CHAPTER VI _The Israelites again do evil, and are delivered into the hands_ _of the Midianites, by whom they are oppressed seven years_, 1, 2. _Different tribes spoil their harvests, and take away their_ _cattle_, 3-5. _They cry unto the Lord, and he sends them a prophet to reprehend_ _and in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:2. _MADE THEM THE DENS WHICH_ ARE _IN THE MOUNTAINS_] Nothing can give a more distressing description of the state of the Israelites than what is here related. They durst not reside in the plain country, but were obliged to betake themselves to dens and caves of the mountains, and liv... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:3. _CHILDREN OF THE EAST_] Probably those who inhabited Arabia Deserta, Ishmaelites.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:4. _ENCAMPED AGAINST THEM_] Wandering hordes of Midianites, Amalekites, and Ishmaelites came, in the times of harvest and autumn, and carried away their crops, their fruit, and their cattle. And they appear to have come early, encamped in the plains, and watched the crops till they we... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:5. _THEY CAME UP WITH THEIR CATTLE AND THEIR TENTS_] All this proves that they were different tribes of _wanderers_ who had no fixed residence; but, like their descendants the _Bedouins_ or wandering Arabs, removed from place to place to get prey for themselves and forage for their ca... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:8. _THE LORD SENT A PROPHET_] The Jews say that this was Phinehas; but it is more likely that it was some prophet or teacher raised up by the Lord to warn and instruct them. Such were his witnesses, and they were raised up from time to time to declare the counsel of God to his rebelli... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:11. _THERE CAME AN ANGEL OF THE LORD_] The prophet came to teach and exhort, the angel comes to confirm the word of the prophet, to call and commission him who was intended to be their deliverer, and to work miracles, in order to inspire him with supernatural courage and a confidence... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:12. _THE LORD_ IS _WITH __thee_] "The WORD of the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour." - _Targum_. It appears that Gideon had proved himself, on former occasions, to be a man of courage anti personal prowess; and this would naturally excite the confidence of his countrymen.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:13. _AND GIDEON SAID UNTO HIM_] This speech is remarkable for its energy and simplicity; it shows indeed a measure of despondency, but not more than the circumstances of the case justified.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:14. _GO IN THIS THY MIGHT_] What does the angel mean? He had just stated that _Jehovah was with him_; and he now says, _Go in THIS_ _thy might_, i.e., in the might of Jehovah, who is _with thee_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:15. _WHEREWITH SHALL I SAVE ISRAEL?_] I have neither men nor money. _BEHOLD, MY FAMILY IS POOR IN MANASSEH_] הנה אלפי הדל, _Behold, my_ _thousand is impoverished_. Tribes were anciently divided into _tens_, and _fifties_, and _hundreds_, and _thousands_; the _thousands_ therefore mar... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:16. _THOU SHALT SMITE THE MIDIANITES AS ONE MAN._] Thou shalt as surely conquer _all their host_ as if thou hadst but _one_ _man_ to contend with; or, Thou shalt destroy them to a man.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:17. _SHOW ME A SIGN_] Work a _miracle_, that I may know that thou hast wisdom and power sufficient to authorize and quality me for the work.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:18. _AND BRING FORTH MY PRESENT_] My _minchah_; generally an offering of bread, wine, oil, flour, and such like. It seems from this that Gideon supposed the person to whom he spoke to be a Divine person. Nevertheless, what he prepared and brought out appears to be intended simply as a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:19. _MADE READY A KID - THE FLESH HE PUT IN A BASKET, AND HE_ _PUT THE BROTH IN A POT_] The manner in which the Arabs entertain strangers will cast light on this verse. Dr. Shaw observes: "Besides a bowl of milk, and a basket of figs, raisins, or dates, which upon our arrival were pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:20. _TAKE THE FLESH, C._] The angel intended to make the flesh and bread an _offering_ to God, and the _broth_ a _libation_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:21. _THE ANGEL - PUT FORTH THE END OF THE STAFF_] He appeared like a traveller with a staff in his hand; this he put forth, and having touched the flesh, fire rose out of the rock and consumed it. Here was the most evident proof of supernatural agency. _THEN THE ANGEL - DEPARTED OUT... