Judges 6:11-18
Gideon Meets Some Visitors
11 The Lord’s angelic messenger ▼▼ The adjective “angelic” is interpretive.
▼ came and sat down under the oak tree in Ophrah owned by Joash the Abiezrite. He arrived while Joash’s son Gideon ▼▼Heb “Now Gideon his son…” The Hebrew circumstantial clause (note the pattern vav [ו] + subject + predicate) breaks the narrative sequence and indicates that the angel’s arrival coincided with Gideon’s threshing.
was threshing ▼▼Heb “beating out.”
wheat in a winepress ▼▼ Threshing wheat in a winepress. One would normally thresh wheat at the threshing floor outside the city. Animals and a threshing sledge would be employed. Because of the Midianite threat, Gideon was forced to thresh with a stick in a winepress inside the city. For further discussion see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 63.
so he could hide it from the Midianites. ▼▼Heb “Midian.”
12The Lord’s messenger appeared and said to him, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!” 13Gideon said to him, “Pardon me, ▼▼Heb “But my lord.”
but if the Lord is with us, why has such disaster ▼▼Heb “all this.”
overtaken us? Where are all his miraculous deeds our ancestors told us about? They said, ▼▼Heb “saying.”
‘Did the Lord not bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” 14Then the Lord himself ▼ turned to him and said, “You have the strength. ▼▼Heb “Go in this strength of yours.”
Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites! ▼▼Heb “the hand of Midian.”
Have I not sent you?” 15Gideon ▼▼Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
said to him, “But Lord, ▼ how ▼▼Heb “with what.”
can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.” ▼▼Heb “in my father’s house.”
16The Lord said to him, “Ah, but ▼▼ Or “certainly.”
I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.” ▼ 17Gideon ▼▼Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
said to him, “If you really are pleased with me, ▼▼Heb “If I have found favor in your eyes.”
then give me ▼▼Heb “perform for me.”
a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me. 18Do not leave this place until I come back ▼▼ The Hebrew text adds “to you,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
with a gift ▼▼Heb “and I will bring out my gift.” The precise nuance of the Hebrew word מִנְחָה (minkhah, “gift”) is uncertain in this context. It may refer to a gift offered as a sign of goodwill or submission. In some cases it is used of a gift offered to appease someone whom the offerer has offended. The word can also carry a sacrificial connotation.
and present it to you.” The Lord said, “I will stay here until you come back.”
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