The Meaning of Judges 6:14 Explained

Judges 6:14

KJV: And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

YLT: And Jehovah turneth unto him and saith, 'Go in this -- thy power; and thou hast saved Israel out of the hand of Midian -- have not I sent thee.'

Darby: And the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Mid'ian; do not I send you?"

ASV: And Jehovah looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  looked  upon him, and said,  Go  in this thy might,  and thou shalt save  Israel  from the hand  of the Midianites:  have not I sent  thee? 

What does Judges 6:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 6:7-18 - A Farmer Called To Be Deliverer
God is not content with sending a prophet to condemn our sins; He commissions an angel to bring help. Surely there is truth in the old belief that the Angel-Jehovah, designated here, was our Lord, whose delights were ever with the sons of men. Compare Isaiah 63:9 and Acts 7:30 with Exodus 3:2; Exodus 3:6. He still comes to us, not visibly to the eye, but sensibly to the heart. There is a peculiar burning at the heart, which those who love Him understand, when He manifests Himself to them as not to the world. See Luke 24:32 and John 14:21
Gideon was the youngest son of a poor family, which had suffered greatly at the hands of Midian. See Judges 8:18. He was compelled to thresh his wheat in the wine-press, below the surface of the ground, lest the Midianites should descend on it and carry it off. He seemed the least likely to be the chosen deliverer. But remember the Apostle's words, 1 Corinthians 1:26. There is a might that no human valor can impart; it is that which is communicated directly from Christ, as in Judges 6:14. And when Jesus looks and speaks, the young soul that stands in all humility before Him knows that it can do all things through Him who strengthens, Philippians 4:13. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 6

1  The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian
8  A prophet rebukes them
11  An angel sends Gideon for their deliverance
17  Gideon's present is consumed with fire
24  Gideon destroys Baal's altar; offers a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom
28  Joash defends his son, and calls him Jerubbaal
33  Gideon's army
36  Gideon's signs

What do the individual words in Judges 6:14 mean?

And turned to him Yahweh and said go in might of yours this and you shall save - Israel from the hand of the Midianites have not I sent you
וַיִּ֤פֶן אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֵ֚ךְ בְּכֹחֲךָ֣ זֶ֔ה וְהוֹשַׁעְתָּ֥ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִכַּ֣ף מִדְיָ֑ן הֲלֹ֖א שְׁלַחְתִּֽיךָ

וַיִּ֤פֶן  And  turned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
אֵלָיו֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֵ֚ךְ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּכֹחֲךָ֣  in  might  of  yours 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
זֶ֔ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְהוֹשַׁעְתָּ֥  and  you  shall  save 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
מִכַּ֣ף  from  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
מִדְיָ֑ן  of  the  Midianites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְיָן  
Sense: son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians.
הֲלֹ֖א  have  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שְׁלַחְתִּֽיךָ  I  sent  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.