God’s Word Translation
Judges 6:37
37I’ll place some wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the wool while all the ground is dry, then I’ll know that you will rescue Israel through me, as you said.”
Judges 6:37 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.”
Context of Judges 6:37
35He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh to summon the people to follow him. The tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali were also summoned to follow him, and they went to meet the enemy in battle. 36Then Gideon said to God, “You said that you would rescue Israel through me. I’ll place some wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the wool while all the ground is dry, then I’ll know that you will rescue Israel through me, as you said.” 38And that is what happened. The next morning Gideon got up early. He squeezed out a bowl full of water from the wool. 39Then Gideon said to God, “Don’t be angry with me. But let me ask one more thing. Let me make one more test with the wool. Let the wool be dry while all the ground is covered with dew.”
Read all of Judges 6Judges 6:37 word by word
הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִ֗י מַצִּ֛יג אֶת־גִּזַּ֥ת הַצֶּ֖מֶר בַּגֹּ֑רֶן אִ֡ם טַל֩ יִהְיֶ֨ה עַֽל־הַגִּזָּ֜ה לְבַדָּ֗הּ וְעַל־כָּל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ חֹ֔רֶב וְיָדַעְתִּ֗י כִּֽי־תוֹשִׁ֧יעַ בְּיָדִ֛י אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Behold, I will putיָצַגyâtsag · to setH3322
- a fleeceגִּזָּהgâzzah · fleeceH1492
- of woolצֶ֫מֶרtsemer · woolH6785
- in the floorגֹּ֫רֶןgôren · threshing floorH1637
- if the dewטַלţal · dewH2919
- dryחֹ֫רֶבchôreb · droughtH2721
- upon all the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- then shall I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- that thou wilt saveיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- by mine handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- as thou hast saidדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
Cross-references for Judges 6:37
- Deuteronomy 32:2Let my teachings come down like raindrops. Let my words drip like dew, like gentle rain on grass, like showers on green plants.
- Psalms 72:6May he be like rain that falls on ⌞freshly⌟ cut grass, like showers that water the land.
- Hosea 6:3Let’s learn about the Lord. Let’s get to know the Lord. He will come to us as sure as the morning comes. He will come to us like the autumn rains and the spring rains that water the ground.
- Hosea 14:5I will be like dew to the people of Israel. They will blossom like flowers. They will be firmly rooted like cedars from Lebanon.
- Psalms 147:19He speaks his word to Jacob, his laws and judicial decisions to Israel.
- Matthew 10:5Jesus sent these twelve out with the following instructions: “Don’t go among people who are not Jewish or into any Samaritan city.
- Matthew 15:24Jesus responded, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
Commentaries on Judges 6:37
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37The threshing floors were and still are under the open air, and usually circular. The second sign Judges 6:40, would be more convincing than the former, because it is the nature of fleeces to attract and retain moisture.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 33-40Verses 33-40 These signs are truly miraculous, and very significant. Gideon and his men were going to fight the Midianites; could God distinguish between a small fleece of Israel, and the vast floor of Midian? Gideon is made to know that God could do so. Is Gideon desirous that the dew of Divine grace might come down upon himself in particular? He sees the fleece wet with dew to assure him of it. Does he desire that God will be as the dew to all Israel?…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-40The fleece incident did not confirm God's plan to use Gideon, as that was already clear Judges 6:17–24. Instead, it showed God's patience with Gideon's doubts.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33-3933. all the Midianites ... pitched in Jezreel--The confederated troops of Midian, Amalek, and their neighbors, crossing the Jordan to make a fresh inroad on Canaan, encamped in the plains of Esdraelon (anciently Jezreel). The southern part of the Ghor lies in a very low level, so that there is a steep and difficult descent into Canaan by the southern wadies. Keeping this in view, we see the reason why the Midianite army, from the east of Jordan, entered…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 6:37
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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