Judges 6:15

15 But Gid'on answered him, "Forgive me, my Lord, but with what am I to save Isra'el? Why, my family is the poorest in M'nasheh, and I'm the youngest person in my father's house!"

Judges 6:15 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 6:15

And he said unto him, oh my Lord
Whether he had yet suspected who he was, or took him still for some eminent person, is not certain; it is very probable he began to think he was some extraordinary person sent of God, and speaking in his name, and therefore expostulates with him about the work he put him upon:

wherewith shall I save Israel?
in what way is it possible for me to do it, who had neither men nor money sufficient for such an undertaking?

behold, my family is poor in Manasseh;
of which tribe he was, and the "thousand" in it, as the word ^F12 here used signifies, was the meanest of all the thousands in that tribe; some render it, "my father" ^F13:

and I am the least in my father's house;
perhaps the youngest son; though some take him, and others his father, to be the Chiliarch, or head of the thousand; but by these words of his it does not seem as if either was true; not but that he was of some wealth and substance, power and authority, by having such a number of servants as to take "ten" of them with him, ( Judges 6:27 ) however, this he says in great humility and modesty, having no high thoughts of himself and family, nor any dependence on his own strength, and on an arm of flesh.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (ypla) "chilias, mea", Montanus, Drusius; "mea millenaria", Tigurine version; "mille meum", Piscator.
F13 "Pater meus", Pagninus; so some in Drusius.

Judges 6:15 In-Context

13 "Excuse me, sir," answered Gid'on, "but if ADONAI is with us, then why is all this happening to us? And where are all his miracles our ancestors told us about when they said, 'Didn't ADONAI bring us up from Egypt?' For now ADONAI has abandoned us and handed us over to Midyan."

14 ADONAI turned to him and said, "Go in this strength of yours and save Isra'el from the hands of Midyan. Haven't I sent you?"

15 But Gid'on answered him, "Forgive me, my Lord, but with what am I to save Isra'el? Why, my family is the poorest in M'nasheh, and I'm the youngest person in my father's house!"

16 ADONAI said to him, "Because I will be with you, you will strike down Midyan as easily as if they were just one man."

17 Gid'on replied, "If indeed you favor me, would you mind giving me a sign that it is really you talking with me?