(KJV) Judges 61

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⥃Midian Oppresses Israel

[1] And the children of Israel did evil2 in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered3 them into the hand of Midian4 seven years. [2] And the hand5 of Midian prevailed6 against Israel: [and] because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens7 which [are] in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. [3] And [so] it was, when Israel8 had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites9, and the children10 of the east, even they came up against them; [4] And they encamped against them, and destroyed11 the increase of the earth, till thou come12 unto Gaza, and left no13 sustenance for Israel, neither sheep14, nor ox, nor ass. [5] For they came up with their cattle and their tents15, and they came as grasshoppers16 for multitude; [for] both they and their camels17 were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy18 it. [6] And Israel was greatly impoverished19 because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried20 unto the Lord.

[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 prophet2122 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;23 [9] And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them24 out from before you, and gave you their land; [10] And I said unto you, I [am] the25 Lord your God; fear not26 the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have27 not obeyed my voice.

⥃The Call of Gideon

[11] And there came an angel28 of the Lord, and sat under an oak which [was] in Ophrah, that [pertained] unto Joash the Abi–ezrite29: and his son Gideon30 threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide [it] from the Midianites. [12] And the angel31 of the Lord32 appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord [is] with thee, thou mighty man of valour. [13] And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord33 be with us, why then34 is all this befallen us? and where [be] all his miracles which our fathers35 told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us36, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. [14] And the Lord37 looked upon him, and said, Go in38 this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? [15] And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith39 shall I save Israel? behold, my family [is] poor40 in Manasseh, and I [am] the least41 in my father’s house. [16] And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.42 [17] And he said unto him, If now43 I have found grace in thy sight, then shew44 me a sign that thou talkest with me. [18] Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring45 forth my present46, and set [it] before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

[19] [¶]And Gideon went in, and made47 ready a kid48, and unleavened cakes49 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]. [20] And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay [them50] upon this rock, and pour out51 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 there rose up52 fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. [22] And when Gideon perceived53 that he [was] an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because54 I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. [23] And the Lord said unto him, Peace [be55] unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. [24] Then Gideon built56 an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah–shalom57: unto this day it [is] yet in Ophrah58 of the Abi–ezrites.

⥃Gideon Destroys Baal’s Altar

[25] And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father’s59 young bullock, even60 the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father61 hath, and cut down62 the grove that [is] by it: [26] And build63 an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock64, in the ordered place65, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. [27] Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did66 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 [it67] 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 enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. [30] Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring68 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, Will ye plead69 for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be70 put to death whilst [it is yet] morning: if he [be71] a god, let him plead for himself, because [one] hath cast down his altar. [32] Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal72, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

⥃The Sign of the Fleece

[33] Then all73 the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children74 of the east were gathered together, and went over75, and pitched in the valley76 of Jezreel. [34] But the Spirit77 of the Lord came upon78 Gideon, and he blew79 a trumpet; and Abi–ezer80 was gathered81 after him. [35] And he sent messengers82 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.

[36] [¶]And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt83 save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, [37] Behold84, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; [and] if the dew be on the fleece only85, 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. [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 bowl86 full of water. [39] And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine87 anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry88 only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. [40] And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

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  1. Judg 6:1, The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian; Judg 6:8, A prophet rebukes them; Judg 6:11, An angel sends Gideon for their deliverance; Judg 6:17, Gideon’s present is consumed with fire; Judg 6:24, Gideon destroys Baal’s altar, and offers a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah–shalom; Judg 6:28, Joash defends his son, and calls shim Jerubbaal; Judg 6:33, Gideon’s army; Judg 6:36, Gideon’s signs. ↩

  2. Judg 2:13-14, Judg 2:19-20; Lev 26:14-46; Deut 28:15-68; Neh 9:26-29; Ps 106:34-42 ↩

  3. When God judges, he will overcome; and sinners shall be made either to bend or break before him. See the ensuing history. ↩

  4. Gen 25:2; Num 25:17-18; Hab 3:7 ↩

  5. Lev 26:17; Deut 28:47-48 ↩

  6. Heb. was strong ↩

  7. Dr. Shaw says, that a great way on each side Joppa, on the sea coast, there is a range of mountains and precipices; and in these high situations are generally found the dens, holes, or caves, which are so frequently mentioned in Scripture; and which were formerly the lonesome retreats of the distressed Israelites. 1Sam 13:6, 1Sam 14:11; Heb 11:38; Rev 6:15 ↩

