Judges 6:38 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.

NIV: And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

NASB: And it was so. When he got up early the next morning and wrung out the fleece, he wrung the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water.

CSB: And that is what happened. When he got up early in the morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung dew out of it, filling a bowl with water.

NLT: And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.

KJV: And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

NKJV: 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.

Gideon is having doubts about whether God truly plans to rescue Israel—from the swarming Midianites and their allies (Judges 6:1–5) through him (Judges 6:15–16). Despite all God has already shown Gideon, he wants even more evidence that all this is true. It's easy to be brave when reading about battle, and not participating in it; readers should temper judgment by remembering that Gideon is not a soldier. All the same, he's already witnessed God's miraculous power and intervention (Judges 6:19–21; 25–32; 34–35). To not only ask for more proof, but to insist on something so specific, is an expression of unreasonable doubt. At the same time, Gideon's request expresses a sensible understanding of God's power over nature.

The test which Gideon devised involves something naturally impossible: that a furry animal skin, left outside overnight, to be soaked with dew while the ground around it is dry (Judges 6:37). If the wool is wet while the ground is dry the next morning, Gideon will take this as a sign that God still plans to do all He has said.

This verse sums up the result with "and it was so." In fact, God makes the miracle obvious: Gideon awakes to find an animal skin so wet that Gideon fills a bowl wringing it out. One would think this has Gideon convinced—but he's not. In an almost-unbelievable level of skepticism, he asks God to invert the same miracle before he fully trusts (Judges 6:39).

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).