Judges 6:23
And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
Original Language Analysis
יְהוָ֛ה
And the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֛ה
And the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
3 of 9
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
שָׁל֥וֹם
unto him Peace
H7965
שָׁל֥וֹם
unto him Peace
Strong's:
H7965
Word #:
4 of 9
safe, i.e., (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e., health, prosperity, peace
אַל
H408
אַל
Strong's:
H408
Word #:
6 of 9
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
תִּירָ֑א
be unto thee fear
H3372
תִּירָ֑א
be unto thee fear
Strong's:
H3372
Word #:
7 of 9
to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten
Cross References
Daniel 10:19And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.Genesis 43:23And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.John 20:26And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Historical Context
Divine assurances 'fear not' appear throughout Scripture at theophanies and angelic visitations (Genesis 15:1, 26:24, Daniel 10:12, Luke 1:30, 2:10). These words acknowledge appropriate fear while providing divine reassurance. That God speaks directly after the Angel departed suggests the Angel was Yahweh Himself in visible form—a theophany rather than a created angel serving as mere messenger.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's 'peace be unto you' demonstrate His grace in approaching sinful humanity?
- What does Christ's use of identical words ('Peace be unto you') after His resurrection reveal about His divine identity?
- How can believers experience peace in God's presence despite awareness of personal sin?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The LORD speaks peace to Gideon's terror: 'Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.' The Hebrew shalom (שָׁלוֹם, 'peace') encompasses wholeness, well-being, and reconciliation—not merely absence of hostility. God's reassurance addresses both physical fear (death) and spiritual fear (guilt before holiness). This grace-filled promise prefigures Christ's post-resurrection words to terrified disciples: 'Peace be unto you' (Luke 24:36, John 20:19). That sinful Gideon survives divine encounter demonstrates covenant grace—God condescends to meet His people without consuming them.