Judges 6
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Then the children of Israel did a evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD delivered them into the hand of b Midian for seven years,
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and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, c the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains.
3
So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the d people of the East would come up against them.
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Then they would encamp against them and e destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor f donkey.
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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.
6
So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel g cried out to the LORD.
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And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites,
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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 h house of bondage;
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'and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and i drove them out before you and gave you their land.
10
'Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; j do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My k voice.' "
11
Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash l the Abiezrite, while his son m Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites.
12
And the n Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is o with you, you mighty man of valor!"
13
Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And p where are all His miracles q which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has r forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."
14
Then the LORD turned to him and said, s "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. t Have I not sent you?"
15
So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed u my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."
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And the LORD said to him, v "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man."
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Then he said to Him, "If now I have found favor in Your sight, then w show me a sign that it is You who talk with me.
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x "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."
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y 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.
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The Angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and z lay them on this rock, and a pour out the broth." And he did so.
21
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 b 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.
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Now Gideon c perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD. So Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! d For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face."
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Then the LORD said to him, e "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die."
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So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace. To this day it is still f in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
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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 g tear down the altar of h Baal that your father has, and i cut down the wooden image that is beside it;
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"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."
27
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.
28
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.
29
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."
30
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."
31
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!"
32
Therefore on that day he called him j Jerubbaal, saying, "Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar."
33
Then all k the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in l the Valley of Jezreel.
34
But m the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he n blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.
35
And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to o Asher, p Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
36
So Gideon said to God, "If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said -
37
q "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."
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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.
39
Then Gideon said to God, r "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."
40
And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.
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Cross References
Judges 2:11
Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals.
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Cross References
Numbers 22:4
So Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
Numbers 31:1 - 3
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
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Cross References
1 Samuel 13:6
When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits.
Hebrews 11:38
Of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
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Cross References
Judges 7:12
Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:16
I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 28:31
Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it; your donkey shall be violently taken away from before you, and shall not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have no one to rescue them.
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Cross References
Psalms 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.
Hosea 5:15
I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.
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Cross References
Joshua 24:17
For the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went and among all the people through whom we passed.
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Cross References
Psalms 44:2
You drove out the nations with Your hand, But them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.
Psalms 44:3
For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.
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Cross References
2 Kings 17:35
With whom the LORD had made a covenant and charged them, saying: "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them.
2 Kings 17:37
And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods.
2 Kings 17:38
And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods.
Jeremiah 10:2
Thus says the LORD: "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
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Cross References
Judges 2:1
Then the Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: "I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, 'I will never break My covenant with you.
Judges 2:2
And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.' But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?
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Cross References
Joshua 17:2
And there was a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, the children of Helek, the children of Asriel, the children of Shechem, the children of Hepher, and the children of Shemida; these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
Judges 6:15
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.
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Cross References
Judges 7:1
Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
Hebrews 11:32
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:
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Cross References
Judges 13:3
And the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, "Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.
Luke 1:11
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Luke 1:28
And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!
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Cross References
Joshua 1:5
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
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Cross References
Isaiah 59:1
Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
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Cross References
Joshua 4:6
"that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?'
Joshua 4:21
Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?
Psalms 44:1
We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, The deeds You did in their days, In days of old:
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 31:17
"Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, 'Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?'
2 Chronicles 15:2
And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
Psalms 44:9 - 16
But You have cast us off and put us to shame, And You do not go out with our armies.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 12:11
And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety.
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Cross References
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
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Cross References
1 Samuel 9:21
And Saul answered and said, " Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?
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Cross References
Exodus 3:12
So He said, "I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.
Joshua 1:5
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
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Cross References
Judges 6:36
So Gideon said to God, "If You will save Israel...
Judges 6:37
"look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the thre...
2 Kings 20:8
And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What is the sign ...
Psalms 86:17
Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me...
Isaiah 7:11
"Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God...
Isaiah 38:7
And this is the sign to you from the LORD, that...
Isaiah 38:8
Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial,...
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Cross References
Genesis 18:3
And said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.
Genesis 18:5
"And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said."
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Cross References
Genesis 18:6 - 8
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.
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Cross References
Judges 13:19
So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it upon the rock to the LORD. And He did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on -
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Cross References
1 Kings 18:33
And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, "Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.
1 Kings 18:34
Then he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time; and he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time.
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Cross References
Leviticus 9:24
And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
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Cross References
Genesis 32:30
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Exodus 33:20
But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.
Judges 13:21
When the Angel of the LORD appeared no more to Manoah and his wife, then Manoah knew that He was the Angel of the LORD.
Judges 13:22
And Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, because we have seen God!
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Cross References
Genesis 16:13
Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?
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Cross References
Daniel 10:19
And he said, "O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!" So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.
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Cross References
Judges 8:32
Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
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Cross References
Judges 2:2
And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.' But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?
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Cross References
Judges 3:7
So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs.
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Cross References
Exodus 34:13
But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images
Deuteronomy 7:5
But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire.
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Cross References
Judges 7:1
Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
1 Samuel 12:11
And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety.
2 Samuel 11:21
'Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?' - then you shall say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"
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Cross References
Judges 6:3
So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
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Cross References
Joshua 17:16
But the children of Joseph said, "The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel.
Hosea 1:5
It shall come to pass in that day That I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.
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Cross References
Judges 3:10
The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD delivered CushanRishatha'im king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over CushanRishatha'im.
1 Chronicles 12:18
Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: " We are yours, O David; We are on your side, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to your helpers! For your God helps you." So David received them, and made them captains of the troop.
2 Chronicles 24:20
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God: 'Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He also has forsaken you.'
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Cross References
Numbers 10:3
When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
Judges 3:27
And it happened, when he arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the mountains of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and he led them.
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Cross References
Judges 5:17
Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, And why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, And stayed by his inlets.
Judges 7:23
And the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and pursued the Midianites.
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Cross References
Judges 4:6
Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun.
Judges 4:10
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; he went up with ten thousand men under his command, and Deborah went up with him.
Judges 5:18
Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.
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Cross References
Exodus 4:3 - 7
And He said, "Cast it on the ground." So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.
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Cross References
Genesis 18:32
Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.