Judges 6:5

5 ipsi enim et universi greges eorum veniebant cum tabernaculis et instar lucustarum universa conplebant innumera multitudo hominum et camelorum quicquid tetigerant devastantes

Judges 6:5 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 6:5

For they came up with their cattle, and their tents
Brought their flocks and their herds with them, to eat up the increase of the earth, and their tents, which they pitched and removed from place to place, for the convenience of feeding their cattle, and while they cut down the fruit of the earth everywhere, which serves to confirm the sense of the Targum and Vulgate Latin version of ( Judges 6:5 )

and they came as grasshoppers for multitude;
or "as locusts" F3, they were like them for their number, and for devouring all they came to:

and their camels were without number;
which they brought with them, to load and carry off their plunder they could not eat. Midian was a place famous for camels and dromedaries, ( Isaiah 60:6 ) and so Arabia, the people of which joined the Midianites in this expedition; of whom Leo Africanus says F4, that they reckon of their riches and possessions by their camels; wherefore if anyone speaks of the riches of such a prince or nobleman, he says that he is possessed of so many camels, and not of so many thousands of pieces of gold, see ( Job 1:3 )

and they entered into the city to destroy it;
this was their sole view. In suchlike manner as this did Alyattes king of the Lydians make war with the Milesinns, as Herodotus F5 relates; which passage Grotius has quoted at large.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (hbra ydk) "tanquam locustae", Pagninus, V. L. Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F4 Descriptio Africae, l. 9. p. 745.
F5 Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 17.

Judges 6:5 In-Context

3 cumque sevisset Israhel ascendebat Madian et Amalech et ceteri orientalium nationum
4 et apud eos figentes tentoria sicut erant in herbis cuncta vastabant usque ad introitum Gazae nihilque omnino ad vitam pertinens relinquebant in Israhel non oves non boves non asinos
5 ipsi enim et universi greges eorum veniebant cum tabernaculis et instar lucustarum universa conplebant innumera multitudo hominum et camelorum quicquid tetigerant devastantes
6 humiliatusque est Israhel valde in conspectu Madian
7 et clamavit ad Dominum postulans auxilium contra Madianitas
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.