Judges 6:22 kjv
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.
Judges 6:22 nkjv
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."
Judges 6:22 niv
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!"
Judges 6:22 esv
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."
Judges 6:22 nlt
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!"
Judges 6 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 32:30 | So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered." | Jacob saw God & lived |
| Ex 33:20 | But he said, "You cannot see my face, for no man shall see me and live." | God states humans cannot see His face and live |
| Deut 5:24 | ...saying, "Indeed the Lord our God has shown us his glory and his greatness... now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us." | Israel's fear of death from God's presence |
| Isa 6:5 | Then I said, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips... for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" | Isaiah's terror upon seeing the Lord |
| Job 42:5 | I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; | From rumor to direct, personal knowledge |
| Judg 13:21 | The Angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife... Manoah knew that he was the Angel of the Lord. | Similar realization by Samson's parents |
| Judg 13:22 | And Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, for we have seen God!" | Similar fear of death after divine encounter |
| Lk 1:11-12 | And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord... And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. | Fear during an angelic visitation |
| Dan 10:7-9 | Only I, Daniel, saw the vision... For no strength was left in me... | Fear & weakness in face of divine messenger |
| Rev 1:17 | When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead... "Fear not, I am the first and the last..." | John's reaction to glorious Christ & reassurance |
| Ex 3:2-6 | The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame... Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. | Moses' fear at the burning bush |
| Gen 18:1-2,10 | The Lord appeared to him... he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing... Then the Lord said, "I will surely return to you..." | Lord's pre-incarnate appearance as a 'man' |
| Acts 7:30 | "Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness..." | Stephen's summary of the Angel of the Lord appearing to Moses |
| Heb 1:14 | Are not angels all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? | Angels as God's messengers |
| Jer 1:4-9 | Now the word of the Lord came to me... the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. | Prophetic call involving divine encounter |
| Eze 1:28 | ...Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face... | Ezekiel's profound reverence and fear |
| Gen 16:7-13 | The angel of the Lord found her... Hagar called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "You are a God of seeing"... | Angel of the Lord interacting as YHWH |
| Mal 3:1 | "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple..." | Reference to a "messenger" often seen as related to Christ |
| Jn 1:18 | No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. | Jesus as the ultimate revealer, where physical sight isn't needed |
| 1 Tim 6:16 | who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. | God's absolute transcendence and unapproachable nature |
| Col 1:15 | He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. | Jesus as the visible representation of invisible God |
| Phil 2:6 | Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, | Christ's pre-existence and divine nature |
Judges 6 verses
Judges 6 22 Meaning
Judges 6:22 describes the pivotal moment when Gideon realizes that the mysterious visitor he has been interacting with is, in fact, the Angel of the Lord. His immediate reaction is one of profound fear and despair, as he laments having seen this divine messenger "face to face," a situation he believes will lead to his death, consistent with the prevailing understanding that no human could see God and live.
Judges 6 22 Context
Chapter Context: Judges chapter 6 details God's raising of Gideon as a deliverer for Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. Gideon is initially presented as a fearful, doubting, and somewhat cynical man, who questions God's presence and power given Israel's suffering. The chapter begins with the "Angel of the Lord" appearing to Gideon as he is secretly threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites. The Angel calls Gideon a "mighty man of valor" and commissions him to save Israel. Gideon, still doubtful, requests a sign, presenting an offering of meat and unleavened bread. It is when the Angel of the Lord touches the offering with his staff, causing fire to consume it from the rock, and then disappears, that Gideon's perception shifts dramatically, leading to the utterance in verse 22.
Historical/Cultural Context: During the period of the Judges, Israel had repeatedly fallen into idolatry, leading to cycles of oppression by surrounding nations, followed by their cries to the Lord for deliverance. The belief that directly encountering the divine could result in death was prevalent and rooted in biblical understanding (e.g., Ex 33:20). Such fear was not merely superstition but stemmed from an awareness of God's immense holiness and power contrasted with humanity's sinfulness and fragility. Encounters with angels or the Angel of the Lord often induced a strong sense of awe and dread in biblical figures. The Midianite oppression was severe, involving widespread pillaging, which explains Gideon's clandestine actions and his initial despair about Israel's situation.
