Judges 6:27
in Judges 6So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city, he did it by night rather than in the daytime.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Jehovah had spoken unto him: and it came to pass, because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
KJV
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
⋯
This verse in Judges 6
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The mention of the “men of the city” by the side of Gideon’s “father’s household” suggests the probability of their being a remnant of the Canaanite population, and the special patrons of Baal-worship.
This site's exposition
a second bull seven years old
on Judges 6:25-27
His father's altar to Baal and the Asherah pole stand at Ophrah, so what verse 10 charged against the nation stands in the called man's yard. Deuteronomy 7:5 and 12:3 had commanded this act, so his first order is an old, unkept one. The bull is seven years old as Midian's rule has run seven years, and fear of "his father’s household" sends him out by night.
This site's exposition
the men of the city
Albert Barnes suggests that the men of the city, named beside Gideon's household, may have been a remnant of the Canaanite population who championed Baal. Ten servants carried out the work. Gideon obeyed in full and hid only the hour.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants,....
He that was to command the Israel of God must be subject to the God of Israel, without disputing, and, as a type of Christ, must first save his people from their sins, and then save them from their enemies.
We put ourselves in the way of divine visits when we employ ourselves in honest business. Tidings of Christ's birth were brought to the shepherds when they were keeping their flocks. The work he was about was an emblem of that greater work to which he was now to be called, as the disciples' fishing was.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him--The transaction in which Gideon is here described as engaged was not entered on till the night after the vision.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
He feared his father’s household - So it appears that his father was an idolater: but as Gideon had ten men of his own servants whom he could trust in this matter, it is probable that he had preserved the true faith, and had not bowed his knee to the image of Baal.
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקַּ֨ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| גִּדְע֜וֹן | gidon | Gideon | H1439 → | 39 times |
| עֲשָׂרָ֤ה | ʾasarah | ten | H6235 → | 176 times |
| אֲנָשִׁים֙ | ʾanashim | men | H582 → | 566 times |
| מֵֽעֲבָדָ֔יו | meavadav | from servants his | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וַיַּ֕עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֥ר | diber | he had spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלָ֖יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיְהִ֡י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר | kaasher | <as> since | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יָרֵא֩ | yare' | he feared | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּ֨ית | beit | [the] household of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אָבִ֜יו | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אַנְשֵׁ֥י | ʾanshei | [the] men of | H582 → | 566 times |
| הָעִ֛יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹת | measot | from acting | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| יוֹמָ֖ם | yomam | by day | H3119 → | |
| וַיַּ֥עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he acted | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לָֽיְלָה׃ | layelah | night | H3915 → | 233 times |
וַיִּקַּ֨חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
גִּדְע֜וֹןGideon
gidonH1439 →39 times
עֲשָׂרָ֤הten
ʾasarahH6235 →176 times
אֲנָשִׁים֙men
ʾanashimH582 →566 times
מֵֽעֲבָדָ֔יוfrom servants his
meavadavH5650 →799 times
וַיַּ֕עַשׂand he did
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֥רhe had spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
אֵלָ֖יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיְהִ֡יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר<as> since
kaasherH834 →5497 times
יָרֵא֩he feared
yare'H3372 →315 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בֵּ֨ית[the] household of
beitH1004 →2046 times
אָבִ֜יוfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אַנְשֵׁ֥י[the] men of
ʾansheiH582 →566 times
הָעִ֛ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹתfrom acting
measotH6213 →2628 times
יוֹמָ֖םby day
yomamH3119 →
וַיַּ֥עַשׂand he acted
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
לָֽיְלָה׃night
layelahH3915 →233 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
John 2:5His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
it leads to
- Genesis 6:22
So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.
- John 15:14
You are My friends if you do what I command you.
- Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
- Luke 5:5–6
“Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”
- Hebrews 5:9
And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him
- Genesis 6:22
Through
1 Thessalonians 2:4Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.
it leads to
- Galatians 1:10
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- Romans 8:27
And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
- Galatians 1:10
Through
John 3:2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were…
it leads to
- John 5:36
But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.
- John 5:36
Where this verse is studied
About Judges
Who and where
1 name 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); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; 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.