Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
Gideon wished to reconfirm the Lord’s promise to be with him and to lead him in victory against the enemy. Perhaps considerable time had elapsed between Gideon’s call (Judges 6:11-32) and this new threat of attack. The Spirit of the Lord came upon (lit. clothed) Gideon in a special way strengthening and defending him for his great task (Judges 6:34; cf. Genesis 28:20; Isaiah 59:17). He then sent out a call for men from several of the other tribes to join him and his family to fight the Midianites (Judges 6:34-35).