The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, leading to seven years of severe oppression by the Midianites, who destroyed their sustenance. When Israel cried unto the LORD, an Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, commissioning him to deliver Israel despite his initial doubts. Gideon then destroyed his father's altar to Baal and the associated grove, and subsequently sought two miraculous signs involving a fleece to confirm God's will.
The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.
For they came up with their livestock and their tents; they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number: and they came into the land to destroy it.
the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel; and he said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage;
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 from before you, and gave you their land;
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 listened to my voice.’”
the LORD’s angel came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained to Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites.
Gideon said to him, “Oh, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Didn’t the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
Gideon went in, and prepared a young goat, and unleavened cakes of an efah of meal. He put the meat in a basket and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.
Then the LORD’s angel stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and fire went up out of the rock, and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes; and the LORD’s angel departed out of his sight.
That same night, the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s bull, even the second bull seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it;
and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold, in an orderly way, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.”
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had spoken to him. Because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, he could not do it by day, but he did it by night.
When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bull was offered on the altar that was built.
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.”
Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar.”
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
behold, I will 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 shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken.”
Gideon said to God, “Don’t let your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Please let me make a trial just this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.”
God did so that night: for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
Study Notes for Judges 6
Verse 1
This verse initiates the fourth major cycle of sin and judgment in the book of Judges. The seven years of oppression (the longest recorded period of servitude so far) indicates the severity of Israel’s apostasy.
Verse 2
The Israelites were driven out of their homes and forced to live in natural and man-made strongholds in the mountains. This paints a picture of extreme degradation and fear, typical of a subjugated people.
Verse 4
The Midianites acted as seasonal raiders, timing their invasions to destroy the harvest and livestock, thereby crippling Israelite society economically and ensuring dependency.
Verse 6
Impoverishment finally drives Israel to repentance. The cycle of the judges always begins with the people 'crying out' (Hebrew: *za'aq*) to the Lord for rescue.
Verse 8
Before delivering a savior (judge), the Lord sends a prophet to address the root cause: spiritual failure. The prophet reminds them of God’s history of redemption (Exodus) and their covenant obligations.
Verse 10
The core sin was syncretism—worshiping the local Canaanite deities (the gods of the Amorites, specifically Baal) alongside Yahweh, a direct violation of the first commandment.
Verse 11
Gideon is introduced threshing wheat secretly in a winepress (a sunken stone vat), a location completely unsuitable for the task, illustrating his fear of the Midianite raiders.
Verse 12
The 'Angel of the LORD' (*mal'akh Yahweh*) is often interpreted as a Christophany (a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ). The greeting, 'mighty man of valour,' is ironic given Gideon’s hidden activity.
Verse 13
Gideon’s response reflects the theological crisis of the era: if God is sovereign, why has He abandoned His people? He focuses on God’s past miracles versus their present suffering.
Verse 14
The Lord commissions Gideon not based on Gideon’s military prowess or status, but purely on divine appointment: “Have not I sent thee?”
Verse 15
Gideon expresses profound insecurity, claiming the weakest position within his clan and tribe. This pattern of God choosing the marginalized highlights that salvation comes through divine power, not human strength.
Verse 21
The fire consuming the offering demonstrates the divine acceptance of the sacrifice and confirms the identity of the messenger, paralleling the acceptance of priestly offerings (Lev. 9:24).
Verse 22
The ancient belief was that seeing God or His angel face-to-face resulted in death (cf. Exod. 33:20). Gideon’s fear is rooted in traditional reverence.
Verse 24
Gideon names the altar *Jehovah-shalom* ('The LORD is Peace'). This signifies that true peace (*shalom*) is found in the presence of God, who overcomes human fear and threat of death.
Verse 25
Gideon’s first act of deliverance is spiritual: destroying the altar of the fertility god Baal in his own family. The seven-year-old bullock may symbolize the seven years of Midianite oppression.
Verse 27
Gideon’s fear of his own community shows that the spiritual battle against idolatry was deeply personal and dangerous, requiring him to operate under the cover of night.
Verse 31
Joash, Gideon’s father, defends his son by challenging the power of Baal. He argues that if Baal is a true god, he must be able to defend his own altar, marking a powerful shift away from idolatry.
Verse 32
Gideon is given the nickname *Jerubbaal*, meaning 'Let Baal contend/strive.' This name serves as a permanent memorial of his confrontation with the local deity.
Verse 33
The enemy forces gather in the Jezreel Valley, the traditional battlefield of Israel, setting the stage for the upcoming confrontation.
Verse 34
The statement 'the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon' is key to the Judges narrative, indicating divine empowerment that transforms the fearful farmer into a charismatic military leader.
Verse 36
Despite the angelic commission (v. 14) and the empowerment of the Spirit (v. 34), Gideon still seeks tangible, physical reassurance, revealing his persistent insecurity.
Verse 37
The sign of the fleece is a test of God's faithfulness, using an unnatural meteorological event. Gideon asks for the impossible, demonstrating his weak faith but sincere desire for confirmation.
Verse 39
Gideon requests the test be reversed (dry fleece, wet ground), eliminating the possibility of coincidence or natural explanation. God graciously complies, demonstrating patience with Gideon's doubt.
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