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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Judges 6 NET Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/judges/6.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/judges/6-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NET Bible</a> > Judges 6</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../judges/5.htm" title="Judges 5">◄</a> Judges 6 <a href="../judges/7.htm" title="Judges 7">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">NET Bible</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/net/esv/judges/6.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="title">Oppression and Confrontation</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>The Israelites did evil in the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>’s sight, so the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> turned them over to Midian for seven years. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>The Midianites overwhelmed Israel. Because of Midian the Israelites made shelters for themselves in the hills, as well as caves and strongholds. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east would attack them. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>They invaded the land and devoured its crops all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat, and they took away the sheep, oxen, and donkeys. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>When they invaded with their cattle and tents, they were as thick as locusts. Neither they nor their camels could be counted. They came to devour the land. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Israel was so severely weakened by Midian that the Israelites cried out to the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> for help.</p> <p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>When the Israelites cried out to the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> for help because of Midian, <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>he sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said to them, “This is what the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> God of Israel says: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and took you out of that place of slavery. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>I rescued you from Egypt’s power and from the power of all who oppressed you. I drove them out before you and gave their land to you. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>I said to you, “I am the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> your God! Do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living!” But you have disobeyed me.’”</p> <p class="title">Gideon Meets Some Visitors</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>’s angelic messenger came and sat down under the oak tree in Ophrah owned by Joash the Abiezrite. He arrived while Joash’s son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress so he could hide it from the Midianites. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>’s messenger appeared and said to him, “The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> is with you, courageous warrior!” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Gideon said to him, “Pardon me, but if the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> is with us, why has such disaster overtaken us? Where are all his miraculous deeds our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Did the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> not bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Then the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> himself turned to him and said, “You have the strength. Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites! Have I not sent you?” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Gideon said to him, “But Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> said to him, “Ah, but I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Gideon said to him, “If you really are pleased with me, then give me a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Do not leave this place until I come back with a gift and present it to you.” The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> said, “I will stay here until you come back.”</p> <p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Gideon went and prepared a young goat, along with unleavened bread made from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He brought the food to him under the oak tree and presented it to him. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>God’s messenger said to him, “Put the meat and unleavened bread on this rock, and pour out the broth.” Gideon did as instructed. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>’s messenger touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of his staff. Fire flared up from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened bread. The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>’s messenger then disappeared.</p> <p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>When Gideon realized that it was the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>’s messenger, he said, “Oh no! Master, <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>! I have seen the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>’s messenger face to face!” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> said to him, “You are safe! Do not be afraid! You are not going to die!” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Gideon built an altar for the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> there, and named it “The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> is on friendly terms with me.” To this day it is still there in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.</p> <p class="title">Gideon Destroys the Altar</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>That night the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> said to him, “Take the bull from your father’s herd, as well as a second bull, one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Then build an altar for the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> your God on the top of this stronghold according to the proper pattern. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt sacrifice on the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>So Gideon took ten of his servants and did just as the <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> had told him. He was too afraid of his father’s family and the men of the city to do it in broad daylight, so he waited until nighttime.</p> <p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>When the men of the city got up the next morning, they saw the Baal altar pulled down, the nearby Asherah pole cut down, and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>They said to one another, “Who did this?” They investigated the matter thoroughly and concluded that Gideon son of Joash had done it. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>The men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, so we can execute him! He pulled down the Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>But Joash said to all those who confronted him, “Must you fight Baal’s battles? Must you rescue him? Whoever takes up his cause will die by morning! If he really is a god, let him fight his own battles! After all, it was his altar that was pulled down.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>That very day Gideon’s father named him Jerub-Baal, because he had said, “Let Baal fight with him, for it was his altar that was pulled down.”</p> <p class="title">Gideon Summons an Army and Seeks Confirmation</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east assembled. They crossed the Jordan River and camped in the Jezreel Valley. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span>’s spirit took control of Gideon. He blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>He sent messengers throughout Manasseh and summoned them to follow him as well. He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet him.</p> <p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Gideon said to God, “If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel, as you promised, then give me a sign as proof. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>Look, I am putting a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and the ground around it is dry, then I will be sure that you will use me to deliver Israel, as you promised.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>The <span class="smallcaps">Lord</span> did as he asked. When he got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece, and enough dew dripped from it to fill a bowl. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>Gideon said to God, “Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make only the fleece dry, while the ground around it is covered with dew.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/6-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>That night God did as he asked. Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.</p></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><a href="http://netbible.com/">NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com.<br />Used by permission. 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