Judges 6:15

“And he said unto him, oh my Lord, etc.] 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 wordf131 here used signifies, was the meanest of all the thousands in that tribe; some render it, “my father” f132: and I am the least in my…”

“Gideon now perceived that the Lord was speaking to him by His angel. He saw, however, no qualifications in himself, or in his family or tribe, for the office of saviour to his people. He therefore desires some assurance that the message he had just received was indeed from God, and not a mere dream or delusion. He asks as a sign Judges 6:18 that his mysterious visitor should tarry under the oak until he should return to Him with his gifts and offerings. return to 'Top of Page'”

“My family - Heb. my thousand: for the tribes were distributed into several thousands, whereof each thousand had his peculiar governor. Is poor - That is, weak and contemptible. The least - Either for age, or fitness for so great a work. Judges 6:16”

“wherewith: Exo 3:11, Exo 4:10; Jer 1:6; Luk 1:34 my family is poor: Heb. my thousand is the meanest, Exo 18:21-25; Sa1 9:21, Sa1 18:23; Mic 5:2 the least: Gen 32:10; Jer 50:45; Co1 15:9; Eph 3:8 Judges 6:16”