Judges 6:21-24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 6:11-24

It is not said what effect the prophet's sermon had upon the people, but we may hope it had a good effect, and that some of them at least repented and reformed upon it; for here, immediately after, we have the dawning of the day of their deliverance, by the effectual calling of Gideon to take upon him the command of their forces against the Midianites. I. The person to be commissioned for this service was Gideon, the son of Joash, Jdg. 5:14. The father was now living, but he was passed by, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:21

Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand ,.... With which he walked, appearing as a traveller, and which was one reason of Gideon's providing for his refreshment, before he proceeded on in his journey: and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes ; did not strike the rock with it, as Moses did with his rod, to fetch out water for the Israelites, but touched the provisions brought him; not using it instead of a knife to separate any part of them,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:22

And when Gideon perceived he was an angel of the Lord ,.... By the miracle wrought, and the manner of his departure: Gideon said, alas! O Lord God ; woe to me, what will become of me, or befall me, I shall surely die: for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face ; and whom he had reason to believe was the Lord himself, a divine Person, by the miracle wrought; and it was a commonly received notion even among good men, in those times, that the Lord was not to be seen by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:23

And the Lord said unto him ,.... Either by a secret impulse upon his spirit, or by a voice from heaven; and even, as Kimchi observes, the angel, after he ascended, might cause this voice to be heard, seeing him in great fear, because he knew he was an angel; and which is another proof of this angel being Jehovah himself, the eternal Word: peace be unto thee, fear not, thou shall not die ; let not thy mind be ruffled and disturbed, but serene and calm; fear not that any evil shall befall... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:24

Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord ,.... On the top of the rock where he had laid his provisions, and which had been consumed by fire issuing out of it, as a token of divine acceptance, and as an assurance of his destroying the Midianites as easily and quickly as the fire had consumed them, and therefore had great encouragement to erect an altar here for God: and called it Jehovahshalom ; the Lord is peace, the author and giver of peace, temporal, spiritual, and eternal; so... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 6:21

The angel - put forth the end of the staff - He appeared like a traveler with a staff in his hand; this he put forth, and having touched the flesh, fire rose out of the rock and consumed it. Here was the most evident proof of supernatural agency. Then the angel - departed out of his sight - Though the angel vanished out of his sight, yet God continued to converse with him either by secret inspiration in his own heart, or by an audible voice. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 6:22

Alas , O Lord God ! for because I have seen - This is an elliptical sentence, a natural expression of the distressed state of Gideon's mind: as if he had said, Have mercy on me, O Lord God! else I shall die; because I have seen an angel of Jehovah face to face. We have frequently seen that it was a prevalent sentiment, as well before as under the law, that if any man saw God, or his representative angel he must surely die. On this account Gideon is alarmed, and prays for his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 6:23

Fear not : thou shalt not die - Here the discovery is made by God himself: Gideon is not curiously prying into forbidden mysteries, therefore he shall not die. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 6:24

Gideon built an altar - and called it Jehovah-shalom - The words שלום יהוה Yehovah shalom signify The Lord is my peace, or The peace of Jehovah; and this name he gave the altar, in reference to what God had said, Judges 6:23 , Peace be unto thee, לך שלום shalom lecha , "Peace to thee;" which implied, not only a wish, but a prediction of the prosperous issue of the enterprise in which he was about to engage. It is likely that this is the altar which is mentioned in ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 6:22

Alas, O Lord GOD! - Compare Joshua 7:7. “because I have seen an angel of the Lord” Compare the marginal references, in which the notion that it was death for mortal man to see God appears clearly. The same notion prevailed among the pagan. read more

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