Judges Chapter 6
The Call of Gideon
A. Apostasy, Servitude, and Supplication
Judges 6:1
“Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years.”
The chapter opens with another repetition of the dismal cycle that defines the Book of Judges: apostasy leads to servitude, and that servitude eventually leads to supplication. Following the forty years of rest described at the end of Judges chapter 5, Israel again turns away from the Lord. Their spiritual complacency and moral compromise lead them into the familiar pattern of rebellion and idolatry. This time, the consequence of their rebellion is subjugation under the oppressive hand of Midian.
The phrase “did evil in the sight of the LORD” reveals that their sin was open rebellion before God, not merely personal failings. It was a national turning away from God’s commandments and covenant faithfulness. In response, the Lord “delivered them into the hand of Midian,” not as an act of cruelty, but as a necessary measure of discipline. This handing over was the Lord’s sovereign judgment, and yet it was also an act of mercy, because it was designed to bring Israel to repentance. The Lord’s intent was not to destroy Israel, but to draw them back to Himself through hardship.
The Midianites were nomadic desert raiders, descendants of Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:1-4), who had become bitter enemies of Israel. They did not seek to conquer the land in the traditional sense, but instead conducted devastating seasonal raids, stripping the Israelites of their food and resources (as described in verses that follow). Their oppression was not only a political or military problem, but also an economic and psychological one, leading to widespread poverty, fear, and hopelessness.
Seven years of Midianite domination would have felt like an eternity to a people who had previously experienced God’s deliverance. The number seven also carries the symbolic weight of completeness in Scripture, suggesting the fullness of Israel’s chastisement under God's judgment.
This verse highlights an essential truth in the theology of the Old Testament: God governs history according to His covenant purposes. When His people walk in obedience, they experience His blessing and protection. When they abandon Him for idols, He withdraws His hand of favor and permits affliction—not to annihilate them, but to awaken them. The oppression under Midian was not abandonment by God, but a calculated chastening, purposed to bring about repentance and restoration.
Thus, even in His discipline, God reveals His covenantal faithfulness. The stage is now set for God to raise up a deliverer, and in doing so, to display His power through unexpected means. Gideon’s call, which follows in the narrative, is not just the beginning of a military campaign, but the unfolding of God's gracious intervention in response to a humbled and oppressed people.
Judges 6:2–6
The Details of Israel’s Bondage to Midian
“And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains. So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.”
The narrative now shifts from a general statement of servitude to a vivid depiction of Israel’s suffering under Midianite oppression. The bondage was not only military but economic, psychological, and deeply humiliating. It stripped the nation of both dignity and sustenance.
The hand of Midian prevailed over Israel with such dominance that the Israelites were forced to abandon their homes and resort to hiding in dens, caves, and mountain strongholds. This is a far cry from the glory days of Joshua’s conquest, where Israel possessed fortified cities and lived in houses they had not built, enjoying the fruit of vineyards they had not planted (Deuteronomy 6:10–11). Now, because of their disobedience, they lived as fugitives in their own land. The Lord used this humiliation to strip them of pride and self-sufficiency. Before revival comes, God often permits affliction to soften the hearts of His people.
The Midianites, along with their allies the Amalekites and other eastern nomadic tribes, strategically waited until the Israelites had sown their fields and brought crops near to harvest. Then, they would swarm into the land and strip it bare. They did not merely take food—they destroyed it, leaving behind nothing. They showed no regard for the labor of Israel, nor any interest in establishing dominion. Their intent was to plunder and ruin, not to govern. The scale of their raids is emphasized with the statement that they came “as numerous as locusts,” an image of overwhelming and consuming destruction. Their camels, well-suited for desert travel and speed, made them mobile and difficult to resist. Camels were the military advantage of their day, giving the Midianites the upper hand in rapid raids, making them a terrifying and effective force.
This entire operation had a devastating effect: “Israel was greatly impoverished.” The Hebrew verb conveys the idea of being brought very low. This was not just economic poverty but also a moral and spiritual collapse. All the work of the Israelites ended in futility, for their harvest was constantly devoured. This is a consistent result of sin: it makes labor fruitless and leaves men with empty hands and broken spirits.
