_THE ISRAELITES ARE OPPRESSED SEVEN YEARS BY THE MIDIANITES: GIDEON IS RAISED UP BY THE LORD FOR THEIR DELIVERANCE. THE MIRACLE OF THE FLEECE OF WOOL._ _Before Christ 1267._ _JUDGES 6:1. THE HAND OF MIDIAN_— See ch. Joshua 7:24 Judges 8:4. The Midianites were the ancient enemy of the Israelites; t... [ Continue Reading ]
CHILDREN OF THE EAST— _Children of Kedem, i.e. Ishmaelites._ Hiller. Onomastic, p. 534.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SENT A PROPHET UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL— It is probable, that God, at this time, continued other prophets among the Israelites beside the high-priest to put them in mind of their duty, and to call them to repentance when they forsook him. We see an illustrious prophetess in the person of... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE CAME AN ANGEL OF THE LORD, &C.— It is very evident from the context, that this _Angel of the Lord_ was the same great _Messenger of the Covenant,_ the JEHOVAH, of whose appearance we have so often spoken. See Judges 6:14, Judges 6:16, Judges 6:22, Judges 6:23, &c. _Ophrah_ was a city of the ha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID UNTO HIM, THE LORD IS WITH THEE— The Targum translates it, _the word of the Lord is thy help;_ which shews, that the ancient Jews looked upon this Angel as the LORD himself, and this is confirmed by the Targum translation of the following verse; _Is the_ SCHECHINAH _of the Lord our help? wh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GIDEON SAID, &C.— There is rarely a faith so strong as to preserve and nourish hope under a lasting and powerful calamity. Great oppression and misery dazzle the eyes, and corrupt the memory, that it cannot call to mind what has been done in the like cases. It gave Gideon courage rather to expos... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I AM THE LEAST IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE— Thus God is often pleased to choose the weak things of the world to confound the strong. But the humility of those who know their own weakness, and confide in his strength, will never be any obstacle to their obtaining the victory over every enemy. Happy the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GIDEON—MADE READY, &C.— All _roasted meat_ is a delicacy among the Arabs, and rarely eaten by them. _Stewed_ meat likewise is only to be met with at their feasts and great tables, and is consequently a delicacy also; the common diet being only boiled meat, with rice, potage, and pilaw, _stewed m... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE ANGEL—PUT FORTH THE END OF THE STAFF, &C.— This divine person, appearing, most probably, in the form of a traveller, with a _staff_ in his hand, just touched the _cakes_ and the _flesh,_ &c. with that staff, when immediately fire arose up out of the rock and consumed them: a miracle, no dou... [ Continue Reading ]
GIDEON BUILT AN ALTAR— Upon the rock where this miracle happened. This altar was not for sacrifice, which would have been directly contrary to the law; but as a memorial of the vision with which God had favoured him, and of the miracle wherewith it was accompanied. _And he called it Jehovah-shalom;... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SAID, GIDEON THE SON OF JOASH HATH DONE THIS THING— There seems to be no doubt, from God's choice of him, that Gideon was no worshipper of Baal; and therefore the people, knowing this, very readily concluded that he had been guilty of this sacrilege as they deemed it, and consequently was worth... [ Continue Reading ]
JOASH SAID UNTO ALL THAT STOOD AGAINST HIM— That is, against his son. There is something rational and noble in this apology which Joash makes; and it seems very likely, that the reason which he here uses had influenced his own mind; for it appears from Joshua 6:31 that he was an idolater, till convi... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CALLED HIM JERUBBAAL— Houbigant renders this, and perhaps more nearly to the Hebrew, _Nomen fecerunt ei Jerubbaal; On that day they gave him the name of Jerubbaal;_ for he supposes, that his countrymen, not his father, gave him that name; the meaning of which is expressed in the next words. The P... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME UPON GIDEON— Or, according to the Hebrew and the LXX, _the spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon._ He was replenished with courage and all other qualities necessary for a great commander.... [ Continue Reading ]
_JUDGES 6:36_, &C. _AND GIDEON SAID UNTO GOD,_ &C.— This request, no doubt, was made to God in prayer, and was rather for the confirmation of their faith who joined Gideon, than from any incredulity or doubt in himself. The first miracle was certainly striking; but, in order to obviate any objection... [ Continue Reading ]