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. Ver. 1. _And the children of Israel did evil._] This was the bad fruit of their forty years' peace. "Ease slayeth the foolish." Proverbs 1:32 _, marg._ _See Trapp on "_ Jdg... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 2. _Made them the dens which are in the mountains._] These served for shelters, places of refuge and strength, u... [ Continue Reading ]
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; Ver. 3. _And so it was, when Israel had sown._] This was threatened, Deu 28:14-68 but not believed till it befell them, and the proverb Joh 4:37 veri... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 4. _And destroyed the increase of the earth._] A stratagem that was afterwards also used by Halyattes against the Milesians, _a_... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 5. _And they came as grasshoppers._] Innumerable and devoratory. See Jdg 6:4 Joe 2:25... [ Continue Reading ]
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD. Ver. 6. _Cried unto the Lord._] They fled to the "Rock of Ages, the Lord Jehovah." Isa 26:4 When their other refuges failed them, they were a "poor and afflicted people," and then "they tr... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, Ver. 7. _When the children of Israel cried._] If men can find a praying heart, God will find a pitying heart.... [ Continue Reading ]
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; Ver. 8. _That the Lord sent a prophet._] Heb., A man, a prophet; therefore not an angel, as Lyra and Com... [ Continue Reading ]
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; Ver. 9. _And I delivered you, &c._] Deliverance commandeth obedience. Ezr 9:13-14... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _Fear not the gods._] As true religion hath fear of piety for its foundation, so superstition hath its fear of that deity which it faneieth, and is the... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 11. _And there came an angel._] When the people, being kindly humbled by the prophet... [ Continue Reading ]
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD [is] with thee, thou mighty man of valour. Ver. 12. _And the angel appeared unto him._] As he was threshing. So God called Moses and David from following the ewes, Elisha from the ploughing, the apostles from fishing, washing,... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 1... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 14. _And the Lord looked upon him._] As well liking his speech, for the main, and the publicness of his spirit, sensible of the common calamity. _ Go... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 15. _Wherewith shall I save Israel?_] Since I want both men and money, - the sinews of war, and authority to order an army. Here Gideon was faith... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. Ver. 16. _Surely I will be with thee._] I who, of myself, am a whole army. Isa 52:12 _ As one man._] So easy it is with God to deal with huge multitudes of people, when he once taketh them to do... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Ver. 17. _Then show me a sign,_] sc., That thou art that "Captain of the Lord's hosts," and of our salvation. This sign Gideon sought not, as the Pharisees did, out of curiosity or increduli... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 18. _And bring forth my present,_] i.e., My provision, as Genesis 18:5 .... [ Continue Reading ]
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]. Ver. 19. _Under the oak._] Where, as a wayfaring man, he had reposed himself. Jdg 6:11... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 20. _And lay them upon this rock._] Christ is called the Rock, 1Co 10:4 and that is a good rule given by the apostle in Colossians 3:17, - "Whatsoe... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 21. _And there rose u... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 22. _Alas, O Lord God!_] _Fasciculus temporum,_ A.D. 884, cries out in the words of this text, _Heu, heu, Domine Deus!_ bittery bewailing the... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto him, Peace [be] unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. Ver. 23. Fear not: thou shalt not die.] Death is dreadful to nature, as being its slaughter man, and hell's purveyor. But why should a true believer be fond of life, or afraid of death, since to him it shall be but the... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it [is] yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Ver. 24. _And called it Jehovah-shalom,_] i.e., The Lord of peace, or the peace of the Lord. Christ had said unto him, Jdg 6:23 Peace be unto thee: he therefore honour... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 25. _And it came to pass the same night._] The night wher... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 26. _And take the second bullock._] Appointed likely for Baal. This bullock was to be offered... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 27. _Then Gideon took ten men of his servants._] Who were religious... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _Early in the morning._] To do their devotions. So did Nestor in Homer, the Arg... [ Continue Reading ]
And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. Ver. 29. _Who hath clone this thing?_] They should have asked rather, Why hath any one done this? And was not there good reason he should do so? But ido... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 30. _Bring out thy son, that he may die._] Idolatry is bloody, as the experience of all ages testifieth. How Nebuc... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 31. _And Joash said unto all that sto... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar. Ver. 32. _He called him Jerubbaal,_] _i.e., _ A man against whom Baal is to strive and contend: a title of honour; as were those of _Iconomachus_ and _Iconoelastes,_ image break... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 33. _Then all the Midianites, &c._] In the worst time that could be for themselves; for now the reformation was begun in Israel, Jdg 6:25 and a d... [ Continue Reading ]
But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him. Ver. 34. _But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon._] Who had not his name for nought: for it signifieth a feller, or cutter down. He had manfully cut down Baal's grove, and now God had brough... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 35. _And they came up to meet them._] Asher was justly blamed by Deborah for their backwardness to fight again... [ Continue Reading ]
And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Ver. 36. _And Gideon said unto God._] These signs he desired of God, not out of infidelity, but in all humility, for his further confirmation in faith and obedience.... [ Continue Reading ]