Judges 6:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.

NIV: Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.

NASB: For whenever Israel had sown, the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the people of the east and march against them.

CSB: Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the east came and attacked them.

NLT: Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,

KJV: 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;

NKJV: So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.

God turned His people over to oppression by the Midianites in response to Israel's evil practices: worshiping Baal and other gods (Judges 6:1–2). This took the form of regular invasions of Israelite settlements and towns. The Midianites, along with allies that included the Amalekites and other people from east of the Jordan River, would cross over the Jordan and strike into the heart of Israelite territory. They would come specifically to raid the Israelite's crops at harvest time to take the food for themselves.

This means Midian didn't conquer Israel and possess their land, in the typical fashion of a conquering enemy. Rather, they bullied and abused the people. Such regular raids and attacks would put the people at risk of starvation. It would also create a great sense of fear and uncertainty. The people of Israel were living in dread and helplessness. The timid response of the very man God calls to become a rescuer echoes this beaten-down attitude (Judges 6:17, 37, 39).

Judges 6:1–10 begins, once again, with Israel's descent into evil (Judges 2:11–14). God turns them over to the Midianites, who invade every year with their allies from the east. These raids take Israelite crops and livestock. God's people cry out for help after seven years. Before sending a deliverer, the Lord first appoints an unnamed prophet to deliver a message. He reminds them that He is the one who freed them from their enemies and gave them their land. They suffer now because they have not obeyed His voice.

Israel follows the sad pattern of the book of Judges, and once again turns to evil and idols. God turns them over to the Midianites. These foreign raiders spend the next seven years invading and consuming Israel's crops and livestock. Israel cries for help to the Lord. His first step is to send a prophet to remind them of God's goodness and their disobedience. The Lord then appears to Gideon, commanding him to save Israel because God will be with him. Gideon obeys God's command to tear down a Baal altar and build one to Yahweh in its place. He calls his countrymen to follow him and asks for signs from God.

The book of Judges contains a series of stories with a common theme: Israel falls into sin, suffers, and is rescued by God, only to fall once again (Judges 1—2). The next phase in Israel's downward spiral comes after 40 years of peace, won by Deborah and Barak (Judges 4—5). Israel is punished for sin through the Midianites. After seven years, the Israelites cry out for help. The Lord appears to Gideon, challenging the timid man to lead the battle against Israel's oppressors. Empowered by the Spirit, Gideon calls for his people to follow him, but still asks the Lord for signs. Gideon's successful campaigns are depicted in chapters 7 and 8.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).

Accessed 5/3/2024 9:16:00 AM