Only after this long season of desolation did the people cry out to the LORD. Tragically, their prayer was not their first response but their last resort. This reflects the spiritual decline of the people, for they waited until every earthly hope was exhausted before turning to the One who could actually help. Yet, even this delayed cry was met with divine mercy. God is not deaf to the desperate prayer of a chastened people. Though He is just in judgment, He is rich in mercy and ready to redeem.
The text powerfully illustrates the spiritual law that when a people reject God, He may withdraw His protective hand, not out of cruelty, but to bring them to a place of repentance. In this case, it took seven years of oppression before the people were sufficiently broken to look heavenward. The affliction prepared the soil for God to raise up a deliverer in Gideon.
Judges 6:7–10
God Sends a Prophet in Response to Israel’s Cry
“And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites, that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, ‘Thus says the LORD 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 before you and gave you their land. Also I said to you, ‘I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed My voice.”’”
In this passage, the Lord begins His response to Israel’s desperate cry. But before raising up Gideon as a deliverer, God sends an unnamed prophet to speak His word to the people. This is a vital moment, because it demonstrates that God's first response to Israel's prayer is not deliverance, but correction. They needed to be reminded of the covenant and confronted with their disobedience.
The people of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, but God discerned that their cry came not from a broken spirit over sin, but from frustration and pain over their suffering. They wanted relief, not necessarily righteousness. So rather than immediate military deliverance, God sends a prophet to reorient their thinking and expose the true source of their misery. The problem was not the Midianites, but Israel’s own rebellion.
The prophet begins by proclaiming the history of God's redemptive acts: “I brought you up from Egypt… I delivered you… I gave you their land.” These statements recall the foundational acts of the Exodus and the conquest. They are a call to remember the goodness, power, and faithfulness of the LORD. By reminding them of what God had already done, the prophet reinforces that God's character has not changed. He is still able and willing to deliver, but the people must respond in covenant loyalty.
This reminder serves two purposes: first, to reawaken Israel’s memory of God’s saving grace, and second, to expose their ingratitude and spiritual amnesia. Their present distress was not because God failed them, but because they had failed God.
The prophet then states plainly, “But you have not obeyed My voice.” This is the central indictment. It reveals the heart of the issue: spiritual disobedience and idolatry. The people had feared the gods of the Amorites more than they had feared the LORD, despite God’s clear command not to serve those false deities. Their oppression was a direct result of their failure to trust and obey.
This confrontation is deeply important. Before there can be revival, there must be repentance. Before a judge can lead them to victory, the people must understand why they are in bondage. God, in His mercy, always sends His word before He sends His hand. The prophet laid the groundwork by explaining that divine deliverance could not be separated from divine expectations.
In our own lives, it is easy to cry out to God for help without asking what led us to need help in the first place. Like Israel, we often think the problem is outside of us, when in reality, the issue is internal—a matter of the heart and obedience. God does not ignore the cries of His people, but He is not manipulated by shallow repentance. He desires truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6). So before God delivers, He speaks. Before He redeems, He corrects. And that correction, though painful, is always an expression of His faithful love.
Judges 6:11–13
The Angel of the LORD Appears to Gideon
“Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, ‘The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!’ Gideon said to Him, ‘O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, “Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?” But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.’”
This section marks a pivotal turning point, as the LORD personally intervenes by calling a deliverer. The first step in Israel’s rescue begins not with an army or a strategy, but with a divine visitation. The Angel of the LORD comes quietly, without announcement, and finds Gideon performing a mundane, hidden task—threshing wheat in secret to avoid Midianite detection.
