New International VersionThat night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
New Living TranslationSo that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.
English Standard VersionAnd God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Berean Standard BibleAnd that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.
King James BibleAnd God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
New King James VersionAnd God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.
New American Standard BibleAnd God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.
NASB 1995God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.
NASB 1977And God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.
Legacy Standard BibleAnd God did so that night. So it was dry only on the fleece, but dew was on all the ground.
Amplified BibleGod did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and there was dew on all the ground [around it].
Christian Standard BibleThat night God did as Gideon requested: only the fleece was dry, and dew was all over the ground.
Holman Christian Standard BibleThat night God did as Gideon requested: only the fleece was dry, and dew was all over the ground.
American Standard VersionAnd God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
Contemporary English VersionThat night, God made the stone floor wet with dew, but he kept the sheep skin dry.
English Revised VersionAnd God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationDuring the night, God did what Gideon asked. The wool was dry, but all the ground was covered with dew.
Good News TranslationThat night God did that very thing. The next morning the wool was dry, but the ground was wet with dew.
International Standard VersionAnd God did it just like that later that night. It was dry only on the fleece, but dew was all around on the ground.
NET BibleThat night God did as he asked. Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.
New Heart English BibleGod did so that night, for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew all over the ground.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.
World English BibleGod did so that night; for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd God does so on that night, and there is only dryness on the fleece, and there has been dew on all the earth.
Young's Literal Translation And God doth so on that night, and there is drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth there hath been dew.
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd God will do so in that night: and there will be dryness to the fleece only, and upon all the earth was dew. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd God did that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd that night, God did as he had requested. And it was dry only on the fleece, and there was dew on all the ground.
New American BibleThat is what God did that night: the fleece alone was dry, but there was dew on all the ground.
New Revised Standard VersionAnd God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd God did so that night; for only the fleece was dry, and there was dew on all the ground.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd on that night God did in this way, and it was dry on the fleece alone, and upon all the ground was dew OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And God did so that night; for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd God did so in that night; and there was drought on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context The Sign of the Fleece… 39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time let it be dry, and the ground covered with dew.” 40And thatnightGoddidso.Onlythe fleecewasdry,and dewcoveredthe ground.
Cross References Exodus 4:6-7Furthermore, the LORD said to Moses, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, white as snow. / “Put your hand back inside your cloak,” said the LORD. So Moses put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his skin.
1 Kings 18:36-38At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. / Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.” / Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.
2 Kings 20:8-11Now Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” / And Isaiah had replied, “This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: Would you like the shadow to go forward ten steps, or back ten steps?” / “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.” ...
Isaiah 38:7-8This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: / I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended.
Genesis 18:32Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
Numbers 17:8The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.
1 Samuel 14:9-10If they say, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them. / But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.”
2 Kings 1:10-12Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men. / So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’” / Again Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.
Matthew 12:38-39Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” / Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Luke 1:18-20“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” / “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. / And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
John 2:18-19On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?” / Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”
John 20:24-29Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. / So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.” / Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ...
Acts 9:3-6As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. / He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” / “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. ...
Acts 10:9-16The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray. / He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. / He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. ...
Romans 4:19-21Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. / Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, / being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.
Treasury of Scripture And God did so that night: for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. Jump to Previous AloneCoveredDewDroughtDryEarthNightRoundWoolJump to Next AloneCoveredDewDroughtDryEarthNightRoundWoolJudges 6 1.The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian8.A prophet rebukes them11.An angel sends Gideon for their deliverance17.Gideon's present is consumed with fire24.Gideon destroys Baal's altar; offers a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom28.Joash defends his son, and calls him Jerubbaal33.Gideon's army36.Gideon's signsAnd that night God did so.This phrase highlights God's immediate response to Gideon's request, demonstrating His willingness to provide assurance to His chosen leader. The context is Gideon's need for confirmation of God's promise to save Israel through him. This reflects God's patience and understanding of human doubt. It also shows God's sovereignty and control over nature, as He can manipulate natural elements to fulfill His purposes. This event occurs during the time of the Judges, a period characterized by Israel's cyclical pattern of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. Only the fleece was dry,
The dry fleece amidst dew-covered ground is a miraculous sign, emphasizing God's power to alter natural conditions. The fleece, made from wool, would naturally absorb moisture, making its dryness even more remarkable. This sign is the second of two that Gideon requests, the first being the reverse condition. The fleece can be seen as a type of Christ, who remained pure and untouched by sin in a world marred by it. The fleece's dryness amidst dew symbolizes Christ's holiness and separation from sin. and dew covered the ground.
