Focused Passage

Judges 6:1-6

Gideon's Call: Covenant Rebuke, Household Idols, and the LORD's Patient Presence

Judges 6 moves from relapse and Midianite devastation, to prophetic covenant rebuke, to the LORD's call of fearful Gideon, to altar-building and household idol-destruction, to Spirit-enabled mobilization, and finally to fleece signs that reveal both Gideon's hesitancy and the LORD's patient confirmation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,

2and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.

3Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,

4encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys.

5For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it.

6Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Nehemiah 9:26Classic cross-references Judges 2:11Classic cross-references Judges 13:1Classic cross-references Judges 2:19Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Again the Israelitesבְנֵי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singulardidוַיַּעֲשׂ֧וּH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralevilהָרַ֖עH7451Article | Adjective - masculine singularin the sightבְּעֵינֵ֣יH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdcof the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularso Heיְהוָ֛הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singulardelivered themוַיִּתְּנֵ֧םH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralinto the handבְּיַד־H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof Midianמִדְיָ֖ןH4080Noun - proper - masculine singularfor sevenשֶׁ֥בַעH7651Number - feminine singularyearsשָׁנִֽים׃H8141Noun - feminine plural

Verse 2

Cross-references

1 Samuel 13:6Classic cross-references Hebrews 11:38Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 14:11Classic cross-references Jeremiah 48:28Classic cross-references Leviticus 26:17Classic cross-references

Original words

and the handיַד־H3027Noun - feminine singular constructof Midianמִדְיָ֖ןH4080Noun - proper - masculine singularprevailedוַתָּ֥עָזH5810Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularagainstעַל־H5921PrepositionIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularBecause ofמִפְּנֵ֨יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructthe Midianitesמִדְיָ֜ןH4080Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Israelitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerpreparedעָשֽׂוּH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralsheltersהַמִּנְהָרוֹת֙H4492Article | Noun - feminine pluralfor themselvesלָהֶ֣ם׀Preposition | third person masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativein the mountainsבֶּֽהָרִ֔יםH2022Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markercavesהַמְּעָר֖וֹתH4631Article | Noun - feminine plural-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand strongholdsהַמְּצָדֽוֹת׃H4679Article | Noun - feminine plural

Verse 3

Cross-references

Isaiah 62:8Classic cross-references Job 1:3Classic cross-references Genesis 25:6Classic cross-references Genesis 29:1Classic cross-references Judges 3:13Classic cross-references

Original words

vvvוְהָיָ֖הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularWheneverאִם־H518Conjunctionthe Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularplanted their cropsזָרַ֣עH2232Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe Midianitesמִדְיָ֧ןH4080Noun - proper - masculine singularAmalekitesוַֽעֲמָלֵ֛קH6002Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularand other peopleוּבְנֵי־H1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructof the eastקֶ֖דֶםH6924Noun - masculine singularwould come upוְעָלָ֨הH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularand invadeוְעָל֥וּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralthemעָלָֽיו׃H5921Preposition | third person masculine singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

Leviticus 26:16Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:51Classic cross-references Micah 6:15Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:33Classic cross-references Jeremiah 49:9Classic cross-references

Original words

encampingוַיַּחֲנ֣וּH2583Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainst themעֲלֵיהֶ֗םH5921Preposition | third person masculine pluralas far asעַד־H5704Preposition. . .בּוֹאֲךָ֖H935Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularGazaעַזָּ֑הH5804Noun - proper - feminine singularand destroyingוַיַּשְׁחִ֙יתוּ֙H7843Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe produceיְב֣וּלH2981Noun - masculine singular constructof the landהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularThey leftיַשְׁאִ֤ירוּH7604Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralIsraelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularwith noוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlesustenanceמִֽחְיָה֙H4241Noun - feminine singularneither sheepוְשֶׂ֥הH7716Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularnor oxenוָשׁ֖וֹרH7794Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularnor donkeysוַחֲמֽוֹר׃H2543Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Isaiah 60:6Classic cross-references Judges 7:12Classic cross-references Judges 8:10Classic cross-references Jeremiah 46:23Classic cross-references 1 Kings 20:27Classic cross-references

Original words

Forכִּ֡יH3588Conjunctionthe Midianitesהֵם֩H1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralcameיָבֹאוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralwith their livestockוּמִקְנֵיהֶ֨םH4735Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural. . .יַעֲל֜וּH5927Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraland their tentsוְאָהֳלֵיהֶ֗םH168Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plurallike a greatלָרֹ֔בH7230Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularswarmכְדֵֽי־H1767Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructof locustsאַרְבֶּה֙H697Noun - masculine singularTheyוְלָהֶ֥םConjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine pluraland their camelsוְלִגְמַלֵּיהֶ֖םH1581Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralwere innumerableאֵ֣יןH369Adverb. . .מִסְפָּ֑רH4557Noun - masculine singularand they enteredוַיָּבֹ֥אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe landבָאָ֖רֶץH776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularto ravage itלְשַׁחֲתָֽהּ׃H7843Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular

Verse 6

Cross-references

Psalms 107:13Classic cross-references Judges 3:9Classic cross-references Jeremiah 5:17Classic cross-references Psalms 106:43Classic cross-references Psalms 50:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֛לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularwas greatlyמְאֹ֖דH3966Adverbimpoverishedוַיִּדַּ֧לH1809Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularbyמִפְּנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructMidianמִדְיָ֑ןH4080Noun - proper - masculine singularand the Israelitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularcried outוַיִּזְעֲק֥וּH2199Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃פH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

Read full chapter context All Judges chapters

<- Judges 5 Judges 6 Judges 7 ->