The reference to “the Angel of the LORD” signals more than a mere angelic being. This is a theophany, an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. That conclusion is made clear in the verses that follow, where the figure is directly called “the LORD” and speaks with divine authority (Judges 6:14, 16). Since no man has seen God the Father (John 1:18) and the Holy Spirit is spirit (John 4:24), it is most consistent to identify this appearance as the Son of God revealing Himself in bodily form prior to the incarnation at Bethlehem. Unlike the incarnation, where Jesus became fully man, here He likely appears in human form temporarily, as He did in encounters with Abraham (Genesis 18) and Joshua (Joshua 5:13–15).
Gideon’s activity is significant. He is threshing wheat in a winepress, which is normally a sunken stone pit. Threshing required open space and wind to separate the chaff from the grain. To thresh in a winepress was laborious and inefficient. Yet it reveals the reality of Israel’s condition—oppressed, humiliated, and hiding. Gideon’s task is a survival tactic, and it reflects the larger national disgrace under Midianite tyranny.
God often calls men in the middle of ordinary, faithful labor. Just as He called Moses while tending sheep, David while watching flocks, and the disciples while fishing, so too He comes to Gideon in the midst of quiet, unseen toil. This is consistent with God's character: He chooses the humble and the unnoticed, those who are diligent with little, to be entrusted with much (Luke 16:10).
The angel’s greeting is remarkable: “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” It is ironic and prophetic. At that moment, Gideon did not appear mighty. He was not leading an army, standing against Midian, or even threshing wheat openly. He was hiding. Yet God saw not only who Gideon was, but who he would become by His power. God calls things not as they are but as He intends them to be (Romans 4:17). He spoke this identity over Gideon before the first act of bravery had been performed.
Gideon responds with a mixture of reverence, frustration, and raw honesty. “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” He does not immediately receive the greeting with joy. Instead, he expresses his confusion and sorrow. He recalls the stories of God's mighty acts in Egypt and wonders why such power seems absent in his generation. This is not unbelief, but an anguished longing. His words are not dismissive, but deeply wounded by the contrast between Israel's past victories and its present oppression.
Importantly, Gideon believes the LORD has forsaken Israel. This was the common view among many who suffer under divine discipline—they assume God has abandoned them. But Scripture is clear: the Lord had not forsaken Israel, rather, Israel had forsaken Him. The prophet already clarified this (Judges 6:10), but Gideon has not fully absorbed it. Nevertheless, his honest questions are not rejected. God is not threatened by doubt that arises from suffering and longing. In fact, He responds to it by calling Gideon into service.
In summary, this encounter reveals both the grace and the initiative of God. He meets Gideon in weakness, not strength. He calls him a mighty man before any mighty act is done. He does not reject Gideon’s questions, but engages him in a deeper calling. The deliverance of Israel begins with a man threshing wheat in fear—visited by the God of glory who sees what he will become.
Judges 6:14–16
Gideon’s Call to God’s Service
“Then the LORD turned to him and said, ‘Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?’ So he said to Him, ‘O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.’ And the LORD said to him, ‘Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.’”
This portion of the text records the official commission of Gideon. The Angel of the LORD—identified here unmistakably as the LORD Himself—issues a command that is astonishing in scope: Gideon is to be the instrument of Israel’s deliverance. What follows is a profound picture of God’s method in calling and equipping servants.
The LORD commands, “Go in this might of yours,” which at first glance seems ironic. What might? Gideon was hiding from the enemy, processing a meager harvest in a winepress. Yet God's statement is not empty flattery nor sarcasm. It reveals that what matters is not Gideon’s perception of his strength, but God's knowledge of his heart. Gideon's “might” lay not in physical prowess or military skill, but in qualities that heaven values: humility, concern for God’s people, spiritual hunger, reverence for the past acts of God, and a teachable spirit.
Gideon possessed the strength of a broken man yearning for deliverance, not just for himself but for his nation. He was disturbed by the disconnect between what he had heard of God’s mighty works and what he now witnessed. That hunger and dissatisfaction with the status quo was itself a form of spiritual strength. God can do great things with a man who is discontented with compromise and expects God to act according to His promises.
