KJV ORIGINAL
And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And he said to him, 'Oh my Lord, how can I possibly save Israel? Look, my family is poor in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least important person in my father's house.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Gideon is expressing his feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness, questioning how someone as insignificant as himself could possibly be used to rescue Israel.
📚 Historical Context
This is Gideon's response to the angel of the Lord who had just called him to deliver Israel from the oppressive Midianites. The Israelites had been suffering under Midianite raids for seven years, hiding in caves and losing their crops. Gideon came from the tribe of Manasseh, and his clan was indeed among the weakest in that tribe.
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