This verse continues the speech of Gideon, so in most languages the last verse will not end in quotation marks. Apparently Gideon is concerned that the messenger might disappear, so he asks the person to wait while he goes to get a gift for him. This gesture in and of itself shows that Gideon knows that someone of great importance is speaking to him.

Do not depart from here, I pray thee is literally “Please don’t leave from this [place].” In some languages it will not be necessary to say from here, so this whole clause may be rendered “Please do not leave” (Good News Translation) or “Please do not go away” (New International Version). I pray thee is an old English expression that renders the Hebrew politeness particle naʾ, which also occurs in the previous verse. Several versions leave this particle untranslated (Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, NET Bible), but most languages will have a natural expression of politeness that would be appropriate here, such as “please.” Translators may simply say “Please wait here.”

Until I come to thee, and bring out my present, and set it before thee: This long string of clauses could reflect Gideon’s politeness, or even his nervousness. Until I come to thee may be rendered “until I come back [to you]” or simply “until I return.” Bring out renders the causative form of the Hebrew verb meaning “come out” (yatsaʾ), which is used in many of the judges’ stories (see comments on verse 1.24). In some languages it will be more natural to say “until I come with your gift.” In this context the Hebrew word for present probably has the sense of a religious sacrifice (see comments on verse 3.15, where it is rendered “tribute”). The next clause confirms this interpretation. Many versions render this word as “offering” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), but we could also say “gift” (Revised English Bible). Set it before thee (literally “I set [it] down before your face”) may be translated “place it before You” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “lay it before you” (Revised English Bible), or “present it to you.” Once again the old English pronoun thee should be rendered with a modern equivalent. In English the subject pronoun I is assumed in the last two clauses here, but in many languages it may need to be made explicit in all three clauses by saying “until I return, and I bring my offering, and I present it to you.” Contemporary English Version says simply “until I bring you an offering” (similarly Good News Translation).

And he said introduces Yahweh’s answer to Gideon’s request, so Contemporary English Version says “the LORD answered.”

I will stay till you return: To prepare such an offering would probably take Gideon many hours, but Yahweh promises to wait. This sentence is literally “I, I will stay until you return,” which is a strong affirmation. Though the Hebrew verb rendered stay often means “sit,” “remain,” or “dwell” (see verse 1.9), here the meaning is “stay” or “wait.” It is the same verb used to describe the angel sitting under the tree in verse 6.11. Return renders the key Hebrew verb shuv (see comments on verse 2.19), a word that sounds very much like the verb rendered stay (yashab), so this is probably a wordplay. Possible models for this sentence are “I promise. I’ll wait until you come back” and “Yes, I’ll wait for you.” Contemporary English Version‘s “All right, I’ll wait” again uses language that seems too familiar for this kind of exchange and should not be used as a model.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .