39 And Gideon H1439 said H559 unto God, H430 Let not thine anger H639 be hot H2734 against me, and I will speak H1696 but this once: H6471 let me prove, H5254 I pray thee, but this once H6471 with the fleece; H1492 let it now be dry H2721 only upon the fleece, H1492 and upon all the ground H776 let there be dew. H2919
He turneth H7760 rivers H5104 into a wilderness, H4057 and the watersprings H4325 H4161 into dry ground; H6774 A fruitful H6529 land H776 into barrenness, H4420 for the wickedness H7451 of them that dwell H3427 therein. He turneth H7760 the wilderness H4057 into a standing H98 water, H4325 and dry H6723 ground H776 into watersprings. H4325 H4161
Then shall the lame H6455 man leap H1801 as an hart, H354 and the tongue H3956 of the dumb H483 sing: H7442 for in the wilderness H4057 shall waters H4325 break out, H1234 and streams H5158 in the desert. H6160 And the parched ground H8273 shall become a pool, H98 and the thirsty land H6774 springs H4002 of water: H4325 in the habitation H5116 of dragons, H8577 where each lay, H7258 shall be grass H2682 with reeds H7070 and rushes. H1573
Behold, I will do H6213 a new thing; H2319 now it shall spring forth; H6779 shall ye not know H3045 it? I will even make H7760 a way H1870 in the wilderness, H4057 and rivers H5104 in the desert. H3452 The beast H2416 of the field H7704 shall honour H3513 me, the dragons H8577 and the owls: H1323 H3284 because I give H5414 waters H4325 in the wilderness, H4057 and rivers H5104 in the desert, H3452 to give drink H8248 to my people, H5971 my chosen. H972
Now G1161 if G1487 the fall G3900 of them G846 be the riches G4149 of the world, G2889 and G2532 the diminishing G2275 of them G846 the riches G4149 of the Gentiles; G1484 how G4214 much more G3123 their G846 fulness? G4138 For G1063 I speak G3004 to you G5213 Gentiles, G1484 inasmuch as G1909 G3745 G3303 I G1473 am G1510 the apostle G652 of the Gentiles, G1484 I magnify G1392 mine G3450 office: G1248 If by any means G1513 G4458 I may provoke to emulation G3863 them which are my G3450 flesh, G4561 and G2532 might save G4982 some G5100 of G1537 them. G846 For G1063 if G1487 the casting away G580 of them G846 be the reconciling G2643 of the world, G2889 what G5101 shall the receiving G4356 of them be, but G1508 life G2222 from G1537 the dead? G3498 For G1161 if G1487 the firstfruit G536 be holy, G40 the lump G5445 is also G2532 holy: and G2532 if G1487 the root G4491 be holy, G40 so G2532 are the branches. G2798 And G1161 if some G1536 of the branches G2798 be broken off, G1575 and G1161 thou, G4771 being G5607 a wild olive tree, G65 wert graffed in G1461 among G1722 them, G846 and G2532 with G4791 them G1096 partakest G4791 of the root G4491 and G2532 fatness G4096 of the olive tree; G1636 Boast G2620 not G3361 against G2620 the branches. G2798 But G1161 if G1487 thou boast, G2620 thou G4771 bearest G941 not G3756 the root, G4491 but G235 the root G4491 thee. G4571 Thou wilt say G2046 then, G3767 The branches G2798 were broken off, G1575 that G2443 I G1473 might be graffed in. G1461 Well; G2573 because of unbelief G570 they were broken off, G1575 and G1161 thou G4771 standest G2476 by faith. G4102 Be G5309 not G3361 highminded, G5309 but G235 fear: G5399 For G1063 if G1487 God G2316 spared G5339 not G3756 the natural G5449 branches, G2798 G2596 take heed lest G4458 G3381 he G5339 also G3381 spare G5339 not G3761 thee. G4675 Behold G1492 therefore G3767 the goodness G5544 and G2532 severity G663 of God: G2316 on G1909 them which fell, G4098 G3303 severity; G663 but G1161 toward G1909 thee, G4571 goodness, G5544 if G1437 thou continue G1961 in his goodness: G5544 otherwise G1893 thou G4771 also G2532 shalt be cut off. G1581
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 6
Commentary on Judges 6 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 6
Jud 6:1-6. The Israelites, for Their Sins, Oppressed by Midian.
1. and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian—Untaught by their former experiences, the Israelites again apostatized, and new sins were followed by fresh judgments. Midian had sustained a severe blow in the time of Moses (Nu 31:1-18); and the memory of that disaster, no doubt, inflamed their resentment against the Israelites. They were wandering herdsmen, called "children of the East," from their occupying the territory east of the Red Sea, contiguous to Moab. The destructive ravages they are described as at this time committing in the land of Israel are similar to those of the Bedouin Arabs, who harass the peaceful cultivators of the soil. Unless composition is made with them, they return annually at a certain season, when they carry off the grain, seize the cattle and other property; and even life itself is in jeopardy from the attacks of those prowling marauders. The vast horde of Midianites that overran Canaan made them the greatest scourge which had ever afflicted the Israelites.
