Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

JUDGES 6:27KJV
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Judges 6:27 (KJV)

What does Judges 6:27 mean?

Judges 6:27 describes how Gideon obeyed God's command by taking ten of his servants and carrying out the task God gave him, but he did it at night because he was afraid of his family and the people in his town. The verse shows Gideon's obedience mixed with fear, leading him to act cautiously.

Gideon is the main figure here, responding to God's instructions during a time when Israel was oppressed by the Midianites. God had told Gideon to tear down his father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Gideon gathers ten servants to help, showing he did not act alone, but his fear of his father's household and the townspeople led him to do this at night rather than during the day.

The Hebrew behind Judges 6:27

  • "Feared" (יָרֵא, yare): This word means to be afraid or to have reverence. In this context, it highlights Gideon's real anxiety about how his family and community would react to his actions, not just a general sense of caution.
  • "Servants" (עֶבֶד, eved): The word refers to household servants or attendants. Gideon's choice to involve ten servants suggests he needed help and perhaps wanted witnesses or support for such a risky act.
  • "Did" (עָשָׂה, asah): This verb is repeated in the verse, emphasizing that Gideon completed the task just as God had said, even if he chose a less confrontational time to do it.

Why Judges 6:27 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Gideon's obedience to God was real, but it was not without fear or hesitation, making him a relatable figure for readers who struggle with courage.
  • The detail about acting at night shows the real social and family pressures Gideon faced, helping readers understand the risk involved in following God's command.
  • This moment sets up the conflict with the townspeople in the following verses and shows the beginning of Gideon's journey as a leader who learns to trust God more fully.

Where else these words appear

“Gideon” Hebrew H1439 · used in 37 verses

  • Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
  • Judges 7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
  • Judges 8:11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.

“day” Hebrew H3119 · used in 50 verses

  • Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
  • Nehemiah 4:9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
  • Isaiah 4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.