Judges 6:18

18 Please don't go away until I come back. I'll bring my offering and set it down in front of you." The LORD said, "I will wait until you return."

Judges 6:18 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee
Intending to go to his own, or his father's house, to fetch some food to entertain him with, and therefore entreats he would not quit the place where he was until he returned:

and bring forth my present, and set it before thee;
to treat him with, as a stranger and a messenger of God; and perhaps he thought, by this means, the better to discover who he was, whether an angel or a man: the word for the "present" is "minchah", often used for a meat offering, therefore some have thought of a sacrifice; but it appears by what follows that it was not of the nature of a sacrifice; and, besides, Gideon was no priest, nor was this a place for sacrifice, nor was there here any altar; and, besides, as Gideon did not yet know that it was the Lord himself, he could never think of offering a sacrifice to him:

and he said, I will tarry until thou come again;
which was a wonderful instance of divine condescension, it being some time he waited ere Gideon could prepare what he brought, as follows.

Judges 6:18 In-Context

16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you. So you will strike down the men of Midian all at one time."
17 Gideon replied, "If you are pleased with me, give me a special sign. Then I'll know that it's really you talking to me.
18 Please don't go away until I come back. I'll bring my offering and set it down in front of you." The LORD said, "I will wait until you return."
19 Gideon went and prepared a young goat. From more than half a bushel of flour he made bread without using yeast. He put the meat in a basket. In a pot he put soup that was made from the meat. Then he brought all of it and offered it to the LORD under the oak tree.
20 The angel of God spoke to Gideon. He said, "Take the meat and the bread. Place them on this rock. Then pour out the soup." So Gideon did it.
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