6:1 Again the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight. So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 1 , Again the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight. So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.
6:2 The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites fled to the mountains, where they made hiding places for themselves in caves and dens.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 2 , The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites fled to the mountains, where they made hiding places for themselves in caves and dens.
6:3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 3 , Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,
6:4 camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, oxen, and donkeys.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 4 , camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, oxen, and donkeys.
6:5 These enemy hordes, coming with their cattle and tents as thick as locusts, arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 5 , These enemy hordes, coming with their cattle and tents as thick as locusts, arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.
6:6 So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 6 , So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help.
6:7 When they cried out to the LORD because of Midian,
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 7 , When they cried out to the LORD because of Midian,
6:8 the LORD sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 8 , the LORD sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt
6:9 and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 9 , and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land.
6:10 I told you, `I am the LORD your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now live.' But you have not listened to me.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 10 , I told you, `I am the LORD your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now live.' But you have not listened to me.'
6:11 Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the oak tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash had been threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 11 , Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the oak tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash had been threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.
6:12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, 'Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 12 , The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, 'Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!'
6:13 'Sir,' Gideon replied, 'if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, `The LORD brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 13 , 'Sir,' Gideon replied, 'if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, `The LORD brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.'
6:14 Then the LORD turned to him and said, 'Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 14 , Then the LORD turned to him and said, 'Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!'
6:15 'But Lord,' Gideon replied, 'how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 15 , 'But Lord,' Gideon replied, 'how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!'
6:16 The LORD said to him, 'I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 16 , The LORD said to him, 'I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.'
6:17 Gideon replied, 'If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the LORD speaking to me.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 17 , Gideon replied, 'If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the LORD speaking to me.
6:18 Don't go away until I come back and bring my offering to you.' The LORD answered, 'I will stay here until you return.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 18 , Don't go away until I come back and bring my offering to you.' The LORD answered, 'I will stay here until you return.'
6:19 Gideon hurried home. He cooked a young goat, and with half a bushel of flour he baked some bread without yeast. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, he brought them out and presented them to the angel, who was under the oak tree.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 19 , Gideon hurried home. He cooked a young goat, and with half a bushel of flour he baked some bread without yeast. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, he brought them out and presented them to the angel, who was under the oak tree.
6:20 The angel of God said to him, 'Place the meat and the unleavened bread on this rock, and pour the broth over it.' And Gideon did as he was told.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 20 , The angel of God said to him, 'Place the meat and the unleavened bread on this rock, and pour the broth over it.' And Gideon did as he was told.
6:21 Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and bread with the staff in his hand, and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed all he had brought. And the angel of the LORD disappeared.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 21 , Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and bread with the staff in his hand, and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed all he had brought. And the angel of the LORD disappeared.
6:22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he cried out, 'Sovereign LORD, I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 22 , When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he cried out, 'Sovereign LORD, I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!'
6:23 'It is all right,' the LORD replied. 'Do not be afraid. You will not die.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 23 , 'It is all right,' the LORD replied. 'Do not be afraid. You will not die.'
6:24 And Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and named it 'The LORD Is Peace.' The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 24 , And Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and named it 'The LORD Is Peace.' The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.
6:25 That night the LORD said to Gideon, 'Take the second best bull from your father's herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father's altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 25 , That night the LORD said to Gideon, 'Take the second best bull from your father's herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father's altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it.
6:26 Then build an altar to the LORD your God here on this hill, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 26 , Then build an altar to the LORD your God here on this hill, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.'
6:27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father's household and the people of the town. He knew what would happen if they found out who had done it.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 27 , So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father's household and the people of the town. He knew what would happen if they found out who had done it.
6:28 Early the next morning, as the people of the town began to stir, someone discovered that the altar of Baal had been knocked down and that the Asherah pole beside it was gone. In their place a new altar had been built, and it had the remains of a sacrifice on it.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 28 , Early the next morning, as the people of the town began to stir, someone discovered that the altar of Baal had been knocked down and that the Asherah pole beside it was gone. In their place a new altar had been built, and it had the remains of a sacrifice on it.
6:29 The people said to each other, 'Who did this?' And after asking around and making a careful search, they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 29 , The people said to each other, 'Who did this?' And after asking around and making a careful search, they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash.
6:30 'Bring out your son,' they shouted to Joash. 'He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 30 , 'Bring out your son,' they shouted to Joash. 'He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole.'
6:31 But Joash shouted to the mob, 'Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who knocked down his altar!'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 31 , But Joash shouted to the mob, 'Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who knocked down his altar!'
6:32 From then on Gideon was called Jerubbaal, which means 'Let Baal defend himself,' because he knocked down Baal's altar.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 32 , From then on Gideon was called Jerubbaal, which means 'Let Baal defend himself,' because he knocked down Baal's altar.
6:33 Soon afterward the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan, camping in the valley of Jezreel.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 33 , Soon afterward the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan, camping in the valley of Jezreel.
6:34 Then the Spirit of the LORD took possession of Gideon. He blew a ram's horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 34 , Then the Spirit of the LORD took possession of Gideon. He blew a ram's horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him.
6:35 He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, summoning their warriors, and all of them responded.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 35 , He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, summoning their warriors, and all of them responded.
6:36 Then Gideon said to God, 'If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised,
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 36 , Then Gideon said to God, 'If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised,
6:37 prove it to me in this way. I will put some wool 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.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 37 , prove it to me in this way. I will put some wool 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.'
6:38 And it happened just that way. When Gideon got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 38 , And it happened just that way. When Gideon got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.
6:39 Then Gideon said to God, 'Please don't be angry with me, but let me make one more request. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.'
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 39 , Then Gideon said to God, 'Please don't be angry with me, but let me make one more request. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.'
6:40 So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.
The NLT Book of Judges , Chapter 6 , Verse 40 , So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.
