Judges 6:37 - Printer Friendly

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."

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."

NASB: behold, I am putting 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 will know that You will save Israel through me, as You have spoken.'

CSB: I will put a wool fleece here on the threshing floor. If dew is only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry, I will know that you will deliver Israel by my strength, as you said."

NLT: prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.'

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.

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.”

After years of unimpeded raids (Judges 6:1–5), the people of Israel are finally ready to attack the Midianites who lurk in the Valley of Jezreel (Judges 6:33). Gideon, the man improbably called to lead this fight (Judges 6:11–15) decides he wants more assurance that God truly intends to save Israel through him. This is despite all his interactions with the Lord up to this point (Judges 6:19–21; 25–32) and being clothed by the Holy Spirit (Judges 6:34–35). It's easy to criticize fear in others, when we're not the ones facing mortal danger—and yet, Gideon's insecurity is hard to understand. All the same, God voices no objection.

Gideon has devised a method for asking God a yes or no question. God has spoken to Gideon directly on several occasions, but Gideon seems to prefer an unmistakable, miraculous, physical manifestation of God's power over the natural world. Given that his culture was steeped in pagan worship, it's not surprising Gideon would ask God to speak in this way.

The test Gideon proposes asks for something completely impossible by natural means. He will use a piece of fleece: animal skin with the wool still attached, much like a shaggy carpet. He will leave this object on the threshing floor. This would have been an outdoor field; meadows are often soaked with dew just prior to sunrise. The miracle Gideon seeks is for the hard ground around the fleece to be dry, while the fleece itself is wet. Gideon will take that as evidence that God still means to use Gideon to save Israel.

Judges 6:36–40 describes two miracles that are simultaneously encouraging and absurd. Gideon, called by God to rescue Israel, has already seen evidence of God's favor (Judges 6:34–35) and miraculous confirmation of the Lord's message (Judges 6:19–21). And yet, Gideon is still wracked with doubt and insecurity. He not only asks God to provide more proof, but he even specifies the exact sign he wants to see. Almost unbelievably, he reacts to that miracle by asking God to invert the marvel in yet another test. This event is the source of the derisive expression "laying out a fleece:" when someone imposes a narrow demand that challenges God to "prove" His will.

Israel follows the sad pattern of the book of Judges, and once again turns to evil and idols. God turns them over to the Midianites. These foreign raiders spend the next seven years invading and consuming Israel's crops and livestock. Israel cries for help to the Lord. His first step is to send a prophet to remind them of God's goodness and their disobedience. The Lord then appears to Gideon, commanding him to save Israel because God will be with him. Gideon obeys God's command to tear down a Baal altar and build one to Yahweh in its place. He calls his countrymen to follow him and asks for signs from God.

The book of Judges contains a series of stories with a common theme: Israel falls into sin, suffers, and is rescued by God, only to fall once again (Judges 1—2). The next phase in Israel's downward spiral comes after 40 years of peace, won by Deborah and Barak (Judges 4—5). Israel is punished for sin through the Midianites. After seven years, the Israelites cry out for help. The Lord appears to Gideon, challenging the timid man to lead the battle against Israel's oppressors. Empowered by the Spirit, Gideon calls for his people to follow him, but still asks the Lord for signs. Gideon's successful campaigns are depicted in chapters 7 and 8.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).