The Book of Judges
Judges 6
Chapter VI · Vol. II, pp. 594–595
1 The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian. 7 A prophet rebuketh them. 11 An angel sendeth Gideon for their deliverance. 17 Gideon's present is consumed with fire. 25 Gideon destroyeth Baal's altar, and offereth a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom. 28 Joash defendeth his son, and calleth him Jerubbaal. 33 Gideon's army. 36 Gideon's signs.
1 And the children of Israel adid evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of bMidian seven years.
A.M. 2785 B.C. 1219
a ch.2.14;3.7,12;4.1. Le.26.14-39. De.28.15-68. Ne.9.26-29. 2 Pe.2.20-22.
2 Andc the hand of Midian prevailed1 against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them dthe dens which are in the mountains,2 and caves, and strong holds.
c Le.26.17. De.28.47,48.
1 Heb. was strong.
2 Though shorter, this is much more grievous than any of the foregoing expressions. Israel is driven from villages and towns altogether, and can now only hide in dens and caves of the mountains. With such retreats Canaan abounded—God thus mingling mercy with judgment, and keeping a seed alive to serve him. These memorials of their misery are still found by the curious traveller in the deep recesses of the mountains.—C.
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and ethe children of the east, even they came up against them;
e ch.8.10,11. Job 1.3. 1 Ch.5.19,20.
4 And they fencamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto gGaza;3 and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep,4 nor ox, nor ass.
5 For they came up with their cattle and their htents, and they came as igrasshoppers5 for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
h Is.13.20.
i ch.7.12;8.10.
5 Grasshoppers or locusts, a most numerous and voracious race, and appropriate emblems of the destructive children of the desert.—Note, Sometimes the church has a few great enemies, sometimes enemies weak in detail, but invisible in the mass. Christ was at first persecuted by the priests, finally he was delivered to the multitude. Hence he was compelled to say, 'Lord, how are they increased that trouble me?' Ps.3.1.—C.
6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and kthe children of Israel cried unto the LORD.6
k ch.3.9,15;4.3;10.10,15. Ps.78.34;106.44;50.15;102.17;34.6,15. Ho.5.15. Is.26.16. Je.22.23.
6 The distress that accompanies or follows sin is intended to bring backsliders to feel the pain of the wounds, mourn their miseries, and turn to the Lord. If God hears the ravens when they cry, much more will he hear his own penitent returning children.—C.
7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
8 That the LORD sent a prophet7 unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, lThus saith the LORD God of Israel, mI brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
7 Heb. a man, a prophet.
l ch.4.6;2.1-3.
m Ex.i.-xiv. Nu.21.24-35. Jos.vi.-xxi. Ne.9.7-30. Ps.cv. cvi. cxxxv. cxxxvi. lxxviii. Is.63.9-13. Eze.20.5-28. Je.32.20-22.
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:
10 And I said unto you, nI am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: obut ye have not obeyed my voice.
n Ex.20.2,3. 2 Ki.17.35-38. Je.10.2.
o ch.2.12,17,19. De.32.15-21. 2 Ki.17.7-17.
11 And there came an pangel of the LORD,8 and sat under an oak which was in qOphrah, that pertained unto Joash the rAbiezrite: and his son Gideon thrashed wheat by the winepress, to hide9 it from the Midianites.1
p ch.2.1;5.23;13.2; ver.14,16. Is.63.9.
8 'An angel of the Lord,' equivalent to 'God manifest;' as will appear from comparing ver. 11 with ver.14.—C.
q ver.24; ch.8.27,32. not Jos.18.23. 1 Sa.13.17.
r Jos.17.2. He.11.32. ch.8.2,32; ver.34.
A.M. 2792 B.C. 1212
9 Heb. to cause it to flee.
1 The season of grape-gathering being most probably not yet come, the wine-press is chosen instead of the ordinary thrashing-floor. The narrative reveals the deplorable state of destitution to which the marauding Midianites had reduced the country.—Note, How thankful should a people be for the blessing of peace and security! God alone, and neither law nor power, 'maketh them to dwell in safety.' Law and power are themselves his mercies and his instruments—he himself is the giver and the doer.—C.
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, sThe LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
s Da.9.23. Lu.1.28. Ru.2.4. Ro.8.31. Is.41.10,13-16.
