And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family [is] poor in Manasseh, and I [am] the least in my father's house.
Ver. 15. Wherewith shall I save Israel?] Since I want both men and money, - the sinews of war, and authority to order an army. Here Gideon was faithful in weakness, though but weak in faith, and is therefore reckoned among those renowned worthies in Hebrews 11:32 .
Behold, my family is poor.] He was well descended, but had mean thoughts of himself. True worth is modest, Some render it, My chiliad. Moses had distributed the people into thousands, Exo 18:25 as Alfred did the English into shires, hundreds, and tenths, or tithings, whereof the aucientest were called the tithing men.