Judges 6:12

Context

Chapter 6 of Judges is set during the period of the judges, when Israel had been oppressed by Midian for seven years. When Israel cried out, God first sent a prophet to rebuke them for their disobedience (Judges 6:7-10). The angel of the LORD then appeared under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. At that moment Joash's son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites (Judges 6:11). This verse records the first words spoken to him: "The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour."

Gideon immediately replies, "if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us?" (Judges 6:13). When God says He will send him, Gideon demurs, protesting that his family is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh and that he is the least in his father's house (Judges 6:15). The scene opens a call narrative that moves through commission, objection, the promise of God's presence, and a confirming sign.

Interpretation

• An ironic reading: This interpretation sees a deliberate contrast in calling a man who is threshing in hiding a "mighty man of valour." The title is understood to look not to Gideon's present condition but to what God will accomplish through him. On this reading the emphasis falls on God's presence rather than on Gideon's own qualities.
• A reading focused on the meaning of the title: The Hebrew phrase translated "mighty man of valour," gibbor hechayil, can denote a warrior, but it can also refer to a person of wealth or social standing. Some scholars therefore suggest that it may describe the status of Gideon's family. The Korean Revised Version renders a similar expression introducing Boaz in Ruth 2:1 as "a man of influence" (KJV: "a mighty man of wealth").
• A reading focused on the promise of presence: This reading places "The LORD is with thee" in the same line as the promises given to Moses and Joshua (Exodus 3:12; Joshua 1:5). Because the Hebrew original contains no verb, the phrase can be read either as a greeting ("The LORD be with thee") or as a declaration.
• The identity of the angel of the LORD: The text first calls the speaker "the angel of the LORD" and shortly afterward "the LORD" (Judges 6:14). Some Church Fathers and some Reformed and evangelical commentators regard this figure as an appearance of Christ before the Incarnation. Other scholars understand him as a messenger who speaks on God's behalf.

Questions Concerning Application

The verse is often applied as a message of identity and self-worth: "God sees me as a mighty warrior." Several concerns have been raised about such applications. One is that an emphasis on a person's inner potential can obscure the text's focus, which grounds Gideon's calling in God's presence. Another is that the verse should be read together with the later account of Gideon making a golden ephod that became a snare to Israel (Judges 8:27). On the other hand, Hebrews 11:32 counts Gideon among those commended for their faith.

In the Korean Church

The verse frequently serves as the text for sermons on calling and mission and on the God who uses the weak. The phrase "mighty man of valour" also commonly appears in the titles of sermons for youth retreats and ordination or installation services.

Related Passages

• Exodus 3:12-15
• Joshua 1:9
• Judges 6:16
• Ruth 2:1
• 2 Corinthians 12:9