Judges 6:40
New International Version
That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

New Living Translation
So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.

English Standard Version
And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Berean Standard Bible
And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.

King James Bible
And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

New King James Version
And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.

New American Standard Bible
And God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.

NASB 1995
God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.

NASB 1977
And God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.

Legacy Standard Bible
And God did so that night. So it was dry only on the fleece, but dew was on all the ground.

Amplified Bible
God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and there was dew on all the ground [around it].

Christian Standard Bible
That night God did as Gideon requested: only the fleece was dry, and dew was all over the ground.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
That night God did as Gideon requested: only the fleece was dry, and dew was all over the ground.

American Standard Version
And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Contemporary English Version
That night, God made the stone floor wet with dew, but he kept the sheep skin dry.

English Revised Version
And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
During the night, God did what Gideon asked. The wool was dry, but all the ground was covered with dew.

Good News Translation
That night God did that very thing. The next morning the wool was dry, but the ground was wet with dew.

International Standard Version
And God did it just like that later that night. It was dry only on the fleece, but dew was all around on the ground.

Majority Standard Bible
And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.

NET Bible
That night God did as he asked. Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.

New Heart English Bible
God did so that night, for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew all over the ground.

Webster's Bible Translation
And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

World English Bible
God did so that night; for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And God does so on that night, and there is only dryness on the fleece, and there has been dew on all the earth.

Young's Literal Translation
And God doth so on that night, and there is drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth there hath been dew.

Smith's Literal Translation
And God will do so in that night: and there will be dryness to the fleece only, and upon all the earth was dew.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And God did that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And that night, God did as he had requested. And it was dry only on the fleece, and there was dew on all the ground.

New American Bible
That is what God did that night: the fleece alone was dry, but there was dew on all the ground.

New Revised Standard Version
And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And God did so that night; for only the fleece was dry, and there was dew on all the ground.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And on that night God did in this way, and it was dry on the fleece alone, and upon all the ground was dew
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And God did so that night; for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And God did so in that night; and there was drought on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sign of the Fleece
39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time let it be dry, and the ground covered with dew.” 40And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.

Cross References
Exodus 4:6-7
Furthermore, the LORD said to Moses, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, white as snow. / “Put your hand back inside your cloak,” said the LORD. So Moses put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his skin.

1 Kings 18:36-38
At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. / Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.” / Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.

2 Kings 20:8-11
Now Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” / And Isaiah had replied, “This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: Would you like the shadow to go forward ten steps, or back ten steps?” / “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.” ...

Isaiah 38:7-8
This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: / I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended.

Genesis 18:32
Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”

Numbers 17:8
The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.

1 Samuel 14:9-10
If they say, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them. / But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.”

2 Kings 1:10-12
Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men. / So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’” / Again Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

Matthew 12:38-39
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” / Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Luke 1:18-20
“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” / “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. / And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

John 2:18-19
On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?” / Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”

John 20:24-29
Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. / So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.” / Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ...

Acts 9:3-6
As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. / He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” / “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. ...

Acts 10:9-16
The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray. / He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. / He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. ...

Romans 4:19-21
Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. / Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, / being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.


Treasury of Scripture

And God did so that night: for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Jump to Previous
Alone Covered Dew Drought Dry Earth Night Round Wool
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Alone Covered Dew Drought Dry Earth Night Round Wool
Judges 6
1. The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian
8. A prophet rebukes them
11. An angel sends Gideon for their deliverance
17. Gideon's present is consumed with fire
24. Gideon destroys Baal's altar; offers a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom
28. Joash defends his son, and calls him Jerubbaal
33. Gideon's army
36. Gideon's signs














That night
The phrase "that night" indicates a specific time when God responded to Gideon's request. In the Hebrew context, the night often symbolizes a time of uncertainty or fear, yet it is also a time when God frequently reveals His will or provides assurance. This immediate response from God highlights His willingness to engage with Gideon’s doubts and fears, providing reassurance in a time of need.

God did so
This phrase underscores the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. The Hebrew root for "did" (עָשָׂה, 'asah) implies action and fulfillment. It emphasizes that God is not only a listener but also an active participant in the lives of His people. His actions are deliberate and purposeful, reinforcing His commitment to His promises and His people.

Only the fleece was dry
The fleece, a piece of wool, serves as a tangible sign for Gideon. The Hebrew word for fleece (גִּזָּה, gizzah) is significant as it represents something natural and ordinary, yet God uses it to perform a miraculous sign. The dryness of the fleece, contrary to natural expectations, signifies God's control over nature and His ability to transcend natural laws to communicate with His people.

and dew covered the ground
Dew in the ancient Near East was a vital source of moisture, often seen as a blessing from God. The Hebrew word for dew (טַל, tal) is associated with life and sustenance. The fact that dew covered the ground while the fleece remained dry is a reversal of natural expectations, further emphasizing the miraculous nature of God's sign. This act demonstrates God's power and His ability to provide assurance and confirmation to Gideon, reinforcing the idea that God is in control of all creation.

(40) It was dry upon the fleece only.--Such a result as this--not being in accordance with natural circumstances--could only have arisen from direct interposition. Besides the simple narrative, which tells us of these results as a sign granted to Gideon in accordance with his prayer, it is of course possible to allegorise the dew as the sign of God's grace, and to say that the first sign represented Israel as replenished with God's love when all was dry around (Hosea 14:5, "I will be as the dew unto Israel;" Micah 5:7, "Jacob shall be as the dew"); and the second, the fact that "God manifested himself in the weakness and forsaken condition of His people, while the nations were flourishing all around." Similarly St. Ambrose (De Sp. Sanct, Prol. in 1) sees in the fleece full of dew the Hebrew nation hiding the mystery of Christ within itself, and in the dry fleece that mystery extended to all the world, but leaving the Hebrew nation dry. It would be equally possible to give a mystic significance to the threshing-floor, as a type of the universal Church (Matthew 3:12, &c.). But these allegoric applications of simple narratives are, to say the least, precarious; nor is there much value in Ewald's comparison of the fleece to Gideon's character, cool amid the general passion, dry amid the general damp of fear.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And that
הַה֑וּא (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

night
בַּלַּ֣יְלָה (bal·lay·lāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

God
אֱלֹהִ֛ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

did
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

so.
כֵּ֖ן (kên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

Only
לְבַדָּ֔הּ (lə·ḇad·dāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of

the fleece
הַגִּזָּה֙ (hag·giz·zāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1492: A fleece

was
וַיְהִי־ (way·hî-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

dry,
חֹ֤רֶב (ḥō·reḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2721: Dryness, drought, heat

and dew
טָֽל׃ (ṭāl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2919: Night mist, dew

covered
הָ֥יָה (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

the ground.
הָאָ֖רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


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OT History: Judges 6:40 God did so that night: for it (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 6:39
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