2. made … dens … in the mountains and caves—not, of course, excavating them, for they were already, but making them fit for habitation.
Jud 6:7-10. A Prophet Rebukes Them.
8. the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel—The curse of the national calamity is authoritatively traced to their infidelity as the cause.
Jud 6:11-16. An Angel Sends Gideon to Deliver Them.
11. there came an angel of the Lord—He appeared in the character and equipments of a traveller (Jud 6:21), who sat down in the shade to enjoy a little refreshment and repose. Entering into conversation on the engrossing topic of the times, the grievous oppression of the Midianites, he began urging Gideon to exert his well-known prowess on behalf of his country. Gideon, in replying, addresses him at first in a style equivalent (in Hebrew) to "sir," but afterwards gives to him the name usually applied to God.
an oak—Hebrew, "the oak"—as famous in after-times.
Ophrah—a city in the tribe of Manasseh, about sixteen miles north of Jericho, in the district belonging to the family of Abiezer (Jos 17:2).
his son Gideon threshed wheat by the wine-press—This incident tells emphatically the tale of public distress. The small quantity of grain he was threshing, indicated by his using a flail instead of the customary treading of cattle—the unusual place, near a wine-press, under a tree, and on the bare ground, not a wooden floor, for the prevention of noise—all these circumstances reveal the extreme dread in which the people were living.
13. if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?—Gideon's language betrays want of reflection, for the very chastisements God had brought on His people showed His presence with, and His interest in, them.
14-16. the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might … have not I sent thee?—The command and the promise made Gideon aware of the real character of his visitor; and yet like Moses, from a sense of humility, or a shrinking at the magnitude of the undertaking, he excused himself from entering on the enterprise. And even though assured that, with the divine aid, he would overcome the Midianites as easily as if they were but one man, he still hesitates and wishes to be better assured that the mission was really from God. He resembles Moses also in the desire for a sign; and in both cases it was the rarity of revelations in such periods of general corruption that made them so desirous of having the fullest conviction of being addressed by a heavenly messenger. The request was reasonable, and it was graciously granted [Jud 6:18].
Jud 6:17-32. Gideon's Present Consumed by Fire.
18. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I … bring forth my present—Hebrew, my mincha, or "meat offering"; and his idea probably was to prove, by his visitor's partaking of the entertainment, whether or not he was more than man.
19-23. Gideon went in, and made ready a kid; … the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot—(See on Ge 18:7). The flesh seems to have been roasted, which is done by cutting it into kobab, that is, into small pieces, fixed on a skewer, and put before the fire. The broth was for immediate use; the other, brought in a hand-basket was intended to be a future supply to the traveller. The miraculous fire that consumed it and the vanishing of the stranger, not by walking, but as a spirit in the fire, filled Gideon with awe. A consciousness of demerit fills the heart of every fallen man at the thought of God, with fear of His wrath; and this feeling was increased by a belief prevalent in ancient times, that whoever saw an angel would forthwith die. The acceptance of Gideon's sacrifice betokened the acceptance of his person; but it required an express assurance of the divine blessing, given in some unknown manner, to restore his comfort and peace of mind.
24-32. it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him—The transaction in which Gideon is here described as engaged was not entered on till the night after the vision.
25. Take thy father's … second bullock—The Midianites had probably reduced the family herd; or, as Gideon's father was addicted to idolatry, the best may have been fattened for the service of Baal; so that the second was the only remaining one fit for sacrifice to God.
throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath—standing upon his ground, though kept for the common use of the townsmen.
cut down the grove that is by it—dedicated to Ashtaroth. With the aid of ten confidential servants he demolished the one altar and raised on the appointed spot the altar of the Lord; but, for fear of opposition, the work had to be done under cover of night. A violent commotion was excited next day, and vengeance vowed against Gideon as the perpetrator. "Joash, his father, quieted the mob in a manner similar to that of the town clerk of Ephesus. It was not for them to take the matter into their own hands. The one, however, made an appeal to the magistrate; the other to the idolatrous god himself" [Chalmers].
Jud 6:33-39. The Signs.
33. all the Midianites … pitched in Jezreel—The confederated troops of Midian, Amalek, and their neighbors, crossing the Jordan to make a fresh inroad on Canaan, encamped in the plains of Esdraelon (anciently Jezreel). The southern part of the Ghor lies in a very low level, so that there is a steep and difficult descent into Canaan by the southern wadies. Keeping this in view, we see the reason why the Midianite army, from the east of Jordan, entered Canaan by the northern wadies of the Ghor, opposite Jezreel.
34. the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon—Called in this sudden emergency into the public service of his country, he was supernaturally endowed with wisdom and energy commensurate with the magnitude of the danger and the difficulties of his position. His summons to war was enthusiastically obeyed by all the neighboring tribes. On the eve of a perilous enterprise, he sought to fortify his mind with a fresh assurance of a divine call to the responsible office. The miracle of the fleece was a very remarkable one—especially, considering the copious dews that fall in his country. The divine patience and condescension were wonderfully manifested in reversing the form of the miracle. Gideon himself seems to have been conscious of incurring the displeasure of God by his hesitancy and doubts; but He bears with the infirmities of His people.