Still, Gideon’s response reflects how many called servants of God feel at the moment of commission. “O my Lord, how can I save Israel?” His humility borders on despair. He does not see himself as a leader, hero, or warrior. He views his clan as the weakest in Manasseh and himself as the least in his father’s household. That is, he is at the bottom of the ladder socially, politically, and militarily. In the eyes of the world, Gideon is a nobody—and that is exactly the kind of man God uses. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
The Lord’s response is not to bolster Gideon’s self-image but to center him on divine presence and power: “Surely I will be with you.” This echoes God's words to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:12. It also reflects the promise Jesus gives to all who serve Him: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). God does not send His people out alone. The mission may exceed our capacity, but it will never exceed His sufficiency.
Finally, the promise that Gideon “shall defeat the Midianites as one man” speaks to the unity and decisiveness of the future victory. The language points forward to a supernatural deliverance. The odds would be overwhelmingly against Gideon in human terms, but with God, the result is already assured.
In sum, this moment captures the essence of how God raises up deliverers. He does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. He does not demand self-confidence, but faith in His presence. He sees what man cannot see, and He chooses instruments that will bring glory to Himself rather than to human strength. The path forward for Gideon will require faith, obedience, and courage—but God has already promised that His presence will make all the difference.
Judges 6:17–21
A Sign from the Angel of the LORD
“Then he said to Him, ‘If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.’ And He said, ‘I will wait until you come back.’ So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them. The Angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And he did so. Then the Angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.”
This passage continues the unfolding of Gideon’s divine commission by highlighting a pivotal act of confirmation. Gideon, fully aware of the magnitude of what he is being asked to do, respectfully seeks assurance that it is truly the LORD who is speaking to him. This is not unbelief, but cautious reverence. Gideon is not questioning God’s ability, but rather seeking clarity about the source of this command.
Gideon says, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me.” He is not demanding a sign to justify his doubts but desiring to be certain that he is not being misled. This is important when one is preparing to risk everything. Unlike many modern demands for signs, which often come from a place of disbelief or testing God, Gideon’s request is rooted in a desire for certainty regarding a personal calling not yet confirmed by Scripture or prior experience.
The Angel graciously responds, “I will wait until you come back.” This patient waiting displays divine condescension—God accommodating the weak faith of His servant. This same patience is seen in the life of Jesus, who was often long-suffering with His disciples’ slowness to believe (Mark 9:24; John 20:27).
Gideon prepares an offering with deliberate care: a young goat, unleavened bread made from an ephah of flour (approximately 22 liters, an extravagant amount), and broth in a pot. This was a generous, costly offering in a time of famine and oppression. It demonstrated that Gideon took this encounter seriously and was willing to sacrifice significantly in order to honor the Lord and confirm the divine calling. This is not a sacrifice to test God, but an act of devotion and inquiry.
The Angel instructs Gideon to lay the meat and unleavened bread on a rock and to pour the broth over it. Then, using the end of His staff, the Angel of the LORD touches the offering. Instantly, fire rises out of the rock—not from the sky or from flint, but from the stone itself—consuming the meat and bread. This was not only miraculous, but deeply symbolic. Fire from the rock was a visible demonstration of divine acceptance. In Scripture, fire often signifies God’s approval and presence—seen in the sacrifices of Elijah (1 Kings 18:38), Solomon (2 Chronicles 7:1), and even Abel (by implication in Genesis 4:4).
This fire also serves as a picture: God Himself would consume the sacrifice, showing that this mission would not be accomplished through Gideon’s power, but by divine initiative and supernatural intervention. As one commentator put it, this sign signified that the Midianites would be defeated “without man’s labor”—a victory wrought by the LORD alone.
Finally, the Angel of the LORD departs from Gideon’s sight, a powerful and sudden conclusion to this sacred encounter. The disappearing of the Angel affirms the heavenly nature of the event and leaves Gideon with the lasting impression that he has truly stood before the LORD.
This moment is deeply personal, but also theologically rich. Gideon has not only received a sign, but he has participated in an act of worship. He has seen that the calling of God is confirmed by His presence and that God's fire affirms both the servant and the sacrifice. He is being drawn from fear into faith, from hesitation into trust. The God who called him is the God who answers by fire—and that God is with him.
