Judges 6:33

The Sign of the Fleece

33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and Qedemites gathered together, crossed over [the Jordan], and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

Judges 6:33 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 6:33

Then all the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and the children
of the east
The Arabians, ( Judges 6:3 ) were gathered together; not as being alarmed with this fact of Gideon in destroying the altar of Baal, and so came to avenge it; but it was their usual time of gathering together to come into Canaan, being harvest time, as appears by Gideon being employed in threshing, to fetch away the increase of the earth, as they had done for some years past:

and went over;
the river Jordan, which lay between the Midianites and the Israelites:

and pitched in the valley of Jezreel;
a very large, delightful, and fruitful plain; of which (See Gill on Hosea 1:5); a very proper place for such a large number to pitch on, and from whence they might receive much; and a suitable place to bring the increase of the land to, from the several parts of it, which was the business they came upon; and as this lay on the borders of Issachar and Manasseh, it was not far from Gideon, and this gave him an opportunity of exerting himself, and executing his commission.

Judges 6:33 In-Context

31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, "Would you plead Baal's case for him? Would you save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead his own case, because someone tore down his altar."

32 That day, Gideon's father called him Jerubbaal, saying, "Let Baal plead his case with him," because he tore down his altar.

33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and Qedemites gathered together, crossed over [the Jordan], and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

34 The Spirit of the Lord enveloped Gideon, and he blew the ram's horn and the Abiezrites rallied behind him.

35 He sent messengers throughout all of Manasseh, who rallied behind him. He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, who [also] came to meet him.