SEV Biblia, Chapter 6:22
Y viendo Gedeón que era el ángel del SEÑOR, dijo: Ay, Señor DIOS, que he visto al ángel del SEÑOR cara a cara.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Judges 6:22
Verse 22. Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen] This is an elliptical sentence, a natural expression of the distressed state of Gideon's mind: as if he had said, Have mercy on me, O Lord God! else I shall die; because I have seen an angel of Jehovah face to face. We have frequently seen that it was a prevalent sentiment, as well before as under the law, that if any man saw God, or his representative angel he must surely die. On this account Gideon is alarmed, and prays for his life. This notion prevailed among the heathens, and we find an instance of it in the fable of Jupiter and Semele. She wished to see his glory; she saw it, and was struck dead by the effulgence. See the notes on Exod. xxxiii. 20. We find that a similar opinion prevailed very anciently among the Greeks. In the hymn of Callimachus, eiv loutra thv palladov, ver. 100, are these words: - kronioi dÆ wde legonti nomoi Æov ke tinÆ aqanatwn, oka mh qeov autov elhtai, aqrhsh, misqw touton idein megalw.
"The laws of Saturn enact, that if any man see any of the immortal gods, unless that god himself shall choose it, he shall pay dearly for that sight."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 22. And when Gideon perceived he was an angel of the Lord , etc.] By the miracle wrought, and the manner of his departure: Gideon said, alas! O Lord God ; woe to me, what will become of me, or befall me, I shall surely die: for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face ; and whom he had reason to believe was the Lord himself, a divine Person, by the miracle wrought; and it was a commonly received notion even among good men, in those times, that the Lord was not to be seen by them and live, as appears from Jacob, Manoah, and others; at least the appearance of a divine Person, and even of any messenger from heaven, was startling, surprising, and frightful to them; which arose from a sense they had of the divine Being, and of their own sinfulness and frailty.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-24 - Gideon was a man of a brave, active spirit, yet in obscurity throug the times: he is here stirred up to undertake something great. It wa very sure that the Lord was with him, when his Angel was with him Gideon was weak in faith, which made it hard to reconcile the assurances of the presence of God with the distress to which Israel wa brought. The Angel answered his objections. He told him to appear an act as Israel's deliverer, there needed no more. Bishop Hall says While God calls Gideon valiant, he makes him so. God delights to advance the humble. Gideon desires to have his faith confirmed. Now under the influences of the Spirit, we are not to expect signs befor our eyes such as Gideon here desired, but must earnestly pray to God that if we have found grace in his sight, he would show us a sign in our heart, by the powerful working of his Spirit there, The Ange turned the meat into an offering made by fire; showing that he was no a man who needed meat, but the Son of God, who was to be served an honoured by sacrifice, and who in the fulness of time was to make himself a sacrifice. Hereby a sign was given to Gideon, that he ha found grace in God's sight. Ever since man has by sin exposed himsel to God's wrath and curse, a message from heaven has been a terror to him, as he scarcely dares to expect good tidings thence. In this world it is very awful to have any converse with that world of spirits to which we are so much strangers. Gideon's courage failed him. But God spoke peace to him.
Original Hebrew
וירא 7200 גדעון 1439 כי 3588 מלאך 4397 יהוה 3068 הוא 1931 ויאמר 559 גדעון 1439 אהה 162 אדני 136 יהוה 3069 כי 3588 על 5921 כן 3651 ראיתי 7200 מלאך 4397 יהוה 3068 פנים 6440 אל 413 פנים׃ 6440
