Judges 6:18

Please do not depart from this place until I return to You. Let me bring my offering and set it before You.” And the LORD said, “I will stay until you return.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Gideon speaks to the divine visitor at the oak, requesting that the figure wait while he prepares a meal. The LORD responds by agreeing to remain at the location until Gideon returns.

The words — The Hebrew phrase אַל־נָא תָמֻשׁ (‘al-na tamush) literally means “may not please you depart” or “please do not depart.” Gideon also uses וְהֹצֵאתִי (ve-ho-tzeTi), meaning “and I will bring out,” to declare his action of presenting the food.

The thread — This request to delay departure while preparing hospitality mirrors Abraham’s plea in Genesis 18:3 and the angel’s response in Genesis 18:5, alongside Manoah’s identical request in Judges 13:15. These passages record a repeated narrative pattern where divine visitors pause for human provision.

Why it lands — The text states that spiritual verification in this account is tied to delayed departure and physical offering. It asks the reader to observe how tangible preparation serves as the concrete mechanism for confirming divine presence.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אַל־'al-may not נָ֨אna'please תָמֻ֤שׁta.Mushyou depart מִזֶּה֙mi./Zehfrom/ here עַד־'ad-until בֹּאִ֣יbo.'/Icome/ I אֵלֶ֔יךָ'e.Lei./khato/ you וְהֹֽצֵאתִי֙ve./ho.tze.Tiand/ I will bring out אֶת־'et-<obj.>מִנְחָתִ֔יmin.cha.T/igift/ my וְהִנַּחְתִּ֖יve./hi.nach.Tiand/ I will set [it]לְפָנֶ֑יךָle./fa.Nei./kha<to>/ before/ you וַיֹּאמַ֕רva/i.yo.Marand/ he said אָנֹכִ֥י'a.no.KhiI אֵשֵׁ֖ב'e.ShevI will remain עַ֥ד'aduntil שׁוּבֶֽךָ׃shu.Ve./khareturning/ you

King James Version

Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

Cross-references

Genesis 18:5 And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”
Genesis 18:3 “My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
Judges 13:15 “Please stay here,” Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “and we will prepare a young goat for you.”
Genesis 19:3 But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him into his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.