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:22. _ALAS, O LORD GOD! FOR BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN_] This is an elliptical sentence, a natural expression of the distressed state of Gideon's mind: as if he had said, Have mercy on me, O Lord God! else I shall die; because I have seen an angel of Jehovah face to face. We have frequently... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:23. _FEAR NOT: THOU SHALT NOT DIE._] Here the discovery is made by God himself: Gideon is not curiously prying into forbidden mysteries, therefore he shall not die.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _GIDEON BUILT AN ALTAR - AND CALLED IT JEHOVAH-SHALOM_] The words יהוה שלום _Yehovah shalom_ signify _The Lord is my peace_, or _The peace of Jehovah_; and this name he gave the altar, in reference to what God had said, Judges 6:23, _Peace be unto thee_, שלום לך shalom lecha, "Peace to the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _TAKE THY FATHER'S YOUNG BULLOCK, EVEN THE SECOND_ _BULLOCK_] There is some difficulty in this verse, for, according to the Hebrew text, two bullocks are mentioned here; but there is only one mentioned in Judges 6:26; Judges 6:28. But what was this _second_ bullock? Some think that it was... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _WITH THE WOOD OF THE GROVE_] It is probable that אשרה _Asherah_ here signifies _Astarte_; and that there was a _wooden_ _image_ of this goddess on the altar of Baal. Baal-peor was the same as _Priapus_, Astarte as _Venus_; these two impure idols were proper enough for the same altar. In e... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _HE FEARED HIS FATHER'S HOUSEHOLD_] So it appears that his father was an idolater: but as Gideon had _ten men_ of his own servants whom he could trust in this matter, it is probable that he had preserved the true faith, and had not bowed his knee to the image of Baal.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _THE SECOND BULLOCK WAS OFFERED_] It appears that the second bullock was offered because it was just _seven_ years old, Judges 6:25, being calved about the time that the Midianitish oppression began; and it was now to be slain to indicate that their slavery should end with its life. The yo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _GIDEON THE SON OF JOASH HATH DONE THIS THING._] They fixed on him the more readily because they knew he had not joined with them in their idolatrous worship.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:30. _THE MEN OF THE CITY SAID_] They all felt an interest in the continuance of rites in which they had often many sensual gratifications. Baal and Ashtaroth would have more worshippers than the true God, because their _rites_ were more adapted to the fallen nature of man.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:31. _WILL YE PLEAD FOR BAAL?_] The words are very emphatic "Will ye plead in earnest תריבן for Baal? Will ye תושיען really save _him_? If he be God, אלהים _Elohim_, let him contend for himself, seeing his altar is thrown down." The _paragogic_ letters in the words _plead_ and _save_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:32. _HE CALLED HIM JERUBBAAL_] That is, _Let Baal contend_; changed, 2 Samuel 11:21, into _Jerubbesheth, he shall contend against confusion or shame_; thus changing _baal, lord_, into _bosheth, confusion_ or _ignominy_. Some think that Jerubbaal was the same with _Jerombalus_, who, ac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:33. _THEN ALL THE MIDIANITES_] Hearing of what Gideon had done, and apprehending that this might be a forerunner of attempts to regain their liberty, they formed a general association against Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:34. _THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME UPON GIDEON_] He was endued with preternatural courage and wisdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 6:36. _IF THOU WILT SAVE ISRAEL_] Gideon was very bold, and God was very condescending. But probably the request itself was suggested by the Divine Spirit. ON the miracle of the _fleece, dew_, and _dry ground_, Origen, in his eighth homily on the book of Judges, has many curious and in... [ Continue Reading ]