He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
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).