Judges 6:2-6

2 Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.

3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.

4 They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.

5 They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.

6 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.

Judges 6:2-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 6

In this chapter we have an account of the distressed condition Israel was in through the Midianites, Jud 6:1-6, of a prophet being sent unto them to reprieve them for their sins, Jud 6:7-10 of an angel appearing to Gideon, with an order to him to go and save Israel out of the hands of the Midianites, Jud 6:11-16 and of a sign given him by the angel, whereby he knew this order was of God, Jud 6:17-24, and of the reformation from idolatry in his father's family he made upon this, throwing down the altar of Baal, and building one for the Lord, Jud 6:25-32, and of the preparation he made to fight the Midianites and others, Jud 6:33-35, but first desired a sign of the Lord, that Israel would be saved by his hand, which was granted and repeated, Jud 6:36-40.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 13:6; Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 8:21; Isaiah 26:16; Isaiah 37:3
• 2. Isaiah 2:19; Jeremiah 48:28; Jeremiah 49:8,30
• 3. Job 24:8; Jeremiah 41:9; Hebrews 11:38
• 4. Numbers 13:29; Judges 3:13
• 5. S Genesis 25:6; Isaiah 11:14; Jeremiah 49:28
• 6. Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 28:30,51; Isaiah 10:6; Isaiah 39:6; Isaiah 42:22
• 7. S Genesis 10:19
• 8. S Deuteronomy 28:42; Judges 7:12
• 9. Judges 8:10; Isaiah 21:7; Isaiah 60:6; Jeremiah 49:32
• 10. S Judges 3:9