Judges 6:22–24
Gideon Reacts with Awe and Worship to the Miraculous Sign
“Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD. So Gideon said, ‘Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.’ Then the LORD said to him, ‘Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.’ So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.”
At this point in the encounter, Gideon moves from cautious inquiry to overwhelming realization. After witnessing the fire miraculously consume the offering and seeing the sudden departure of the Angel of the LORD, Gideon understands fully that he had not been speaking with a mere man or prophet, but with the pre-incarnate Christ Himself—God in visible form.
His reaction is instinctive and deeply reverent: “Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.” According to the theology of the Old Testament, to see God was a terrifying experience that could bring death (cf. Exodus 33:20). Gideon knew that what he had just witnessed placed him in the presence of holiness and glory, and this realization rightly filled him with fear. Though he had previously interacted freely, once his eyes were opened, reverence overtook his spirit.
But the LORD speaks peace over him: “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” The Lord’s response is not a rebuke but a reassurance. He acknowledges Gideon’s fear and immediately calms it. This phrase is echoed throughout Scripture—whether it is God calming Abraham (Genesis 15:1), Moses (Exodus 33:14), Daniel (Daniel 10:19), or the disciples of Jesus (John 14:27). God is always quick to comfort those who tremble before His presence. The word of peace reminds Gideon that though he is unworthy, God has not come to destroy him, but to use him.
Gideon’s response is to build an altar and name it Yahweh Shalom—“The LORD Is Peace.” This is deeply meaningful. The man who just moments earlier feared for his life now consecrates the site of his encounter as a place of peace. He experiences firsthand the reconciling grace of God. The God who called him was not a harsh taskmaster but a God who offers peace before sending him to battle.
The altar signifies more than worship; it is Gideon’s declaration that the true peace of Israel does not lie in treaties or temporary rest, but in restored relationship with God. This is not peace in the absence of conflict, but peace in the midst of calling and coming war. Gideon will soon be called to rise against Midian, but he will do so with the assurance that the LORD is with him and that peace has already been declared over him.
Spurgeon’s insight is both pastoral and prophetic: once God gives peace to a man, He often sends him out to war. Peace with God precedes the calling to stand for God. As Paul wrote in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” But that peace is not passive—it becomes the foundation for holy action.
This encounter leaves us with a striking truth: the proper response to divine calling is reverence, and the proper foundation for service is peace with God. Gideon, now reassured, will soon act in faith, but first, he must come to know the character of the God who called him—holy, mighty, and full of peace.
Judges 6:25–27
The Beginning of Gideon’s Ministry: Removing Baal Worship
“Now it came to pass the same night that the LORD said to him, ‘Take your father’s young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it; and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.’ So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the LORD had said to him. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night.”
With this command, the Lord initiates Gideon’s public ministry—not on the battlefield, but in his own backyard. Before Gideon could be used to deliver Israel from Midian, he had to purge the idolatry within his own household and town. Public victory must always be preceded by private obedience. God is not merely interested in political freedom; He wants spiritual fidelity.
“The same night” indicates that God did not delay. Gideon’s encounter with the LORD and his building of the altar to Yahweh-Shalom had hardly concluded before God gave him his first assignment. Once Gideon made himself available, God immediately put him to work. This pattern is consistent in Scripture: when the Lord finds a willing servant, He begins with sanctification before warfare.
The task was direct: “Tear down the altar of Baal that your father has.” Baal worship was not just a problem in Canaanite villages—it had crept into the very households of Israelites. Gideon’s own father, Joash, had erected an altar to Baal and kept a wooden image of Asherah beside it. These symbols of pagan fertility worship were abominations in Israel, a flagrant violation of the first two commandments. The Lord could not bless or deliver His people while these idols stood. Therefore, Gideon had to begin by destroying the false worship in his immediate surroundings. God was purifying the vessel before using it.