Dew is a common biblical symbol of blessing and divine favor, often associated with God's provision and presence (e.g.,Hosea 14:5). In the ancient Near East, dew was crucial for agriculture, especially in arid regions. The widespread dew signifies God's abundant provision and faithfulness to His promises. This imagery connects to other scriptural instances where God uses natural phenomena to communicate with His people, such as the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22). The contrast between the dry fleece and the dew-laden ground underscores the miraculous nature of the sign and God's ability to work beyond natural laws. Persons / Places / Events 1. GideonA judge of Israel, chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. Known for his initial hesitance and need for reassurance from God. 2. GodThe sovereign deity of Israel, who communicates with Gideon and performs miracles to confirm His will. 3. FleeceA piece of wool used by Gideon as a test to seek confirmation from God regarding His promise to save Israel through Gideon. 4. DewA natural phenomenon used by God to demonstrate His power and confirm His message to Gideon. 5. MidianitesThe oppressive force against Israel during the time of Gideon, whom God intends to defeat through Gideon's leadership. Teaching Points Seeking Confirmation from GodGideon's request for a sign shows the human desire for assurance. While God graciously provides signs, believers are encouraged to trust in His word and promises. God's Patience and UnderstandingGod’s response to Gideon’s request demonstrates His patience and understanding of human frailty. This encourages believers to approach God with their doubts and seek His guidance. Faith in ActionDespite his initial hesitance, Gideon eventually acts on God's command. Believers are called to move from doubt to action, trusting in God's provision and power. The Role of MiraclesMiracles serve as a confirmation of God's presence and power. While they are not the foundation of faith, they can strengthen and encourage believers in their walk with God. God's SovereigntyThe event underscores God's control over nature and His ability to use it to fulfill His purposes. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God is sovereign over all circumstances. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Judges 6
What does the Bible say about 'putting out a fleece'?
Judges 6:36-40: How can the miracle of the fleece being wet while the ground stayed dry (and vice versa) be explained or verified?
Why is a sign-based approach (Genesis 24:14) seemingly approved here, when similar methods are discouraged in other biblical passages?
Who was Gideon, also known as Jerubbaal, in the Bible?(40) It was dry upon the fleece only.--Such a result as this--not being in accordance with natural circumstances--could only have arisen from direct interposition. Besides the simple narrative, which tells us of these results as a sign granted to Gideon in accordance with his prayer, it is of course possible to allegorise the dew as the sign of God's grace, and to say that the first sign represented Israel as replenished with God's love when all was dry around ( Hosea 14:5, "I will be as the dew unto Israel;" Micah 5:7, "Jacob shall be as the dew"); and the second, the fact that "God manifested himself in the weakness and forsaken condition of His people, while the nations were flourishing all around." Similarly St. Ambrose ( De Sp. Sanct,Prol. in 1) sees in the fleece full of dew the Hebrew nation hiding the mystery of Christ within itself, and in the dry fleece that mystery extended to all the world, but leaving the Hebrew nation dry. It would be equally possible to give a mystic significance to the threshing-floor, as a type of the universal Church ( Matthew 3:12, &c.). But these allegoric applications of simple narratives are, to say the least, precarious; nor is there much value in Ewald's comparison of the fleece to Gideon's character, cool amid the general passion, dry amid the general damp of fear.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew And thatהַה֑וּא(ha·hū)Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931:He, self, the same, this, that, as, arenightבַּלַּ֣יְלָה(bal·lay·lāh)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915:A twist, night, adversityGodאֱלֹהִ֛ים(’ĕ·lō·hîm)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativedidוַיַּ֧עַשׂ(way·ya·‘aś)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213:To do, makeso.כֵּ֖ן(kên)Adverb
Strong's 3651:So -- thusOnlyלְבַדָּ֔הּ(lə·ḇad·dāh)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 905:Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief ofthe fleeceהַגִּזָּה֙(hag·giz·zāh)Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1492:A fleecewasוַיְהִי־(way·hî-)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, bedry,חֹ֤רֶב(ḥō·reḇ)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2721:Dryness, drought, heatand dewטָֽל׃(ṭāl)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2919:Night mist, dewcoveredהָ֥יָה(hā·yāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, bethe ground.הָאָ֖רֶץ(hā·’ā·reṣ)Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776:Earth, land
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OT History: Judges 6:40 God did so that night: for it (Jd Judg. Jdg) |
