Judges 6:15

Identity and self-worth Doubt Humility Fear

¹³ “Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonders of which our fathers told us, saying, ‘Has not the LORD brought us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”

¹⁴ The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Am I not sending you?”

“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”

¹⁶ “Surely I will be with you,” the LORD replied, “and you will strike down all the Midianites as one man.”

¹⁷ Gideon answered, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that it is You speaking with me.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
KJV: And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.
WEB: He said to him, “O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
ASV: And he said unto him, Oh, Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father`s house.
DARBY: And he said to him, Ah Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my thousand is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
BLB: And he said to Him, “Please, my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan [is] the poorest in Manasseh, and I [am] the least in the house of my father.”

ÅB: Men han sa til ham: Hør på meg, Herre! Hvordan skal jeg frelse Israel? Min slekt er jo den ringeste i Manasse, og jeg er den yngste i min fars hus.
OTB: Gideon sa: “Unnskyld meg, min herre, men hvordan kan jeg frelse Israel? Min slekt er den svakeste i Manasse, og jeg er den minste i min familie.”
B1930: Men han sa til ham: Hør på mig, Herre! Hvorledes skal jeg frelse Israel? Min ætt er jo den ringeste i Manasse, og jeg er den yngste i min fars hus.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Exodus 3:11
But Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
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1 Samuel 9:21
Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
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Exodus 4:10
“Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
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Jeremiah 1:6
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”
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Ephesians 3:8
Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
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Luke 1:34
“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
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Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel — One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.
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Jeremiah 50:45
Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Babylon and the strategies He has devised against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; certainly their pasture will be made desolate because of them.
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