Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Judges 6

75 Free Online Commentaries

Introduction

1  The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian.
8  A prophet rebukes them.
11  An angel sends Gideon for their deliverance.
17  Gideon's present is consumed with fire.
24  Gideon destroys Baal's altar, and offers a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom.
28  Joash defends his son, and calls shim Jerubbaal.
33  Gideon's army.
36  Gideon's signs.
Verse 1

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
did evil
2:13,14,19,20, Leviticus 26:14-46, Deuteronomy 28:15-68, Nehemiah 9:26-29, Psalms 106:34-42
delivered
When God judges, he will overcome; and sinners shall be made either to bend or break before him. See the ensuing history.
Midian
Genesis 25:2, Numbers 25:17,18, Habakkuk 3:7
Verse 2

And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
the hand
Leviticus 26:17, Deuteronomy 28:47,48
prevailed
Heb. was strong. dens. Dr. Shaw says, that a great way on each side Joppa, on the sea coast, there is a range of mountains and precipices; and in these high situations are generally found the dens, holes, or caves, which are so frequently mentioned in Scripture; and which were formerly the lonesome retreats of the distressed Israelites.
1 Samuel 13:6, 14:11, Hebrews 11:38, Revelation 6:15
Verse 3

And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
when Israel
Leviticus 26:16, Deuteronomy 28:30-33,51, Job 31:8, Isaiah 65:21,22, Micah 6:15
Amalekites
3:13
children
33, 7:12, 8:10, Genesis 29:1, 1 Kings 4:30, Job 1:3
Verse 4

And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
destroyed
Leviticus 26:16, Deuteronomy 28:30,33,51, Micah 6:15
till thou come
The Midianites dwelt beyond the eastern borders of the land of Canaan, east of the Dead Sea, and Gaza was on the Mediterranean, on the west: so that these invaders ravaged the whole breadth of the land.
Genesis 10:19, 13:10
left no
Proverbs 28:3, Jeremiah 49:9,10, Obadiah 1:5
sheep
or, goat.
Verse 5

For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
tents
Song of Solomon 1:5, Isaiah 13:20
as grasshoppers
7:12, 8:10, Jeremiah 46:23
their camels
8:21, 1 Samuel 30:17, Isaiah 60:6, Jeremiah 49:29,32
to destroy
Psalms 83:4-12
Verse 6

And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
impoverished
Psalms 106:43; *marg:; Jeremiah 5:17, Malachi 1:4
cried
3:9,15, Psalms 50:15, 78:34, 106:44, Isaiah 26:16, Hosea 5:15
Verse 8

That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
A. M. 2759. B.C. 1245. An. Ex. Is. 246. a prophet. Heb. a man, a prophet. Thus saith
2:1-3, Nehemiah 9:9-12, Psalms 136:10-16, Isaiah 63:9-14, Ezekiel 20:5-32
Verse 9

And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
drave them
Psalms 44:2,3
Verse 10

And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
I am the
Exodus 20:2,3
fear not
2 Kings 17:33,35-39, Jeremiah 10:2
ye have
2:2, Proverbs 5:13, Jeremiah 3:13,25, 9:13, 42:21, 43:4,7, Zephaniah 3:2, Romans 10:16, Hebrews 5:9
Verse 11

And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
an angel
14-16, 2:1-5, 5:23, 13:3,18-20, Genesis 48:16, Joshua 18:23, Isaiah 63:9
Abi-ezrite
8:2, Joshua 17:2
Gideon
Hebrews 11:32
Gedeon
hide it . Heb. cause it to flee.
Verse 12

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
the angel
13:3, Luke 1:11,28
The Lord
2:18, Exodus 3:12, Joshua 1:5,9, Ruth 2:4, Matthew 1:23, 28:20, Luke 1:28, Acts 18:9,10
Verse 13

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
if the Lord
Genesis 25:22, Exodus 33:14-16, Numbers 14:14,15, Romans 8:31
why then
Deuteronomy 29:24, 30:17,18, Psalms 77:7-9, 89:49, Isaiah 59:1,2, 63:15
our fathers
Psalms 44:1, 78:3,4
forsaken us
Deuteronomy 31:17, 2 Chronicles 15:2, Psalms 27:9, Isaiah 41:17, Jeremiah 23:33
Verse 14

And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
the Lord
Go in
4:6, Joshua 1:5-9, 1 Samuel 12:11, 1 Chronicles 14:9,10, Hebrews 11:32,34
Verse 15

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.
wherewith
Exodus 3:11, 4:10, Jeremiah 1:6, Luke 1:34
my family is poor
Heb. my thousand is the meanest.
Exodus 18:21-25, 1 Samuel 9:21, 18:23, Micah 5:2
the least
Genesis 32:10, Jeremiah 50:45, 1 Corinthians 15:9, Ephesians 3:8
Verse 16

And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
12, Exodus 3:12, Joshua 1:5, Isaiah 41:10,14-16, Matthew 28:20, Mark 16:20, Acts 11:21
Verse 17

And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
If now
Exodus 33:13,16
shew
36-40, Genesis 15:8-17, Exodus 4:1-9, 2 Kings 20:8-11, Psalms 86:17, Isaiah 7:11
Verse 18

Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
bring
13:15, Genesis 18:3,5, 19:3
present
or, meat offering.
Verse 19

And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
and made
Dr. Shaw observes, "Besides a bowl of milk, and a basket of figs, raisins, or dates, which upon our arrival were presented to us, to stay our appetite, the master of the tent fetched us from his flock, according to the number of our company, a kid or a goat, a lamb or a sheep; half of which was immediately seethed by his wife, and served up with cucasoe; the rest was made kab-ab, i.e., cut to pieces and roasted, which we reserved for our breakfast or dinner next day." May we not suppose, says Mr. Harmer, that Gideon presented some slight refreshment to the supposed prophet, according to the present Arab mode, and desired him to stay till he could provide something more substantial; that he immediately killed a kid, seethed a part of it, and when ready brought the stewed meat in a pot, with unleavened cakes of bread, which he had baked; and the other part, the kab-ab, in a basket for him to carry with him, for some after repast in his journey?
13:15-19, Genesis 18:6-8
a kid
Heb. a kid of the goats. unleavened cakes.
Leviticus 2:4
Verse 20

And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
lay them
13:19
pour out
1 Kings 18:33,34
Verse 21

Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
rose up
13:20, Leviticus 9:24, 1 Kings 18:38, 1 Chronicles 21:26, 2 Chronicles 7:1
Verse 22

And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
perceived
13:21
because
13:22,23, Genesis 16:13, 32:30, Exodus 33:20, Deuteronomy 5:5,24,26, Isaiah 6:5-8, John 1:18, 12:41
Verse 23

And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
Peace be
Genesis 32:30, 43:23, Psalms 85:8, Daniel 10:19, John 14:27, 20:19,26, Romans 1:7
Verse 24

Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
built
21:4, Genesis 33:20, Joshua 22:10,26-28
Jehovah-shalom
that is, The Lord send peace.
Genesis 22:14, Exodus 17:15, Jeremiah 23:6, 33:16, Ezekiel 48:35
Ophrah
8:32
Verse 25

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
Take thy father's
Genesis 35:2, Job 22:23, Psalms 101:2
even
or, and. throw.
1 Kings 18:21, Matthew 6:24, 2 Corinthians 6:15-17
thy father
Matthew 10:37, Acts 4:19, 5:29
cut down
3:7, Exodus 34:13, Deuteronomy 7:5
Verse 26

And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
build
2 Samuel 24:18
rock
Heb. strong place. the ordered place. or, an orderly manner.
1 Corinthians 14:33,40
Verse 27

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
and did
Deuteronomy 4:1, Matthew 16:24, John 2:5, 15:14, Galatians 1:16, 1 Thessalonians 2:4
he did it
Psalms 112:5, John 3:2
Verse 30

Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
Bring
Jeremiah 26:11, 50:38, John 16:2, Acts 26:9, Philippians 3:6
Verse 31

And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
Will ye plead
The words are very emphatic: "Will ye plead in earnest (tereevoon) for Baal? Will ye really save (tosheeoon) him? If he be God, (Elohim,) let him contend for himself, seeing his altar is thrown down."
Exodus 23:2, Numbers 14:6, Ephesians 5:11
let him be
Deuteronomy 13:5-18, 17:2-7, 1 Kings 18:40
if he be
1 Kings 18:27,29, Psalms 115:4-7, Isaiah 41:23, 46:1,7, Jeremiah 10:5,11, 1 Corinthians 8:4
Verse 32

Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
Jerubbaal
that is, Let Baal plead.
1 Samuel 12:11, 2 Samuel 11:21
Jerubbesheth: that is, Let the shameful thing plead
Jeremiah 11:13, Hosea 9:10
Verse 33

Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
Then all
Psalms 3:1, 27:2,3, 118:10-12, Isaiah 8:9,10, Romans 8:35-39
children
3, 8:10,11, 1 Chronicles 5:19, Job 1:3
went over
7:24, Joshua 3:16
the valley
Joshua 17:16, 19:18, 1 Kings 18:45, 21:1
Verse 34

But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.
the Spirit
3:10, 13:25, 14:19, 15:14, 1 Samuel 10:6, 11:6, 16:14, 1 Chronicles 12:18, 2 Chronicles 24:20, Psalms 51:11, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11
came upon
Heb. clothed.
Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27
blew
3:27, Numbers 10:3
Abi-ezer
11, 8:2, Joshua 17:2
was gathered
Heb. was called.
Verse 35

And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
messengers
2 Chronicles 30:6-12
Verse 36

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
If thou wilt
14,17-20, Exodus 4:1-9, 2 Kings 20:9, Psalms 103:13,14, Matthew 16:1
Verse 37

Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
Behold
Deuteronomy 32:2, Psalms 72:6, Hosea 6:3,4, 14:5
only
Psalms 147:19,20, Matthew 10:5,6, 15:24
Verse 38

And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
a bowl
Isaiah 35:7
Verse 39

And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
Let not thine
Genesis 18:32
dry
Psalms 107:33-35, Isaiah 35:6,7, 43:19,20, 50:2, Matthew 8:12, 21:43, Acts 13:46, 22:21, 28:28, Romans 11:12-22

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