Interestingly, Gideon is commanded to use his father’s second bull, one that was seven years old—the same length of time as Israel’s oppression under Midian. Commentators have noted the symbolism here: the bull’s age marked the duration of Israel’s suffering, and its sacrifice would symbolize the end of that season. It is also likely that two bulls were to be used—one to help pull down the altar and the other for the actual burnt offering. The wood of the Asherah pole, once an object of idolatry, would now be fuel for a holy sacrifice. What had once been used for sin would now be used to honor God.
Gideon obeyed, but he obeyed by night. This was not necessarily an act of cowardice, but prudence. He knew that the men of the town, and perhaps even his own father, would violently oppose his actions. Though he feared them, he did not allow fear to stop his obedience. This shows that courage is not the absence of fear, but the determination to obey God despite fear. Gideon took ten trusted servants with him, ensuring the task would be carried out efficiently and securely.
What we learn here is crucial: before God uses a man to defeat the enemy around him, He calls him to confront the idolatry within him and around his household. There can be no spiritual victory unless the Lordship of Christ is established first in the home. Gideon’s first step in delivering Israel was to declare war against Baal—not in the land at large, but in the very heart of his family’s worship. This moment defines the beginning of his calling: private fidelity and holy boldness must precede public usefulness.
As Charles Spurgeon once said, “God never puts His children into the fire without first sitting with them as a Refiner.” Gideon was about to go to war, but first, his life and home had to be refined.
Judges 6:28–32
The Removal of an Altar Raises a Controversy
“And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, there was the altar of Baal, torn down; and the wooden image that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the altar which had been built. So they said to one another, ‘Who has done this thing?’ And when they had inquired and asked, they said, ‘Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.’ Then the men of the city said to Joash, ‘Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the wooden image that was beside it.’ But Joash said to all who stood against him, ‘Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!’ Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, ‘Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar.’”
After Gideon's bold act of obedience in tearing down his father's altar to Baal and erecting an altar to the LORD, the reaction from the community is swift and severe. The scene underscores just how deeply entrenched idolatry had become in Israel. The people were not merely passive in their Baal worship—they were zealous defenders of it.
When the people awoke and discovered the desecration of Baal's altar and the destruction of the Asherah pole, they immediately began to investigate. It did not take long to identify Gideon as the one responsible. His actions, though carried out at night, were too significant and disruptive to remain hidden. This illustrates a timeless truth: obedience to God, especially when it confronts public sin, often brings immediate opposition and exposure.
The reaction of the townspeople—“Bring out your son, that he may die”—shows the extent to which Baal worship had displaced the worship of the true God in Israelite life. The people were willing to execute one of their own, not for a crime against the state, but for an offense against a false god. This was not merely syncretism but full-blown apostasy. As one commentator noted, “the heresy had become the main religion.” The society had become so perverted that idol worship was now considered sacred and protected, while acts of reform were considered criminal.
Their loyalty to Baal may also have been tied to economic desperation. Baal was believed to be the god of weather, fertility, and agricultural success. Under the constant oppression and famine inflicted by the Midianites, the people clung even more tightly to their false god, mistakenly believing he could bring prosperity. In truth, their suffering was due to their unfaithfulness to the Lord, but instead of repenting, they doubled down on idolatry—thus compounding their misery.
Joash, Gideon's father, responds with remarkable wisdom and courage. His logic is simple and irrefutable: “If he is a god, let him plead for himself.” If Baal is truly divine, he can defend his own honor. This moment is striking. Joash had previously maintained the altar to Baal, yet now he defends his son against the violent zealotry of Baal’s worshipers. Whether Joash had a change of heart or simply recognized the power and authority of the LORD through his son's actions, his defense spares Gideon and reframes the entire event.
This mirrors other moments in history where false gods are exposed for their powerlessness. Just as Dagon fell before the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 5:2–4), and just as Elijah would later challenge the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:21–40), so here the altar is destroyed and Baal does nothing. The confrontation between true faith and false religion often hinges on this same question: can your god save, defend, or act?
