Judges 6:14
And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "Go in this might of yours" isn't just about Gideon's personal strength; it points to the specific power God has already given him, and the divine commission he's now receiving. This highlights that God equips those He calls, empowering them with their existing abilities rather than replacing them.
Gideon, a man wrestling with Israel's deep oppression by the Midianites and his own doubts, is visited by an angel of the Lord. After Gideon expresses his despair about God's apparent abandonment of Israel, the divine messenger directly commissions him, emphasizing that it is the Lord Himself speaking through him and sending him. This direct charge from God immediately follows Gideon's humble yet questioning encounter, setting the stage for his reluctant but divinely empowered mission to save Israel.
Gideon was hiding, threshing wheat in secret to avoid the enemy. Yet, God calls him a 'mighty man of valor.' How can this be?
In Judges 6, Gideon is found threshing wheat by the winepress, an act of hiding from the devastating raids of the Midianites. The text highlights his fear and vulnerability; he's not leading armies, he's trying to survive. Yet, the very moment God's angel appears, he's addressed not by his fear, but by his potential: 'The LORD turned toward him and said, 'Go in the strength you have.' (Judges 6:12). When God speaks to Gideon directly in our verse, He echoes this, saying, 'Go in this might of yours.'
This isn't about Gideon's current might; it's about the inherent capacity God placed within him, a capacity God is about to empower. The commentary notes that 'God takes men as they are and makes them what they are not.' God looks past Gideon's present circumstances and sees the hero He created and intends to use. This call is not based on Gideon's self-perception or his current hidden state, but on God's sovereign purpose and His ability to equip him.
God says, 'Do not I send you?' What does this powerful question reveal about the nature of Gideon's mission and God's involvement?
The phrase 'have not I sent thee?' is more than just a rhetorical question; it's the bedrock of Gideon's authority and the guarantee of his mission. The commentaries explain that this question signifies a divine commission, a direct mandate from God Himself. When God says 'I send you,' it means He is the one initiating, authorizing, and empowering the action. This isn't Gideon's plan or a human suggestion; it is God's sovereign decree.
This divine sending implies that God provides the necessary strength, wisdom, and protection. As Benson notes, 'God’s fitting men for this work is a sure evidence of his calling them to it.' Barnes further explains that 'The sending implied a valid commission and sufficient powers.' Therefore, Gideon's task isn't just to 'go,' but to go because he is sent by the Almighty. This commission transforms Gideon from a fearful man hiding in a winepress into an instrument of divine power, tasked with saving Israel.
Understand the original words
yasha' · Hebrew Verb
The act of delivering, rescuing, or setting free from danger, oppression, or enemies; in Scripture, it is most supremely the work of God to redeem His people.
This verse occurs at the nadir of Israel's oppression by the Midianites, a time of widespread fear and scarcity. God's direct commission to Gideon highlights that divine empowerment is essential for fulfilling His purposes, especially when facing overwhelming challenges born from the nation's own disobedience.
c. 11th century BC
Israelite Spiritual Decline
Following periods of relative peace and prosperity, the Israelites repeatedly fell back into worshipping local Canaanite deities, leading to God allowing other nations to oppress them.
c. 11th century BC
Midianite Oppression Begins
Due to Israel's repeated disobedience, the Lord allowed nomadic Midianite tribes, allied with Amalekites and others, to raid and plunder Israel for seven years, devastating their lands.
c. 11th century BC— this verse
Gideon Threshes Wheat in Secret
Gideon, a young man from Manasseh, secretly threshes wheat near a winepress to hide it from the Midianites, illustrating the extreme fear and deprivation Israel suffered.
c. 11th century BC
Angel Appears to Gideon
An angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, identifying him as a 'mighty man of valor' and revealing God's intention to use him to save Israel.
This passage shows God commissioning Moses with a similar "Go, I am sending you" and emphasizing that He will be with the one sent, just as God assures Gideon in Judges 6:14.
Isaiah 41:10Isaiah promises God's presence, strength, and support to those He calls, mirroring the assurance God gives Gideon to act 'in this might of yours' because God is with him.
1 Samuel 15:18This verse highlights God sending Samuel to accomplish a specific task, paralleling God's direct commission to Gideon to 'save Israel,' emphasizing the divine authority behind the command.
Jeremiah 1:7-8Jeremiah is told not to fear and to go where God sends him, just as God reassures Gideon not to be afraid and to go in his might, for God is sending him.
2 Corinthians 12:9Paul is told that God's power is made perfect in weakness, which echoes the sentiment of Judges 6:14 where God calls Gideon to act in his might, implying that God's strength will be the true source of his ability to save Israel.
jfbJudges 6:11-16: "And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites."
Jud 6:11-16. An Angel Sends Gideon to Deliver Them.11. there came an angel of the Lord—He appeared in the character and equipments of a traveller (Jud 6:21), who sat down in the shade to enjoy a little refreshment and repose. Entering into conversation on the engrossing topic…
gillJudges 6:14: "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?"
And the Lord looked upon him,.... The same before called the angel of the Lord, and who was no other than Jehovah himself; who looked upon him with great earnestness, and with great delight and pleasure smiled upon him, and thereby showing he had a kindness for him, and meant well to him: and said unto him, go in this thy might; both of b…
The phrase "Go in this might of yours" isn't just about Gideon's personal strength; it points to the specific power God has already given him, and the divine commission he's now receiving. This highlights that God equips those He calls, empowering them with their existing abilities rather than replacing them.
Gideon, a man wrestling with Israel's deep oppression by the Midianites and his own doubts, is visited by an angel of the Lord. After Gideon expresses his despair about God's apparent abandonment of Israel, the divine messenger directly commissions him, emphasizing that it is the Lord Himself speaking through him and sending him. This direct charge from God immediately follows Gideon's humble yet questioning encounter, setting the stage for his reluctant but divinely empowered mission to save Israel.
Gideon, a man wrestling with Israel's deep oppression by the Midianites and his own doubts, is visited by an angel of the Lord. After Gideon expresses his despair about God's apparent abandonment of Israel, the divine messenger directly commissions him, emphasizing that it is the Lord Himself speaking through him and sending him. This direct charge from God immediately follows Gideon's humble yet questioning encounter, setting the stage for his reluctant but divinely empowered mission to save Israel.
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c. 11th century BC
Gideon's Call and Commission
The Lord directly commissions Gideon, telling him, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?'
"And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”" — The phrase "Go in this might of yours" isn't just about Gideon's personal strength; it points to the specific power God has already given him, and the divine commission he's now receiving. This highl…
