Judges 6:11-24
Gideon Meets Some Visitors
11 The angel of the Lord ▼ came and sat down under the oak tree in Ophrah owned by Joash the Abiezrite. He arrived while Joash’s son Gideon ▼▼tn Heb “Now Gideon his son….” The Hebrew circumstantial clause (note the pattern vav [ו] + subject + predicate) breaks the narrative sequence and indicates that the angel’s arrival coincided with Gideon’s threshing.
was threshing ▼▼tn Heb “beating out.”
wheat in a winepress ▼▼sn Threshing wheat in a winepress. One would normally thresh wheat at the threshing floor outside the city. Animals and a threshing sledge would be employed. Because of the Midianite threat, Gideon was forced to thresh with a stick in a winepress inside the city. For further discussion see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 63.
so he could hide it from the Midianites. ▼▼tn Heb “Midian.”
12The angel of the Lord appeared and said to him, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!” 13Gideon said to him, “Pardon me, ▼▼tn Heb “But my lord.”
but if the Lord is with us, why has such disaster ▼▼tn Heb “all this.”
overtaken us? Where are all his miraculous deeds our ancestors told us about? They said, ▼▼tn Heb “saying.”
‘Did the Lord not bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” 14Then the Lord himself ▼ ▼▼sn Some interpreters equate the Lord and the messenger in this story. Since the messenger represents the Lord, perhaps when the Lord is mentioned in vv. 14 and 16 it means so indirectly, while Gideon’s direct encounter is with the angel. Indicators that the Lord and the angel of the Lord are distinct include: 1) the Hebrew text says only “Lord” in vv. 14 and 16; 2) in verse 16 the speaker in the Hebrew text says “I will be with you” referring to the Lord (but see the note at v. 16); 3) Gideon addresses the angel as אֲדֹנִי (ʾadoni, “my lord”) but the Lord as אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay, “my Lord”); 4) in vv. 22-23 the Lord and Gideon continue to carry on a conversation after the messenger has vanished (v. 21). On the other hand, if the Lord was present, appearing visibly in human form (called a theophany), as implied by “turning” [his head] to Gideon, why would Gideon not be more fearful at the end of the story for having seen God rather than his angel? The story could be pictured as an exchange with the angel followed by calling out to the Lord in prayer. The translation assumes that the angel and the Lord are distinct in the conversation, but the matter is difficult.
turned to him and said, “You have the strength. ▼▼tn Heb “Go in this strength of yours.”
Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites! ▼▼tn Heb “the hand of Midian.”
Have I not sent you?” 15Gideon ▼▼tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
said to him, “But Lord, ▼ how ▼▼tn Heb “with what.”
can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.” ▼▼tn Heb “in my father’s house.”
16The Lord said to him, “Ah, but ▼▼tn Or “certainly.”
I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.” ▼ 17Gideon ▼▼tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
said to him, “If you really are pleased with me, ▼▼tn Heb “If I have found favor in your eyes.”
then give me ▼▼tn Heb “perform for me.”
a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me. 18Do not leave this place until I come back ▼▼tn The Hebrew text adds “to you,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
with a gift ▼▼tn Heb “and I will bring out my gift.” The precise nuance of the Hebrew word מִנְחָה (minkhah, “gift”) is uncertain in this context. It may refer to a gift offered as a sign of goodwill or submission. In some cases it is used of a gift offered to appease someone whom the offerer has offended. The word can also carry a sacrificial connotation.
and present it to you.” The Lord said, “I will stay here until you come back.” 19 Gideon went and prepared a young goat, ▼▼tn Heb “a kid from among the goats.”
along with unleavened bread made from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He brought the food ▼▼tn The words “the food” are not in the Hebrew text (an implied direct object). They are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
to him under the oak tree and presented it to him. 20God’s angel said to him, “Put the meat and unleavened bread on this rock, ▼▼tn Heb “Take the meat…and put [it] on this rock.”
and pour out the broth.” Gideon did as instructed. ▼▼tn Heb “and he did so.”
21The angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of his staff. ▼▼tn Heb “extended the tip of the staff which was in his hand and touched the meat and unleavened bread.”
Fire flared up from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened bread. The angel of the Lord then disappeared. ▼▼tn Heb “went from his eyes.”
22 When Gideon realized ▼▼tn Heb “saw.”
that it was the angel of the Lord, he ▼▼tn Heb “Gideon.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
said, “Oh no! ▼▼tn Or “Ah!”
Sovereign Lord! ▼ I have seen the angel of the Lord face-to-face!” 23The Lord said to him, “You are safe! ▼ Do not be afraid. You are not going to die!” 24Gideon built an altar for the Lord there, and named it “The Lord is on friendly terms with me.” ▼▼tn Heb “The Lord is peace.” Gideon’s name for the altar plays on the Lord’s reassuring words to him, “Peace to you.”
To this day it is still there in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
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