13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, twhy then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, uDid not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? xbut now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, yGo in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
y Jn.20.22. ch.4.6. Jos.1.5-9. 1 Sa.12.11. Ex.3.10.
15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, zwherewith shall I save Israel? behold, amy family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.2
z Lu.1.34. Mat.14.30,31. Ex.3.11;4.10,13. 1 Sa.9.21. He.11.32.
a Heb. my thousand is the meanest, Ex.18.25. Mi.5.2.
2 The character of Gideon begins here to develop itself; and stands before us in three particulars, that expand as the history advances. It stands, (1) in industry and secrecy, ver. 11; (2) in acknowledgment of God's government and judgment, ver. 13; (3) in humility, ver. 15; (4) polished language and manners, ver. 17, 18; (5) careful investigation of evidence, ver. 17; (6) generous hospitality, ver. 18, 19; (7) instant compliance with a proper request or command, ver. 20; (8) acknowledgment of sinfulness, ver. 22; (9) piety and zeal, ver. 24, 28; (10) prudent courage, ver. 27; (11) his religious influence on his servants, ver. 27.—C.
16 And the LORD said unto him, bSurely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
b Ex.3.12. Jos.1.5. ver.12,14. Ro.8.31. Is.41.10,14-16. He.13.5,6.
17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, cthen show me a sign that thou talkest with me.
c Ge.15.8-17. Ex.4.1-9. 2 Ki.20.8. Ps.86.17.
18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth dmy 3present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid,4 and unleavened cakes of an ephah[≈ 22 litres · 4.8 gallons] 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.
4 Heb. a kid of the goats.
20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and epour out the broth. And he did so.
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 fthere rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. gThen the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
22 And when Gideon perceived5 that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! hfor because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
5 Gideon may have believed his visitant to be a prophet, but did not till after the miraculous production of the fire and the no less extraordinary disappearance of the angel, understand that he had really seen the Lord.—C.
A.M. 2792 B.C. 1212
h Ex.33.20. Ge.32.30;16.13. ch.13.22. De.5.5,24,26.
23 And the LORD said unto him, iPeace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.6
i Ge.43.23. Ro.1.7. Jn.20.19,26;14.27.
6 The angel had reappeared to allay the fears of Gideon, arising from the impression that it was impossible to see God and live.—C.
24 Thenk Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it lJehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in mOphrah of the Abiezrites.
25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, nTake thy father's young bullock, even7 the second bullock of seven years old,8 and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the groveo that is by it;
n Ge.35.2. Mat.6.24. Ps.101.2. Job 22.23. 2 Co.6.15,16. 1 Ki.18.21. Ex.23.24;34.13. 1 Ti.3.5.
7 Or, and.
8 Why is the second bullock mentioned, and its age? (1) The Midianites had carried off all the cattle they could discover, ver. 4, so that Joash, a man of rank, with a large establishment of servants, see ver. 27, had no ox of three years old, the proper age for such a sacrifice. See Ge.15.9. (2) The choice of an ox of seven years may have had a reference to the past seven years of Midianitish oppression. (3) Most probably he is called the second, not in reference to one of greater age or value, but in reference to his place in the plough, meaning the off or right hand bullock.—C.
o ch.3.7. Ex.34.13.
26 And pbuild an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock,9 in the ordered1 place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-sacrificeq with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and rdid as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he sfeared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, tBring 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.
31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, uWill ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will xplead 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.2
x ver.30. Pr.30.9. De.17.2-7;13.1-17. Ex.20.3,4,23;22.20.
2 How is this reconcilable with his possessing an altar to Baal? ver. 25. He was a timid conformist in evil times to a religion his conscience did not approve; but inspired by the courage of his son, he now avows his true sentiments. Yet mark the sad effect of this time-serving. (1) His son is preferred before him to deliver his country. (2) His household and fellow-citizens are unsparing idolaters. (3) His son narrowly escapes being murdered.—C.
32 Therefore on that day he called 3him yJerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
A.M. 2792 B.C. 1212
3 Called Gideon, Jerubbaal, that is, let Baal plead.—C.
y Or, Jerubbesheth, i.e. let shame plead, 2 Sa.11.21.
