The Meaning of Judges 6:37 Explained

Judges 6:37

KJV: Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

YLT: lo, I am placing the fleece of wool in the threshing-floor: if dew is on the fleece alone, and on all the earth drought -- then I have known that Thou dost save Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken;'

Darby: behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that thou wilt deliver Israel by my hand, as thou hast said."

ASV: behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, I will put  a fleece  of wool  in the floor;  [and] if the dew  be on the fleece  only, and [it be] dry  upon all the earth  [beside], then shall I know  that thou wilt save  Israel  by mine hand,  as thou hast said. 

What does Judges 6:37 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 6:28-40 - Beginning Reform At Home
The good sense of Joash saved his son. "Of what use is Baal to us," said he, "if he cannot take care of himself?" Gideon had stood the divine test; can you wonder that the Spirit of Jehovah, whom we know as the Holy Spirit, came upon Gideon and wrought mightily through his submitted life? Oh, to be pliant to the Spirit of Christ, as clothes to the body! With heroic courage he blew the trumpet of revolt, regardless of Midian, and at its notes the whole country aroused as from the spell of a bad enchantment.
But amid the excitement of the hour, the young leader craved one more assurance. He asked two questions. Was it possible that the Spirit had come on him in an especial manner? The answer was in the affirmative, for the fleece-which represented himself-contained a bowlful of water, while the floor was dry. Was it possible, also, that the same Spirit that had come on himself would descend on the people who should gather to his summons? Again the answer was in the affirmative, for the floor was wet. God's promises are always "Yea" and "Amen." He cannot fail you. See 2 Corinthians 1:18-22. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Judges 6:37 mean?

look I shall put - a fleece of wool on the threshing floor if dew there is on the fleece only and on all the ground [it is] dry then I shall know that You will save by my hand Israel as You have said
הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִ֗י מַצִּ֛יג אֶת־ גִּזַּ֥ת הַצֶּ֖מֶר בַּגֹּ֑רֶן אִ֡ם טַל֩ יִהְיֶ֨ה עַֽל־ הַגִּזָּ֜ה לְבַדָּ֗הּ וְעַל־ כָּל־ הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ חֹ֔רֶב וְיָדַעְתִּ֗י כִּֽי־ תוֹשִׁ֧יעַ בְּיָדִ֛י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ

הִנֵּ֣ה  look 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
מַצִּ֛יג  shall  put 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָצַג  
Sense: to place, set, establish.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
גִּזַּ֥ת  a  fleece 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: גִּזָּה  
Sense: fleece.
הַצֶּ֖מֶר  of  wool 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶמֶר  
Sense: wool.
בַּגֹּ֑רֶן  on  the  threshing  floor 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֹּרֶן  
Sense: threshing-floor.
טַל֩  dew 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.
יִהְיֶ֨ה  there  is 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַגִּזָּ֜ה  the  fleece 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּזָּה  
Sense: fleece.
לְבַדָּ֗הּ  only 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
וְעַל־  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
חֹ֔רֶב  [it  is]  dry 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹרֶב 
Sense: dryness, desolation, drought, heat.
וְיָדַעְתִּ֗י  then  I  shall  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
תוֹשִׁ֧יעַ  You  will  save 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
בְּיָדִ֛י  by  my  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
דִּבַּֽרְתָּ  You  have  said 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.