thousands of men into a suicidal battle. God's gracious accommodation of both requests, without rebuke, shows His patience and willingness to build up the faith of his chosen, weak instruments.

Bible references

Genesis 18:32: "Abraham said, 'Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once...'" (Gideon's cautious language echoes Abraham's when bargaining for Sodom).
Matthew 16:1: "And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven." (Contrast's Gideon's honest plea for aorance with the faithless testing of Jesus by his opponents).
Isaiah 7:11-12: "'Ask a sign of the LORD your God...' But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.'" (Shows a different context where refusing to ask for a sign was a sign of faithlessness, not faith).

Cross references

Gen 24:14 (Servant's test at the well), 1 Sa 14:9-10 (Jonathan's sign), 2 Ki 20:8-11 (Hezekiah's sign of the sundial).

Judges chapter 6 analysis

The Unlikely Hero Motif: Gideon is meticulously portrayed as flawed—he is fearful (hiding in a winepress), doubtful (complaining to the angel), and in need of constant re-aorance (the fleeces). This is intentional. His weakness magnifies God's power. The victory cannot be credited to Gideon's "valor," but only to YHWH's intervention.
Theophany and the Angel of the LORD: The narrative deliberately blurs the line between "the Angel of the LORD" and "the LORD" (YHWH) Himself (compare v. 12/14, and v. 22/23). This literary technique underscores the Angel's full divine authority. For Christian theology, this is a strong pointer to a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ (a Christophany), who is the perfect image and messenger of the Father.
From Personal Apostasy to National Deliverance: The chapter’s structure teaches a vital theological lesson. The call (vv. 11-24) is followed by a demand for purification within Gideon's own family (vv. 25-32) before the call to arms goes out (vv. 33-35). Deliverance for the nation begins with repentance in the leader's own home. The external battle with Midian cannot be won until the internal, spiritual battle against Baal is fought.
Names and their Meanings: The names in the chapter are significant. Gideon means "Hewer" or "Feller," which is prophetic of his task to cut down the Asherah pole and the Midianite army. His new name, Jerubbaal ("Let Baal Contend"), becomes a permanent, public statement of YHWH's superiority over the Canaanite gods.

Judges 6 summary

Faced with total ruin by the Midianites as a result of their idolatry, Israel cries out to God. God first sends a prophet to convict them of their sin, then calls a fearful man named Gideon, who is hiding in a winepress. Through a divine encounter, Gideon is commissioned, but his first task is to tear down his own family's altar to Baal. Having obeyed, and being empowered by God's Spirit, Gideon musters an army but still requires miraculous signs with a fleece to confirm God’s promise before moving forward. The chapter sets the stage for God to win a great victory through a weak and hesitant leader.

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Judges chapter 6 kjv

¹ And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
² And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
³ And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
⁴ And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
⁵ For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
⁶ And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
⁷ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
⁸ That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
⁹ And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
¹⁰ And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
¹¹ And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
¹² And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.
¹³ And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
¹⁴ And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
¹⁵ And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
¹⁶ And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
¹⁷ And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then show me a sign that thou talkest with me.
¹⁸ Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
¹⁹ And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
²⁰ And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
²¹ Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
²² And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
²³ And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
²⁴ Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
²⁵ And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
²⁶ And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
²⁷ Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
²⁸ And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
²⁹ And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
³⁰ Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
³¹ And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
³² Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
³³ Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
³⁴ But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.
³⁵ And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
³⁶ And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
³⁷ 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.
³⁸ And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
³⁹ And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
⁴⁰ And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Judges chapter 6 nkjv

¹ Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
² and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains.
³ So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
⁴ Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey.
⁵ For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it.
⁶ So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.
⁷ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites,
⁸ that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage;
⁹ and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land.
¹⁰ Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.' "
¹¹ Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites.
¹² And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!"
¹³ Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."
¹⁴ Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?"
¹⁵ So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."
¹⁶ And the LORD said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man."
¹⁷ Then he said to Him, "If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me.
¹⁸ Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You." And He said, "I will wait until you come back."
¹⁹ So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them.
²⁰ The Angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And he did so.
²¹ Then the Angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
²² Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD. So Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face."
²³ Then the LORD said to him, "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die."
²⁴ So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
²⁵ Now it came to pass the same night that the LORD said to him, "Take your father's young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it;
²⁶ and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down."
²⁷ So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the LORD had said to him. But because he feared his father's household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night.
²⁸ And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, there was the altar of Baal, torn down; and the wooden image that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the altar which had been built.
²⁹ So they said to one another, "Who has done this thing?" And when they had inquired and asked, they said, "Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing."
³⁰ Then the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the wooden image that was beside it."
³¹ But Joash said to all who stood against him, "Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!"
³² Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, "Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar."
³³ Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel.
³⁴ But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.
³⁵ And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
³⁶ So Gideon said to God, "If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said?
³⁷ look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said."
³⁸ And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.
³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew."
⁴⁰ And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.