As a result of this confrontation, Gideon receives a new name: Jerubbaal, meaning “Let Baal contend.” This name, given in mockery by his enemies, becomes a badge of honor. Gideon is now known not just as a man called by God, but as a man who stood against Baal—and lived. The LORD’s hand of protection on Gideon, despite the people’s desire to kill him, confirms that God had truly called him.
This event establishes an essential principle in Gideon’s ministry: the battle for Israel’s deliverance must begin with the destruction of false worship. Before the people can be set free from Midian, they must be set free from Baal. Revival and national restoration begin not with military might, but with spiritual reformation. Gideon’s stand was the catalyst for both.
Judges 6:33–35
Gideon Gathers an Army
“Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.”
As the Midianite threat grows once again and foreign invaders pour into the Valley of Jezreel, God begins to set the stage for deliverance. This moment becomes a transition from private preparation to public leadership for Gideon.
a. Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together:
This familiar coalition of Israel’s oppressors once again rises to plunder the land. The Valley of Jezreel, a fertile and strategic plain in northern Israel, becomes the staging ground for this invasion. The gathering of Israel’s enemies at this location was not only a military threat but also a direct challenge to the God of Israel. It demanded a response, and God was already raising up His deliverer.
b. But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon:
This phrase marks a decisive turning point. The Hebrew literally reads, “The Spirit of the LORD clothed Himself with Gideon,” indicating complete control and empowerment. Gideon became the vessel through which God would work, not by might or cleverness, but by divine enablement. This was the same Spirit who had come upon earlier judges such as Othniel (Judges 3:10) and would later empower Samson (Judges 14:6).
This kind of empowering was characteristic of the Old Covenant. The Spirit would come upon individuals for a specific task or office, such as leading in battle or prophesying. Unlike the New Covenant, where the Spirit indwells all believers permanently from the moment of salvation (John 14:17, Romans 8:9), under the Old Covenant the Holy Spirit came upon certain people at certain times for specific purposes. Joel prophesied a day when the Spirit would be poured out broadly:
“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”
(Joel 2:28–29, New King James Version)
Peter confirmed that this outpouring began at Pentecost (Acts 2:17–18), marking a new era in redemptive history. But here in Gideon’s day, this empowering was selective and temporary, yet unmistakable in its effect.
c. Then he blew the trumpet:
In ancient Israel, blowing the trumpet was a rallying cry—a call to arms. It was a bold act, signaling open rebellion against the Midianite occupiers and a declaration that Gideon was assuming leadership. The courage to do this came only after the Spirit empowered him. Without the Spirit, Gideon had hidden in fear, threshing wheat in a winepress. With the Spirit, he now stands as a leader calling others to battle.
d. The Abiezrites gathered behind him:
Remarkably, the very people who had likely ridiculed Gideon for tearing down the altar of Baal—the same Abiezrites of Ophrah—now rally behind him. This shows how quickly the tide can turn when God is at work. Where there was once opposition, there is now support. This demonstrates that spiritual leadership, when clearly ordained and empowered by God, can even overcome past controversy and draw unity from division.
e. He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh... Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali:
Gideon’s influence expands as he sends messengers to neighboring tribes. The Spirit’s anointing has made him more than a local hero; he is now a national deliverer. The tribes respond, and according to Judges 7:3, thirty-two thousand men ultimately rally to him. This is a remarkable response in a land still wavering in Baal worship and fear of the Midianites. It demonstrates that God was stirring hearts across the region, not only empowering Gideon but preparing the people to follow his lead.
Summary:
This passage reminds us that when God calls a man, He also equips him. Gideon went from hiding in fear to blowing a trumpet of war, not because of self-confidence, but because of divine empowerment. The Spirit of the LORD did not merely assist Gideon; He clothed Himself with him, becoming the power behind every action. This is the pattern of true biblical leadership: a humble vessel, filled and empowered by God, rising to meet the challenge of the hour.
Judges 6:36–40
God Assures Gideon’s Doubts
“So Gideon said to God, ‘If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—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.’ And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece—let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.’ And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.”
