Judges 6
6
Oppression and Confrontation
1 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight,#tn Heb “in the eyes of.” so the Lord turned them over to#tn Heb “gave them into the hand of.” Midian for seven years. 2 The Midianites#tn Heb “the hand of Midian.” overwhelmed Israel.#tn Heb “The hand of Midian was strong against Israel.” Because of Midian the Israelites made shelters#tn Or possibly “secret storage places.” The Hebrew word occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible. for themselves in the hills, as well as caves and strongholds. 3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops,#tn Heb “Whenever Israel sowed seed.” the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east would attack them.#tn Heb “Midian, Amalek, and the sons of the east would go up, they would go up against him.” The translation assumes that וְעָלוּ (vÿ’alu) is dittographic (note the following עָלָיו, ’alayv). 4 They invaded the land#tn Heb “They encamped against them.” and devoured#tn Heb “destroyed.” its crops#tn Heb “the crops of the land.” all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat,#tn Heb “They left no sustenance in Israel.” and they took away#tn The words “they took away” are supplied in the translation for clarification. the sheep, oxen, and donkeys. 5 When they invaded#tn Heb “came up.” with their cattle and tents, they were as thick#tn Heb “numerous.” as locusts. Neither they nor their camels could be counted.#tn Heb “To them and to their camels there was no number.” They came to devour#tn Heb “destroy.” The translation “devour” carries through the imagery of a locust plague earlier in this verse. the land. 6 Israel was so severely weakened by Midian that the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.
7 When the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help because of Midian, 8 he#tn Heb “the Lord”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. sent a prophet#tn Heb “a man, a prophet.” Hebrew idiom sometimes puts a generic term before a more specific designation. to the Israelites. He said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I brought you up from Egypt#tc Some ancient witnesses read “from the land of Egypt.” מֵאֶרֶץ (me’erets, “from the land [of]”) could have been accidentally omitted by homoioarcton (note the following מִמִּצְרַיִם [mimmitsrayim, “from Egypt”]). and took you out of that place of slavery.#tn Heb “of the house of slavery.” 9 I rescued you from Egypt’s power#tn Heb “hand” (also a second time later in this verse). and from the power of all who oppressed you. I drove them out before you and gave their land to you. 10 I said to you, “I am the Lord your God! Do not worship#tn Heb “Do not fear.” the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living!” But you have disobeyed me.’”#tn Heb “you have not listened to my voice.”
Gideon Meets Some Visitors
11 The Lord’s angelic messenger#tn The adjective “angelic” is interpretive.sn The Lord’s angelic messenger is also mentioned in Judg 2:1. came and sat down under the oak tree in Ophrah owned by Joash the Abiezrite. He arrived while Joash’s son Gideon#tn Heb “Now Gideon his son…” The Hebrew circumstantial clause (note the pattern vav [ו] + subject + predicate) breaks the narrative sequence and indicates that the angel’s arrival coincided with Gideon’s threshing. was threshing#tn Heb “beating out.” wheat in a winepress#sn Threshing wheat in a winepress. One would normally thresh wheat at the threshing floor outside the city. Animals and a threshing sledge would be employed. Because of the Midianite threat, Gideon was forced to thresh with a stick in a winepress inside the city. For further discussion see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 63. so he could hide it from the Midianites.#tn Heb “Midian.” 12 The Lord’s messenger appeared and said to him, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!” 13 Gideon said to him, “Pardon me,#tn Heb “But my lord.” but if the Lord is with us, why has such disaster#tn Heb “all this.” overtaken us? Where are all his miraculous deeds our ancestors told us about? They said,#tn Heb “saying.” ‘Did the Lord not bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” 14 Then the Lord himself#sn Some interpreters equate the Lord and the messenger in this story, but they are more likely distinct. In vv. 22-23 the Lord and Gideon continue to carry on a conversation after the messenger has vanished (v. 21). turned to him and said, “You have the strength.#tn Heb “Go in this strength of yours.” Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites!#tn Heb “the hand of Midian.” Have I not sent you?” 15 Gideon#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity. said to him, “But Lord,#tn Note the switch to אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Lord”). Gideon seems aware that he is speaking to someone other than, and superior to, the messenger, whom he addressed as אֲדֹנִי (’adoniy, “my lord”) in v. 13. how#tn Heb “with what.” can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.”#tn Heb “in my father’s house.” 16 The Lord said to him, “Ah, but#tn Or “certainly.” I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.”#tn Heb “You will strike down Midian as one man.” The idiom “as one man” emphasizes the collective unity of a group (see Judg 20:8, 11). Here it may carry the force, “as if they were just one man.” 17 Gideon#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity. said to him, “If you really are pleased with me,#tn Heb “If I have found favor in your eyes.” then give me#tn Heb “perform for me.” a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me. 18 Do not leave this place until I come back#tn The Hebrew text adds “to you,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons. with a gift#tn Heb “and I will bring out my gift.” The precise nuance of the Hebrew word מִנְחָה (minkhah, “gift”) is uncertain in this context. It may refer to a gift offered as a sign of goodwill or submission. In some cases it is used of a gift offered to appease someone whom the offerer has offended. The word can also carry a sacrificial connotation. and present it to you.” The Lord said, “I will stay here until you come back.”