33 Thenz all the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east were gathered together, and awent over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
z Is.8.9,10. Ps.118.10-12;3.1;27.2,3.
a Jordan westward, ch.7.24. Jos.3.16,17;19.18.
34 But bthe Spirit of the LORD4 came 5upon Gideon, and che blew a trumpet;6 and dAbiezer was gathered after him.7
b ch.3.10. 1 Ch.12.18. 2 Ch.24.20. Lu.24.49. 1 Co.12.8-11.
4 A special vocation to a duty manifested by a measure of the Spirit of God within him, endowing him with faith in God, zeal for his honour, and courage to do his will.—C.
5 Heb. clothed.
c ch.3.27. Nu.10.3.
6 Most probably the use of the trumpet and its different calls was still preserved by the Israelites as a mode of telegraphing in their dispersion. We have known such a mode successfully practised beyond any ordinary power of delation, and in spite of a strong military and civil force.—C.
d ver.11,24; ch.8.2,27,32. Jos.17.2. Nu.26.30.
7 Heb. was called after him.
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.
37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew fbe 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.
f De.32.2. Ho.14.5. Ps.147.19,20. Mat.10.5,6;15.24. These trials signified that by turns the Jews and Gentiles should share the means of grace.
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.
39 And Gideon said unto God, gLet not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: Let me prove,8 I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be hdry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
g Ge.18.32.
8 This was not tempting God, but humbly saying, 'Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.'—Note, Let those who would accuse Gideon of unjustifiable hesitation consider how often God was required to display his truth and love to their own souls before they could encounter the world and follow him.—C.
h Mat.8.12. Ac.13.46;28.28. Ps.107.33-35. Is.35.6,7;43.19,20. Ro.11.20.
40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
Notes
[Ver. 5. The accuracy and vividness of this description those only can fully realize who have witnessed both a flight of locusts and an inroad of a great nomad tribe. Locusts devour everything—so do Arabs. I have seen a great tribe of the Anezeh sweeping over a country in a desolating stream from 20 to 30 miles wide, eating, trampling down, and desolating everything before them. The Midianites appear to have crossed the Jordan at the fords of Succoth, marched up the valley of Jezreel, and then spread out over Esdraelon. They sent their marauding and plundering parties to all parts of the country. The Arabs do so still; and the only way the industrious peasants can secure their grain is by hiding it as soon as it is threshed in those ancient subterranean granaries which abound all through Palestine. P.]
Reflections.—Neither judgments nor mercies, however often repeated, can restrain revolting and rebellious hearts from the most abominable crimes. But they who abuse God's common benefits in prodigality and luxury, live often to feel the want of them in hunger and nakedness. What arrant cowards men are often made by their own guilty and accusing consciences! And after all, in the day of distress, there is no hope but in God himself: and when his service is so reasonable, ingratitude to him, the God of mercy and grace, cannot fail highly to aggravate our transgressions. It is the indispensable duty of ministers to deal plainly and closely with their hearers' consciences, as conviction of sin is a hopeful token of approaching deliverance; and God often chooses that time for delivering us when our case appears most desperate. But how hard is it to reconcile our afflictive experiences with the promises of God to us—to believe either what God has done, or what he will do, when present providences appear just the reverse! Yet God delights to honour such as are humble. Let not his saints therefore consider their weakness, when felt, as any reason for evading the great work which God puts into their hands. With infinite condescension God gives not only unalterable promises, but even miraculous signs, for the encouragement of his faint-hearted servants. And such as enjoy noted communion with him eagerly desire to prolong the visit, and to testify their grateful regard to him and to his messengers. If God calls us to extraordinary work, we must, without delay, and regardless of the will of wicked men, begin reformation at home. Nor, however zealous we have been in the cause of wickedness, must we be ashamed to change our conduct, or to protect the innocent. When God calls men to hard work, he can easily furnish them with assistants, even where they could least have been expected. And yet, after all, their unbelieving jealousies render necessary new tokens of God's presence and assistance in it.
Measures in square brackets are modern equivalents added for this edition. They are not in the King James text or in Brown’s notes. They use common scholarly estimates: a cubit is about 45.7 cm (18 in), a shekel about 11.4 g (0.4 oz), an ephah about 22 litres. Money values give the worth of the silver or gold at spot prices on 28 October 2026, not what the sum would buy in the ancient world.