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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=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Judges 6 ISV</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" /></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="../">ISV</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">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/judges/6.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Gideon, Israel’s Fifth Judge</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Later on, the Israelis practiced what the LORD considered to be evil, so the LORD handed them over to the domination of Midian for seven years. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Midian’s control predominated throughout Israel, and because of Midian the Israelis went out to find temporary hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and fortified places.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Whenever the Israelis sowed their crops,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:3 The Heb. lacks their crops">a</a></span> the Midianites, the Amalekites, and certain groups<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:3 Lit. and sons">b</a></span> from the east would come up and invade them. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>They set up their military encampments to fight them, destroyed the harvest of the land as far as Gaza, and left nothing in Israel, whether harvested grain, sheep, oxen, or donkeys. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>They would invade with their livestock and tents, swooping in as numerous as locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels—and they came into the land to destroy it. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Because Israel was deeply impoverished due to the Midianites, they<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:6 Lit. Midianites, the Israelis">c</a></span> cried out to the LORD.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>When the Israelis cried out to him about Midian, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>the LORD sent a man who was a prophet to the Israelis and told them, “This is what the LORD God of Israel says: ‘I was the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, delivering you from the house of servitude. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>I delivered you from the domination of Egypt and from the domination of all of your oppressors, expelling them right in front of you and giving their land to you. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>I told you, “I am the LORD your God. You are not to fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you’ll be living.”’ But you haven’t obeyed what I said.”</p> <p class="heading">Gideon is Visited by the Angel of the LORD</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>After this, the angel of the LORD arrived and sat down in the shade of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:11 The Heb. lacks the shade of">d</a></span> the oak tree in Ophrah that belonged to Joash, a descendant of Abiezer, while his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine press in order to safeguard it<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:11 The Heb. lacks it">e</a></span> from the Midianites. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>The angel of the LORD appeared to him and told him, “The LORD is with you, you valiant warrior!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>But Gideon replied, “Right… Sir, if the LORD is with us, then why has all of this happened to us? And where are all of his miraculous works that our ancestors recounted to us when they said, ‘The LORD brought us up from Egypt, didn’t he?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us over to Midian!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>The LORD looked straight at him and replied, “Go with this determination<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:14 Or strength">f</a></span> of yours and deliver Israel from Midian’s domination. I’ve directed<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:14 Or sent">g</a></span> you, haven’t I?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>“Right…,” Gideon<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:15 Lit. he">h</a></span> responded. “Sir, how will I deliver Israel? Look—my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I’m the youngest in my father’s household.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>The LORD told him, “Because I’ll be with you, and you’ll defeat Midian—every single one of them!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>So Gideon asked him, “Please, if I have received favor from you, then do a miracle for me that shows that you’re making this<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:17 The Heb. lacks this">i</a></span> promise to me. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>And please don’t leave here until I’ve come back to you, brought my offering, and set it down in front of you.”</p> <p class="reg">The LORD<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:18 Lit. So he">j</a></span> replied, “I’ll stay until you return.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Then Gideon went and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and poured the broth into a pot, and brought them to the angel<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:19 Lit. to him">k</a></span> right under the oak tree. Then he made his offering. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>The angel, who was God,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:20 Or angel of God">l</a></span> replied, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this boulder. Then pour out the broth.” So he did that. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>The angel of the LORD extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and unleavened bread. Fire broke out from inside the boulder, consuming the meat and unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished in front of him.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:21 Lit. LORD left his eyes">m</a></span> </p> <p class="heading">God Reassures Gideon</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>When Gideon realized that he had seen the angel of the LORD himself, he cried out, “Oh no! Lord GOD! I’ve been looking right at the angel of the LORD—and face-to-face at that!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>“Calm down!<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:23 Lit. Peace to you!">n</a></span> Don’t be afraid.” the LORD replied. “You’re not going to die!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>So Gideon built an altar right there to the LORD and called it “The LORD is peace.” (To this very day it still stands in Ophrah, which belongs to the descendants of Abiezer.)</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Later that very night, the LORD told Gideon,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:25 Lit. him">o</a></span> “Take the bull that belongs to your father, along with a second bull that’s seven years old. Then tear down the altar to Baal<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:25 i.e. the supreme male deity of the Canaanites">p</a></span> that your father owns, cut down the Asherah<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:25 i.e. a carved wooden pillar dedicated to various female deities of the Canaanites, and so throughout the book">q</a></span> that’s beside it, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this stronghold in an orderly manner. