File:Gideon near the winepress.jpg

Summary
Artist Unknown

Judges 6:11 - 6:12 - 6:13 - 6:14 - 6:15 - 6:16 - 6:17 - 6:18

'''6:11. And an angel of the Lord came, and sat under an oak that was in Ephra, and belonged to Joas, the father of the family of Ezri. And when Gideon, his son, was threshing and cleansing wheat by the winepress, to flee from Midian,'''

6:12. The angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: The Lord is with you, O most valiant of men.

'''6:13. And Gideon said to him: I beseech you, my lord, if the Lord be with us, why have these evils fallen upon us? Where are his miracles, which our fathers have told us of, saying: The Lord brought us out of Egypt but now the Lord has forsaken us, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.'''

6:14. And the Lord looked upon him, and said: Go, in this your strength, and you shall deliver Israel out of the hand of Midian: know that I have sent you.

'''6:15. He answered, and said: I beseech you, my lord wherewith shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the meanest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.'''

The meanest in Manasseh, etc. . .Mark how the Lord chooses the humble (who are mean and little in their own eyes) for the greatest enterprises.

6:16. And the Lord said to him: I will be with you: and you shall cut off Midian as one man.

6:17. And he said: If I have found grace before you, give me a sign that it is you that speaks to me:

'''6:18. And depart not hence, till I return to you, and bring a sacrifice, and offer it to you. And he answered: I will wait your coming.'''