Judges 6:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What is the significance of the phrase “Go in this thy fortress, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of Midian” (Judges 6:14)? Encouraged by the angel to rally an army and confront the enemy, Gideon responded, “And if the Lord be with us, why have we found all these evils? And where are all His miracles, which our fathers told us, saying, ‘The Lord brought us out of Egypt? And now the Lord hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian’” (Judges 6:13). Despite recalling God's mighty acts and believing firmly in His power, Gideon questioned the present circumstances. In response, the angel declared, “Go in this thy fortress, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of Midian,” as if to encourage Gideon to proceed with this conviction, assuring him that he would prevail.

In me, my Lord, my sovereign. The profound phrase within me (Εν εμοι) can only be understood as indicating the absence of a clearer expression. One might speculate that Gideon intended to express a thought he held, or perhaps he was simply pondering. What, then, is the essence of thought? If the Lord is indeed with us, why have we encountered such calamities? Additionally, Gideon fails to recognize the identity of the figure who greets him, calling him a mighty warrior, and he misunderstands the depth of the greeting. To him, it felt as though he was conversing with a mere human, an ordinary passerby, mistaking the greeting for a common courtesy devoid of any significant power.