In this final section of Judges chapter 6, we see Gideon wrestling with doubt, asking God for assurance despite already receiving His Word, His presence, and even miraculous confirmation earlier. God had called, commissioned, and empowered Gideon, but here the human heart is laid bare—timid, hesitant, and in need of reassurance.
a. “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said…”
Gideon had already received clear confirmation in verses 17 through 21, when the Angel of the LORD accepted his offering with fire from the rock. That event should have settled the question. But Gideon was still unsure. He asked for a second miraculous sign, and even after receiving it, asked for a third. In doing so, he revealed a faith that was present but fragile.
His repeated phrasing, “as You have said,” reveals that he wasn’t outright doubting God's power, but struggling to believe that God would truly use him. This wasn't rebellion or defiance—it was hesitation rooted in self-doubt and fear. God had already declared the outcome: “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16, New King James Version). Gideon knew what was said, but he desired yet another physical confirmation.
b. “Look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor…”
This became one of the most iconic moments in Gideon’s story. He lays a literal fleece out and asks God to do a supernatural work: dew only on the fleece, while the surrounding ground remains dry. God does it. Then, wanting to be sure it wasn’t a fluke of nature, Gideon reverses the test: dew on the ground, but the fleece remains dry.
This act is where the phrase “putting out a fleece” originates—referring to someone seeking guidance or confirmation through a sign or test. While it is often referenced positively, the biblical context shows that it was actually a sign of weak and wavering faith. The request was not commendable, but God honored it nonetheless.
While God graciously complied, this wasn’t a recommended model for discerning God’s will. Nowhere in Scripture are believers encouraged to seek divine guidance through arbitrary tests or signs. As believers under the New Covenant, we are given the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), the complete Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16–17), and the wisdom of godly counsel to guide us—not fleece tests.
c. Interpretation from the early church: Origen’s Allegorical View
Origen, a third-century theologian known for his allegorical interpretation of Scripture, proposed a symbolic reading:
The fleece = Israel.
The dry ground = the Gentile nations.
Dew on the fleece alone = the blessing of God originally poured out on Israel.
Dew on the ground and dryness of the fleece = the gospel being taken from Israel and spread among the Gentiles.
Dew wrung into a bowl = the doctrines of Christianity extracted from Jewish writings and truths.
Although this interpretation is imaginative and does not reflect a literal hermeneutic, it does show how the early church wrestled with connecting Old Testament symbols to New Testament truths. However, a literal, dispensational view sees this text as an example of God accommodating a reluctant servant—not a typological mystery to be unraveled.
d. “Then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said…”
The request reflects a weak, immature faith, not rebellion. Gideon was already told the outcome. He already received miraculous proof. Yet he struggled to believe that God would truly do what He said through him. In this way, Gideon mirrors many believers today—those who know God's promises but wrestle with doubt in their own ability to follow through.
e. “Do not be angry with me…”
This line reveals that Gideon knew he was pushing the boundaries. He wasn’t demanding in arrogance, but pleading in uncertainty. He had enough reverence to be cautious, and God in His patience met him where he was. Unlike Zechariah, who was struck mute for demanding a sign (Luke 1:18–20), Gideon was spared. Why? Possibly because his doubt wasn’t rooted in stubborn disbelief, but in human frailty.
f. Application: God’s Patience with Weak Faith
God could have rebuked Gideon. He could have withdrawn His calling. But instead, He accommodated Gideon's weakness and reassured him. This is a powerful reminder that faith does not have to be perfect to be effective. God honors mustard-seed faith (Matthew 17:20) and meets us where we are. Gideon’s inclusion in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11:32 is a testament to this reality:
“And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon…” (Hebrews 11:32, New King James Version)
God remembers the faith, not the fear.
Summary:
Gideon asked for not one, but two signs involving the fleece. This was not a model for discerning God’s will, but rather a glimpse into the frailty of a man called to do something great. The true hero of the story is not Gideon’s fleece or his testing, but the patient, merciful God who answered and strengthened him anyway. This passage reminds us that God can use those with doubts, fears, and weak faith—as long as they are willing to obey.
