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The signs which GOD to Gideon gave GIDEON’s fleece
John Newton printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book I, no. 23, under Judges 6:37–40.
WRITTEN BY
John Newton 1725–1807
PRINTED
1779 Olney Hymns · no. 23
METRE
Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 8 stanzas
WRITTEN ON
Judges 6:37–40 the verse printed above it
The hymn, and the Scripture in it
All 8 stanzas as Newton printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.
SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes
AMONG THE SCRIPTURES
The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.
a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here
STANZA I
The signs which GOD to Gideon gave
The signs which GOD to Gideon gave,
His holy Sovereignty made known;
That He alone has pow’r to save,
And claims the glory as his own.
No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.
Where Newton found it
Newton printed the hymn under Judges 6:37–40. The line that comes closest to it is marked.
37then behold, I will place a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” 38And that is what happened. When Gideon arose the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. 39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time let it be dry, and the ground covered with dew.” 40And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground. JUDGES 6:37–40 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ JUDGES 6
The dew which first the fleece had filled, When all the earth was dry around; Was from it afterwards withheld, And only fell upon the ground. STANZA II
Its place in the book
Book I of Olney Hymns walks through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, one hymn per passage: 141 hymns. This is number 23. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.
NO. 23 · JOHN NEWTON · THIS HYMN The signs which GOD to Gideon gave
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