Judges 6:36

36 Gid`on said to God, If you will save Yisra'el by my hand, as you have spoken,

Judges 6:36 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 6:36

And Gideon said unto God
Not to a prophet of God who was there, of whom he asked the following signs to be done, as Ben Gersom, but to God in prayer, as Abarbinel:

if thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said;
not that he doubted of it, but was willing to have a confirmation of his faith; and perhaps his view was more for the encouragement of those that were with him than himself, that he desired the following signs; and though he had had one before, that was to show that he was truly an angel that spoke to him, and not to ascertain the salvation that should be wrought by him; though that might be concluded from his being an angel that spoke to him, and assured him of it.

Judges 6:36 In-Context

34 But the Spirit of the LORD came on Gid`on; and he blew a shofar; and Avi-Ezer was gathered together after him.

35 He sent messengers throughout all Menashsheh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zevulun, and to Naftali; and they came up to meet them.

36 Gid`on said to God, If you will save Yisra'el by my hand, as you have spoken,

37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground, then shall I know that you will save Yisra'el by my hand, as you have spoken.

38 It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.