The Meaning of Judges 6:39 Explained

Judges 6:39

KJV: And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

YLT: And Gideon saith unto God, 'Let not Thine anger burn against me, and I speak only this time; let me try, I pray Thee, only this time with the fleece -- let there be, I pray Thee, drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth let there be dew.'

Darby: Then Gideon said to God, "Let not thy anger burn against me, let me speak but this once; pray, let me make trial only this once with the fleece; pray, let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew."

ASV: And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once: let me make trial, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Gideon  said  unto God,  Let not thine anger  be hot  against me, and I will speak  but this once:  let me prove,  I pray thee, but this once  with the fleece;  let it now be dry  only upon the fleece,  and upon all the ground  let there be dew. 

What does Judges 6:39 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 6:28-40 - Beginning Reform At Home
The good sense of Joash saved his son. "Of what use is Baal to us," said he, "if he cannot take care of himself?" Gideon had stood the divine test; can you wonder that the Spirit of Jehovah, whom we know as the Holy Spirit, came upon Gideon and wrought mightily through his submitted life? Oh, to be pliant to the Spirit of Christ, as clothes to the body! With heroic courage he blew the trumpet of revolt, regardless of Midian, and at its notes the whole country aroused as from the spell of a bad enchantment.
But amid the excitement of the hour, the young leader craved one more assurance. He asked two questions. Was it possible that the Spirit had come on him in an especial manner? The answer was in the affirmative, for the fleece-which represented himself-contained a bowlful of water, while the floor was dry. Was it possible, also, that the same Spirit that had come on himself would descend on the people who should gather to his summons? Again the answer was in the affirmative, for the floor was wet. God's promises are always "Yea" and "Amen." He cannot fail you. See 2 Corinthians 1:18-22. [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 6:39 mean?

And said Gideon to God not do be angry - with me but let me speak - just once more let me test I pray but just once more with the fleece let it be now dry on the fleece only but on all the ground let there be dew
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר גִּדְעוֹן֙ אֶל־ הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים אַל־ יִ֤חַר אַפְּךָ֙ בִּ֔י וַאֲדַבְּרָ֖ה אַ֣ךְ הַפָּ֑עַם אֲנַסֶּ֤ה נָּא־ רַק־ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ בַּגִּזָּ֔ה יְהִי־ נָ֨א חֹ֤רֶב אֶל־ הַגִּזָּה֙ לְבַדָּ֔הּ וְעַל־ כָּל־ הָאָ֖רֶץ יִֽהְיֶה־ טָּֽל

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
גִּדְעוֹן֙  Gideon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גִּדְעֹון  
Sense: youngest son of Joash of the Abiezrites, fifth judge of Israel who led the Israelites against the Midianites.
הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִ֤חַר  do  be  angry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
אַפְּךָ֙  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
בִּ֔י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
וַאֲדַבְּרָ֖ה  but  let  me  speak 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אַ֣ךְ  - 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
הַפָּ֑עַם  just  once  more 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
אֲנַסֶּ֤ה  let  me  test 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: נָסָה  
Sense: to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test.
נָּא־  I  pray 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
הַפַּ֙עַם֙  just  once  more 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
בַּגִּזָּ֔ה  with  the  fleece 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּזָּה  
Sense: fleece.
יְהִי־  let  it  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
נָ֨א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
חֹ֤רֶב  dry 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹרֶב 
Sense: dryness, desolation, drought, heat.
הַגִּזָּה֙  the  fleece 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּזָּה  
Sense: fleece.
לְבַדָּ֔הּ  only 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
וְעַל־  but  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָאָ֖רֶץ  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יִֽהְיֶה־  let  there  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
טָּֽל  dew 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.