Judges 6 22 Word analysis
- Then Gideon perceived (וַיַּרְא גִּדְעוֹן - va'yar Gideon): The Hebrew word ra'ah (רָאָה) typically means "to see" with one's eyes, but here it encompasses a deeper understanding or recognition, implying an internal realization or insight rather than mere visual observation. It signifies the moment Gideon's mental faculties grasp the true identity of his visitor after a profound demonstration of power.
- that he was the angel of the Lord (כִּי מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה הוּא - ki mal'akh YHWH hu):
- mal'akh (מַלְאַךְ): This Hebrew term means "messenger" and can refer to a human envoy or a celestial being. Here, it denotes a divine messenger.
- YHWH (יְהוָה): The sacred, personal, covenantal name of God. The phrase "Angel of the Lord" often represents a direct manifestation of God Himself (a theophany or Christophany – a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ), not merely a created angel. The actions and speech of the Angel of the Lord throughout Scripture frequently demonstrate divine authority, as seen in His self-identification (v.14) and His consuming the sacrifice (v.21).
- He: The pronoun refers to the being Gideon has been conversing with. His true identity is now unveiled.
- and Gideon said (וַיֹּאמֶר גִּדְעוֹן - va'yo'mer Gideon): Indicates an immediate vocal reaction, expressing his terror.
- Alas (אָהָּה - 'Ahah): An exclamation of distress, pain, or dread. It's an expression of "woe" or "Oh no!" signifying profound anxiety and the belief that impending doom is at hand.
- O Lord God (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה - Adonai YHWH):
- Adonai (אֲדֹנָי): Meaning "my Lord" or "my Master," it is a respectful title for God. When read, pious Jews would often substitute this for YHWH, out of reverence.
- YHWH (יְהוִה): The divine personal name is used again, emphasizing that Gideon is addressing God directly, understanding that he has encountered the Supreme Being. The combination underscores his overwhelming realization of God's presence.
- For I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face (כִּי רָאִיתִי מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים - ki ra'iti mal'akh YHWH panim el panim):
- ra'iti: The perfect tense of ra'ah, "I have seen," conveying a completed action with lasting effect.
- panim el panim (פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים): Literally "faces to faces," a common Hebrew idiom meaning "face to face" – a direct, personal, unmediated encounter. In the biblical mindset, such an encounter with God's manifest presence was often associated with death (e.g., Ex 33:20; Judg 13:22). Gideon’s exclamation is a genuine expression of a cultural and theological understanding that viewing the unshielded divine presence leads to one's demise.
Judges 6 22 Bonus section
- The identity of the "Angel of the Lord" in the Old Testament is a subject of significant theological discussion among Christian scholars. Many interpret this figure as a Christophany—a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. This understanding is supported by the fact that the Angel of the Lord frequently accepts worship, speaks with divine authority (e.g., "I will surely return," "I am the God of Bethel"), and is often equated directly with YHWH (God) in the biblical text. If so, Gideon's face-to-face encounter would be with the pre-incarnate Christ.
- Gideon's response aligns with the experiences of other biblical figures who encountered God's direct presence, such as Jacob (Gen 32:30), Moses (Ex 33:20), Isaiah (Isa 6:5), and Manoah (Judg 13:22), all of whom expressed similar fear or recognized the peril of such a profound encounter. However, like Jacob, Gideon is spared death by God's grace, indicating that God’s purpose was not destruction but commissioning.
- This verse highlights the human inability to withstand God’s unmediated presence, underscoring the need for a mediator or God's gracious veil. It sets the theological foundation for the role of Jesus Christ, who perfectly reveals God to humanity without overwhelming it (Jn 1:18, Col 1:15).
Judges 6 22 Commentary
Judges 6:22 marks a profound turning point in Gideon’s encounter with God. Having initially demanded proof and even showing a measure of skepticism towards the divine messenger, Gideon is now struck by an undeniable manifestation of God's presence. The instantaneous consumption of the offering by fire from the rock, followed by the Angel's disappearance, leaves no room for doubt about His identity. Gideon's fear, expressed by the exclamation "Alas!" and his declaration of having seen the "Angel of the Lord face to face," is not a sign of weakness but a deeply ingrained cultural and theological conviction. The Israelites understood that direct visual contact with God’s holiness could be fatal due to their own sinfulness and God’s pure essence. This dramatic reaction shifts Gideon from a state of questioning to one of reverence and dread. His fear underscores the immense gap between human frailty and divine majesty. However, this moment of terror sets the stage for God's gracious reassurance in the next verse, initiating Gideon's true empowerment.