Judges chapter 6 niv

¹ The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.
² Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.
³ Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.
⁴ They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.
⁵ They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.
⁶ Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.
⁷ When the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian,
⁸ he sent them a prophet, who said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
⁹ I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land.
¹⁰ I said to you, 'I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.' But you have not listened to me."
¹¹ The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
¹² When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
¹³ "Pardon me, my lord," Gideon replied, "but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian."
¹⁴ The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
¹⁵ "Pardon me, my lord," Gideon replied, "but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
¹⁶ The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive."
¹⁷ Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.
¹⁸ Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."
¹⁹ Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.
²⁰ The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so.
²¹ Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared.
²² When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Alas, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"
²³ But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."
²⁴ So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
²⁵ That same night the LORD said to him, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
²⁶ Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering."
²⁷ So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.
²⁸ In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
²⁹ They asked each other, "Who did this?" When they carefully investigated, they were told, "Gideon son of Joash did it."
³⁰ The people of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."
³¹ But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar."
³² So because Gideon broke down Baal's altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, "Let Baal contend with him."
³³ Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
³⁴ Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.
³⁵ He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.
³⁶ Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised?
³⁷ look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said."
³⁸ And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew?a bowlful of water.
³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew."
⁴⁰ That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Judges chapter 6 esv

¹ The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of Midian seven years.
² And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.
³ For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
⁴ They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey.
⁵ For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come like locusts in number ? both they and their camels could not be counted ? so that they laid waste the land as they came in.
⁶ And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the LORD.
⁷ When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites,
⁸ the LORD sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery.
⁹ And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land.
¹⁰ And I said to you, 'I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.' But you have not obeyed my voice."
¹¹ Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
¹² And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor."
¹³ And Gideon said to him, "Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian."
¹⁴ And the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?"
¹⁵ And he said to him, "Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."
¹⁶ And the LORD said to him, "But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man."
¹⁷ And he said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.
¹⁸ Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you." And he said, "I will stay till you return."
¹⁹ So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them.
²⁰ And the angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them." And he did so.
²¹ Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.
²² Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face."
²³ But the LORD said to him, "Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die."
²⁴ Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it, The LORD Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
²⁵ That night the LORD said to him, "Take your father's bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it
²⁶ and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down."
²⁷ So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.
²⁸ When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built.
²⁹ And they said to one another, "Who has done this thing?" And after they had searched and inquired, they said, "Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing."
³⁰ Then the men of the town said to Joash, "Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it."
³¹ But Joash said to all who stood against him, "Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down."
³² Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, "Let Baal contend against him," because he broke down his altar.
³³ Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel.
³⁴ But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.
³⁵ And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.
³⁶ Then Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,
³⁷ behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said."
³⁸ And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.
³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, "Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew."
⁴⁰ And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Judges chapter 6 nlt

¹ The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.
² The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
³ Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,
⁴ camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys.
⁵ These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.
⁶ So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help.
⁷ When they cried out to the LORD because of Midian,
⁸ the LORD sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt.
⁹ I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land.
¹⁰ I told you, 'I am the LORD your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now live.' But you have not listened to me."
¹¹ Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.
¹² The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, "Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!"
¹³ "Sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, 'The LORD brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites."
¹⁴ Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!"
¹⁵ "But Lord," Gideon replied, "how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!"
¹⁶ The LORD said to him, "I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man."
¹⁷ Gideon replied, "If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the LORD speaking to me.
¹⁸ Don't go away until I come back and bring my offering to you." He answered, "I will stay here until you return."
¹⁹ Gideon hurried home. He cooked a young goat, and with a basket of flour he baked some bread without yeast. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, he brought them out and presented them to the angel, who was under the great tree.
²⁰ The angel of God said to him, "Place the meat and the unleavened bread on this rock, and pour the broth over it." And Gideon did as he was told.
²¹ Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and bread with the tip of the staff in his hand, and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed all he had brought. And the angel of the LORD disappeared.
²² When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he cried out, "Oh, Sovereign LORD, I'm doomed! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"
²³ "It is all right," the LORD replied. "Do not be afraid. You will not die."
²⁴ And Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and named it Yahweh-Shalom (which means "the LORD is peace"). The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.
²⁵ That night the LORD said to Gideon, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father's altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it.
²⁶ Then build an altar to the LORD your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down."
²⁷ So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father's household and the people of the town.
²⁸ Early the next morning, as the people of the town began to stir, someone discovered that the altar of Baal had been broken down and that the Asherah pole beside it had been cut down. In their place a new altar had been built, and on it were the remains of the bull that had been sacrificed.
²⁹ The people said to each other, "Who did this?" And after asking around and making a careful search, they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash.
³⁰ "Bring out your son," the men of the town demanded of Joash. "He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole."
³¹ But Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him, "Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar!"
³² From then on Gideon was called Jerub-baal, which means "Let Baal defend himself," because he broke down Baal's altar.
³³ Soon afterward the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan, camping in the valley of Jezreel.
³⁴ Then the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon with power. He blew a ram's horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him.
³⁵ He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, summoning their warriors, and all of them responded.
³⁶ Then Gideon said to God, "If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised,
³⁷ prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised."
³⁸ And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.
³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, "Please don't be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew."
⁴⁰ So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.