  8. Lev 26:16; Deut 28:30-33, Deut 28:51; Job 31:8; Isa 65:21-22; Mic 6:15 ↩

  9. Judg 3:13 ↩

  10. Judg 6:33, Judg 7:12, Judg 8:10; Gen 29:1; 1Kgs 4:30; Job 1:3 ↩

  11. Lev 26:16; Deut 28:30, Deut 28:33, Deut 28:51; Mic 6:15 ↩

  12. The Midianites dwelt beyond the eastern borders of the land of Canaan, east of the Dead Sea, and Gaza was on the Mediterranean, on the west, so that these invaders ravaged the whole breadth of the land. Gen 10:19, Gen 13:10 ↩

  13. Prov 28:3; Jer 49:9-10; Obad 1:5 ↩

  14. or, goat ↩

  15. Song 1:5; Isa 13:20 ↩

  16. Judg 7:12, Judg 8:10; Jer 46:23 ↩

  17. Judg 8:21; 1Sam 30:17; Isa 60:6; Jer 49:29, Jer 49:32 ↩

  18. Ps 83:4-12 ↩

  19. Ps 106:43 *marg. Jer 5:17; Mal 1:4 ↩

  20. Judg 3:9, Judg 3:15; Ps 50:15, Ps 78:34, Ps 106:44; Isa 26:16; Hos 5:15 ↩

  21. Heb. a man ↩

  22. Thus saith, Judg 2:1-3; Neh 9:9-12; Ps 136:10-16; Isa 63:9-14; Ezek 20:5-32 ↩

  23. am 2759, bc 1245, An, Ex, Is, 246 ↩

  24. Ps 44:2-3 ↩

  25. Exod 20:2-3 ↩

  26. 2Kgs 17:33, 2Kgs 17:35-39; Jer 10:2 ↩

  27. Judg 2:2; Prov 5:13; Jer 3:13, Jer 3:25, Jer 9:13, Jer 42:21, Jer 43:4, Jer 43:7; Zeph 3:2; Rom 10:16; Heb 5:9 ↩

  28. Judg 6:14-16, Judg 2:1-5, Judg 5:23, Judg 13:3, Judg 13:18-20; Gen 48:16; Josh 18:23; Isa 63:9 ↩

  29. Judg 8:2; Josh 17:2 ↩

  30. Heb 11:32, Gedeon, hide it , Heb. cause it to flee ↩

  31. Judg 13:3; Luke 1:11, Luke 1:28 ↩

  32. Judg 2:18; Exod 3:12; Josh 1:5, Josh 1:9; Ruth 2:4; Matt 1:23, Matt 28:20; Luke 1:28; Acts 18:9-10 ↩

  33. Gen 25:22; Exod 33:14-16; Num 14:14-15; Rom 8:31 ↩

  34. Deut 29:24, Deut 30:17-18; Ps 77:7-9, Ps 89:49; Isa 59:1-2, Isa 63:15 ↩

  35. Ps 44:1, Ps 78:3-4 ↩

  36. Deut 31:17; 2Chr 15:2; Ps 27:9; Isa 41:17; Jer 23:33 ↩

  37. Judg 6:11 ↩

  38. Judg 4:6; Josh 1:5-9; 1Sam 12:11; 1Chr 14:9-10; Heb 11:32, Heb 11:34 ↩

  39. Exod 3:11, Exod 4:10; Jer 1:6; Luke 1:34 ↩

  40. Heb. my thousand is the meanest, Exod 18:21-25; 1Sam 9:21, 1Sam 18:23; Mic 5:2 ↩

  41. Gen 32:10; Jer 50:45; 1Cor 15:9; Eph 3:8 ↩

  42. Judg 6:12; Exod 3:12; Josh 1:5; Isa 41:10, Isa 41:14-16; Matt 28:20; Mark 16:20; Acts 11:21 ↩

  43. Exod 33:13, Exod 33:16 ↩

  44. Judg 6:36-40; Gen 15:8-17; Exod 4:1-9; 2Kgs 20:8-11; Ps 86:17; Isa 7:11 ↩

  45. Judg 13:15; Gen 18:3, Gen 18:5, Gen 19:3 ↩

  46. or, meat offering ↩

  47. Dr. Shaw observes, "Besides a bowl of milk, and a basket of figs, raisins, or dates, which upon our arrival were presented to us, to stay our appetite, the master of the tent fetched us from his flock, according to the number of our company, a kid or a goat, a lamb or a sheep; half of which was immediately seethed by his wife, and served up with cucasoe; the rest was made kaḃab, i.e., cut to pieces and roasted, which we reserved for our breakfast or dinner next day." May we not suppose, says Mr. Harmer, that Gideon presented some slight refreshment to the supposed prophet, according to the present Arab mode, and desired him to stay till he could provide something more substantial; that he immediately killed a kid, seethed a part of it, and when ready brought the stewed meat in a pot, with unleavened cakes of bread, which he had baked; and the other part, the kaḃab, in a basket for him to carry with him, for some after repast in his journey? Judg 13:15-19; Gen 18:6-8 ↩

