King James Version

What Does Judges 6:39 Mean?

Judges 6:39 in the King James Version says “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 th... — study this verse from Judges chapter 6 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

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.

Judges 6:39 · KJV


Context

37

Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

38

And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

39

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.

40

And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Emboldened yet still uncertain, Gideon requests a second sign with reversed conditions: '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.' His apologetic tone—'Let not thine anger be hot' and repeated 'but this once'—shows awareness that multiple sign-requests risk presumptuous testing of God. Yet he cannot shake his uncertainty. The request to reverse the miracle addresses the concern that the first sign might have natural explanation (fleece naturally absorbs moisture). A dry fleece surrounded by wet ground would be even more obviously miraculous.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Gideon's concern about divine anger reflects the understanding that testing God was dangerous—Moses struck the rock twice (Numbers 20:11-12), and Israel tested God repeatedly in the wilderness (Psalm 78:18, 41, 56), provoking judgment. The phrase 'prove... with the fleece' uses nasah (נָסָה, 'test/try'), the same verb used for Israel testing God in the wilderness (Exodus 17:2). Gideon walks the line between legitimate seeking of assurance and presumptuous demand for proof.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Gideon's apologetic tone reveal his awareness of the potential sin in demanding signs?
  2. What distinguishes between testing God (sinful) and requesting confirmation (acceptable)?
  3. How should Christians respond when wrestling with doubt despite clear divine revelation and previous confirmations?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 27 words
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר1 of 27

said

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

גִּדְעוֹן֙2 of 27

And Gideon

H1439

gidon, an israelite

אֶל3 of 27
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים4 of 27

unto God

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

אַל5 of 27
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

יִ֤חַר6 of 27

be hot

H2734

to glow or grow warm; figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy

אַפְּךָ֙7 of 27

Let not thine anger

H639

properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire

בִּ֔י8 of 27
H0
וַֽאֲדַבְּרָ֖ה9 of 27

against me and I will speak

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

אַ֣ךְ10 of 27
H389

a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) only

הַפַּ֙עַם֙11 of 27

I pray thee but this once

H6471

a stroke, literally or figuratively (in various applications, as follow)

אֲנַסֶּ֤ה12 of 27

let me prove

H5254

to test; by implication, to attempt

נָּא13 of 27
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

רַק14 of 27
H7535

properly, leanness, i.e., (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although

הַפַּ֙עַם֙15 of 27

I pray thee but this once

H6471

a stroke, literally or figuratively (in various applications, as follow)

הַגִּזָּה֙16 of 27

only upon the fleece

H1492

a fleece

יְהִי17 of 27
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

נָ֨א18 of 27
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

חֹ֤רֶב19 of 27

let it now be dry

H2721

drought or desolation

אֶל20 of 27
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

הַגִּזָּה֙21 of 27

only upon the fleece

H1492

a fleece

לְבַדָּ֔הּ22 of 27
H905

properly, separation; by implication, a part of the body, branch of a tree, bar for carrying; figuratively, chief of a city; especially (with preposit

וְעַל23 of 27
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

כָּל24 of 27
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

הָאָ֖רֶץ25 of 27

and upon all the ground

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

יִֽהְיֶה26 of 27
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

טָּֽל׃27 of 27

let there be dew

H2919

dew (as covering vegetation)


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Judges 6:39 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Judges 6:39 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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