Judges 6:13
in Judges 6“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonders of which our fathers told us, saying, ‘Has not the LORD brought us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Gideon said unto him, Oh, my lord, if Jehovah is with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up from Egypt? but now Jehovah hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.
KJV
And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
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This verse in Judges 6
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The extreme bitterness of the national sufferings under the Midianite occupation breaks out in Gideon’s language. The Angel’s words, suitable to times of prosperity, seemed to be a mockery, when it was evident the Lord was not with them. (Compare Deu 31:17.)
This site's exposition
if the LORD is with us
on Judges 6:13-14
Gideon answers with the history the prophet had just recited and draws the opposite conclusion, "now the LORD has forsaken us". Deuteronomy 31:17 puts the same complaint in Israel's mouth as a covenant warning, so he voices the sentence he lives under. Verse 14 leaves the question aside and sends him, and its last clause carries the answer, "Am I not sending you".
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Gideon said to him, oh my Lord,....
Gideon was a mighty man of valour, but as yet weak in faith, which makes it hard to him to reconcile to the assurances now given him of the presence of God, [1.] The distress to which Israel was reduced: Why has all this (and all this was no little) befallen us?
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Gideon, in replying, addresses him at first in a style equivalent (in Hebrew) to "sir," but afterwards gives to him the name usually applied to God. an oak--Hebrew, "the oak"--as famous in after-times.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?--Gideon's language betrays want of reflection, for the very chastisements God had brought on His people showed His presence with, and His interest in, them.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
And Gideon said unto him - This speech is remarkable for its energy and simplicity; it shows indeed a measure of despondency, but not more than the circumstances of the case justified.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
If [lit. and] Adonoy is with us. 6 Not “And Adonoy is with us,” as the literal reading would indicate, but “If Adonoy is with us,” as demonstrated by the following phrase cited by Rashi, “why has [all this] occurred, etc.”.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Adonoy is with you, man of supreme power. Since He infused you with such power.
Turned to him. The Holy One, blessed is He, Himself. 9 Gidon was visited by Adonoy himself in the merit of his advocacy of Yisroel. (Yalkut, ibid)
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
30 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלָ֤יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| גִּדְעוֹן֙ | gidon | Gideon | H1439 → | 39 times |
| בִּ֣י | bi | pardon me | H994 → | 12 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֔י | ʾadoni | O lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| וְיֵ֤שׁ | veyesh | and there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עִמָּ֔נוּ | ʾimanu | [is] with us | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| וְלָ֥מָּה | velamah | and <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| מְצָאַ֖תְנוּ | metzaatnu | has it found us | H4672 → | 455 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| זֹ֑את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וְאַיֵּ֣ה | veaiyeh | and where? | H346 → | |
| כָֽל־ | khol- | [are] all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| נִפְלְאֹתָ֡יו | nifleotav | wonders his | H6381 → | |
| אֲשֶׁר֩ | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| סִפְּרוּ־ | siperu- | they recounted | H5608 → | 159 times |
| לָ֨נוּ | lanu | to <the> us | ||
| אֲבוֹתֵ֜ינוּ | ʾavoteinu | fathers our | H1 → | 1212 times |
| לֵאמֹ֗ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הֲלֹ֤א | halo' | ¿ not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ | mimitzrayim | from Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| הֶעֱלָ֣נוּ | heelanu | did he bring up us | H5927 → | 890 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְעַתָּה֙ | veatah | and now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| נְטָשָׁ֣נוּ | netashanu | he has abandoned us | H5203 → | |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖נוּ | vaiyitenenu | and he has given us | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בְּכַף־ | bekhaf- | in [the] hand of | H3709 → | 192 times |
| מִדְיָֽן׃ | midyan | Midian | H4080 → | 59 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֵלָ֤יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
גִּדְעוֹן֙Gideon
gidonH1439 →39 times
בִּ֣יpardon me
biH994 →12 times
אֲדֹנִ֔יO lord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
וְיֵ֤שׁand there
veyeshH3426 →140 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עִמָּ֔נוּ[is] with us
ʾimanuH5973 →1050 times
וְלָ֥מָּהand <to> why?
velamahH4100 →752 times
מְצָאַ֖תְנוּhas it found us
metzaatnuH4672 →455 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
זֹ֑אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
וְאַיֵּ֣הand where?
veaiyehH346 →
כָֽל־[are] all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
נִפְלְאֹתָ֡יוwonders his
nifleotavH6381 →
אֲשֶׁר֩which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
סִפְּרוּ־they recounted
siperu-H5608 →159 times
לָ֨נוּto <the> us
lanu
אֲבוֹתֵ֜ינוּfathers our
ʾavoteinuH1 →1212 times
לֵאמֹ֗ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
הֲלֹ֤א¿ not
halo'H3808 →5168 times
מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙from Egypt
mimitzrayimH4714 →641 times
הֶעֱלָ֣נוּdid he bring up us
heelanuH5927 →890 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְעַתָּה֙and now
veatahH6258 →433 times
נְטָשָׁ֣נוּhe has abandoned us
netashanuH5203 →
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖נוּand he has given us
vaiyitenenuH5414 →2011 times
בְּכַף־in [the] hand of
bekhaf-H3709 →192 times
מִדְיָֽן׃Midian
midyanH4080 →59 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Chronicles 15:2So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him,…
it leads to
- James 4:8
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- 2 Chronicles 24:20
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments…
- 2 Chronicles 15:4
But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9
As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought.…
- Jeremiah 29:12–14
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- James 4:8
Through
Psalms 44:1We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us the work You did in their days, in the days of old.
it leads to
- Psalms 78:3–6
that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us.
- Exodus 13:14–15
In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
- Psalms 78:3–6
Through
Isaiah 63:15Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation. Where are Your zeal and might? Your yearning and compassion for me are restrained.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 26:15
Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land You have given us as You swore to our fathers—a land flowing with milk and honey.”
- Deuteronomy 26:15
Where this verse is studied
About Judges
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.