  48. Heb. a kid of the goats ↩

  49. Lev 2:4 ↩

  50. Judg 13:19 ↩

  51. 1Kgs 18:33-34 ↩

  52. Judg 13:20; Lev 9:24; 1Kgs 18:38; 1Chr 21:26; 2Chr 7:1 ↩

  53. Judg 13:21 ↩

  54. Judg 13:22-23; Gen 16:13, Gen 32:30; Exod 33:20; Deut 5:5, Deut 5:24, Deut 5:26; Isa 6:5-8; John 1:18, John 12:41 ↩

  55. Gen 32:30, Gen 43:23; Ps 85:8; Dan 10:19; John 14:27, John 20:19, John 20:26; Rom 1:7 ↩

  56. Judg 21:4; Gen 33:20; Josh 22:10, Josh 22:26-28 ↩

  57. that is, The Lord send peace, Gen 22:14; Exod 17:15; Jer 23:6, Jer 33:16; Ezek 48:35 ↩

  58. Judg 8:32 ↩

  59. Gen 35:2; Job 22:23; Ps 101:2 ↩

  60. or, and, throw, 1Kgs 18:21; Matt 6:24; 2Cor 6:15-17 ↩

  61. Matt 10:37; Acts 4:19, Acts 5:29 ↩

  62. Judg 3:7; Exod 34:13; Deut 7:5 ↩

  63. 2Sam 24:18 ↩

  64. Heb. strong place ↩

  65. or, an orderly manner, 1Cor 14:33, 1Cor 14:40 ↩

  66. Deut 4:1; Matt 16:24; John 2:5, John 15:14; Gal 1:16; 1Thess 2:4 ↩

  67. Ps 112:5; John 3:2 ↩

  68. Jer 26:11, Jer 50:38; John 16:2; Acts 26:9; Phil 3:6 ↩

  69. The words are very emphatic: "Will ye plead in earnest (tereevoon) for Baal? Will ye really save (tosheeoon) him? If he be God (Elohim,) let him contend for himself, seeing his altar is thrown down." Exod 23:2; Num 14:6; Eph 5:11 ↩

  70. Deut 13:5-18, Deut 17:2-7; 1Kgs 18:40 ↩

  71. 1Kgs 18:27, 1Kgs 18:29; Ps 115:4-7; Isa 41:23, Isa 46:1, Isa 46:7; Jer 10:5, Jer 10:11; 1Cor 8:4 ↩

  72. that is, Let Baal plead, 1Sam 12:11; 2Sam 11:21, Jerubbesheth, that is, Let the shameful thing plead, Jer 11:13; Hos 9:10 ↩

  73. Ps 3:1, Ps 27:2-3, Ps 118:10-12; Isa 8:9-10; Rom 8:35-39 ↩

  74. Judg 6:3, Judg 8:10-11; 1Chr 5:19; Job 1:3 ↩

  75. Judg 7:24; Josh 3:16 ↩

  76. Josh 17:16, Josh 19:18; 1Kgs 18:45, 1Kgs 21:1 ↩

  77. Judg 3:10, Judg 13:25, Judg 14:19, Judg 15:14; 1Sam 10:6, 1Sam 11:6, 1Sam 16:14; 1Chr 12:18; 2Chr 24:20; Ps 51:11; 1Cor 12:8-11 ↩

  78. Heb. clothed, Rom 13:14; Gal 3:27 ↩

  79. Judg 3:27; Num 10:3 ↩

  80. Judg 6:11, Judg 8:2; Josh 17:2 ↩

  81. Heb. was called ↩

  82. 2Chr 30:6-12 ↩

  83. Judg 6:14, Judg 6:17-20; Exod 4:1-9; 2Kgs 20:9; Ps 103:13-14; Matt 16:1 ↩

  84. Deut 32:2; Ps 72:6; Hos 6:3-4, Hos 14:5 ↩

  85. Ps 147:19-20; Matt 10:5-6, Matt 15:24 ↩

  86. Isa 35:7 ↩

  87. Gen 18:32 ↩

  88. Ps 107:33-35; Isa 35:6-7, Isa 43:19-20, Isa 50:2; Matt 8:12, Matt 21:43; Acts 13:46, Acts 22:21, Acts 28:28; Rom 11:12-22 ↩