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering using the wood from the Asherah that you’ll be cutting down.”</p> <p class="heading">Gideon Destroys His Father’s Altar</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>So Gideon went with ten men who were his servants and did just what the LORD had told him to do, though he did it at night because he was too afraid of his father’s family and the leading<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:27 The Heb. lacks leading">r</a></span> men of the city to do it during the day. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>When the leading<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:28 The Heb. lacks leading">s</a></span> men of the city got up early the next morning, the altar to Baal had been torn down, along with the Asherah that had stood beside it, and the second bull had been offered on the altar that had been erected.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>They asked each other, “Who did this thing?” When they looked into it and asked around, they concluded, “Joash’s son Gideon did it.”<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:29 Lit. did this thing">t</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>So the leading<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:30 The Heb. lacks leading">u</a></span> men of the city ordered Joash, “Bring us that son of yours. He’s going to die, because he tore down the altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah that stood beside it!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>But Joash responded to everyone who was opposing him, “Do you really intend to fight on Baal’s behalf? Do you really intend to rescue him by ordering<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:31 The Heb. lacks by ordering">v</a></span> that whoever fights him will be executed by morning? If Baal<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:31 Lit. he">w</a></span> is a god, let him fight for himself. After all, it was his altar that was torn down.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>So that very day he named Gideon<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:32 Lit. him">x</a></span> Jerubbaal, that is, “Let Baal fight,” since he had torn down his altar.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and certain groups<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:33 Lit. and sons">y</a></span> from the east gathered together, crossed the Jordan River, and set up camp in the Jezreel Valley. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>So the Spirit of the LORD took control of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:34 Lit. LORD clothed himself with">z</a></span> Gideon, who blew a trumpet, mustering the descendants of Abiezer to follow him into battle.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:34 The Heb. lacks into battle">aa</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>He sent messengers to the entire tribe of Manasseh, calling them to follow him, and he also sent word to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, calling them to meet him.</p> <p class="heading">Gideon Asks for a Sign from God</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Then Gideon told God, “If you intend to deliver Israel by my efforts<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:36 Lit. hand">bb</a></span> as you’ve said, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>then take a look at this wool fleece that I’m placing on the threshing floor. If dew appears only on the fleece—and it’s dry on the ground all around it—then I’ll know that you’ll deliver Israel by my efforts<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:37 Lit. hand">cc</a></span> like you’ve said.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>And that is what happened:<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:38 Lit. And so it was">dd</a></span> When he got up early the next morning, he wrung out the fleece to drain the dew from it and extracted<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="6:38 The Heb. lacks and extracted">ee</a></span> a bowl full of water.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>Then Gideon told God, “Don’t let yourself be angry with me! I want to ask you once again: please let me make a test with the fleece just once more. Cause it to be dry only on the fleece, but let there be dew all around on the ground.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/6-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>And God did it just like that later that night. It was dry only on the fleece, but dew was all around on the ground.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 6:3 The Heb. lacks <i>their crops</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 6:3 Lit. <i>and sons</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 6:6 Lit. <i>Midianites, the Israelis</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 6:11 The Heb. lacks <i>the shade of</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 6:11 The Heb. lacks <i>it</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 6:14 Or <i>strength</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 6:14 Or <i>sent</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 6:15 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 6:17 The Heb. lacks <i>this</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 6:18 Lit. <i>So he</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 6:19 Lit. <i>to him</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 6:20 Or <i>angel of God</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 6:21 Lit. LORD<i> left his eyes</i><br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 6:23 Lit. <i>Peace to you!</i><br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 6:25 Lit. <i>him</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 6:25 i.e. the supreme male deity of the Canaanites<br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 6:25 i.e. a carved wooden pillar dedicated to various female deities of the Canaanites, and so throughout the book<br /><span class="fnb">r</span> 6:27 The Heb. lacks <i>leading</i><br /><span class="fnb">s</span> 6:28 The Heb. lacks <i>leading</i><br /><span class="fnb">t</span> 6:29 Lit. <i>did this thing</i><br /><span class="fnb">u</span> 6:30 The Heb. lacks <i>leading</i><br /><span class="fnb">v</span> 6:31 The Heb. lacks <i>by ordering</i><br /><span class="fnb">w</span> 6:31 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">x</span> 6:32 Lit. <i>him</i><br /><span class="fnb">y</span> 6:33 Lit. <i>and sons</i><br /><span class="fnb">z</span> 6:34 Lit. LORD<i> clothed himself with</i><br /><span class="fnb">aa</span> 6:34 The Heb. lacks <i>into battle</i><br /><span class="fnb">bb</span> 6:36 Lit. <i>hand</i><br /><span class="fnb">cc</span> 6:37 Lit. <i>hand</i><br /><span class="fnb">dd</span> 6:38 Lit. <i>And so it was</i><br /><span class="fnb">ee</span> 6:38 The Heb. lacks <i>and extracted</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../judges/5.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Judges 5"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Judges 5" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../judges/7.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Judges 7"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Judges 7" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/judges/6-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>