19 Gideon went and prepared a young goat,#tn Heb “a kid from among the goats.” along with unleavened bread made from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He brought the food#tn The words “the food” are not in the Hebrew text (an implied direct object). They are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. to him under the oak tree and presented it to him. 20 God’s messenger said to him, “Put the meat and unleavened bread on this rock,#tn Heb “Take the meat…and put [it] on this rock.” and pour out the broth.” Gideon did as instructed.#tn Heb “and he did so.” 21 The Lord’s messenger touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of his staff.#tn Heb “extended the tip of the staff which was in his hand and touched the meat and unleavened bread.” Fire flared up from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened bread. The Lord’s messenger then disappeared.#tn Heb “went from his eyes.”
22 When Gideon realized#tn Heb “saw.” that it was the Lord’s messenger, he#tn Heb “Gideon.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. said, “Oh no!#tn Or “Ah!” Master, Lord!#tn The Hebrew text reads אֲדֹנַי יְהוִה (’adonay yÿhvih, “Lord [the same title used in v. 15], Lord”). I have seen the Lord’s messenger face to face!” 23 The Lord said to him, “You are safe!#tn Heb “Peace to you.” For a similar use of this idiom to introduce a reassuring word, see Gen 43:23. Do not be afraid! You are not going to die!” 24 Gideon built an altar for the Lord there, and named it “The Lord is on friendly terms with me.”#tn Heb “The Lord is peace.” Gideon’s name for the altar plays on the Lord’s reassuring words to him, “Peace to you.” To this day it is still there in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Gideon Destroys the Altar
25 That night the Lord said to him, “Take the bull from your father’s herd, as well as a second bull, one that is seven years old.#tn Or “Take a bull from your father’s herd, the second one, the one seven years old.” Apparently Gideon would need the bulls to pull down the altar. Pull down your father’s Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole. 26 Then build an altar for the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold according to the proper pattern.#tn Possibly “in a row” or “in a layer,” perhaps referring to the arrangement of the stones used in the altar’s construction. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt sacrifice on the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten of his servants#tn Heb “men from among his servants.” and did just as the Lord had told him. He was too afraid of his father’s family#tn Heb “house.” and the men of the city to do it in broad daylight, so he waited until nighttime.#tn Heb “so he did it at night.”
28 When the men of the city got up the next morning, they saw#tn Heb “look!” The narrator uses this word to invite his audience/readers to view the scene through the eyes of the men. the Baal altar pulled down, the nearby Asherah pole cut down, and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar. 29 They said to one another,#tn Heb “each one to his neighbor.” “Who did this?”#tn Heb “this thing.” They investigated the matter thoroughly#tn Heb “they inquired and searched.” The synonyms are joined to emphasize the care with which they conducted their inquiry. and concluded#tn Heb “and said.” Perhaps the plural subject is indefinite. If so, it could be translated, “they were told.” that Gideon son of Joash had done it. 30 The men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, so we can execute him!#tn Heb “and let him die.” The jussive form with vav after the imperative is best translated as a purpose clause. He pulled down the Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole.” 31 But Joash said to all those who confronted him,#tn Heb “to all who stood against him.” “Must you fight Baal’s battles?#tn Heb “Do you fight for Baal?” Must you rescue him? Whoever takes up his cause#tn Heb “fights for him.” will die by morning!#sn Whoever takes up his cause will die by morning. This may be a warning to the crowd that Joash intends to defend his son and to kill anyone who tries to execute Gideon. Then again, it may be a sarcastic statement about Baal’s apparent inability to defend his own honor. Anyone who takes up Baal’s cause may end up dead, perhaps by the same hand that pulled down the pagan god’s altar. If he really is a god, let him fight his own battles!#tn Heb “fight for himself.” After all, it was his altar that was pulled down.”#tn Heb “for he pulled down his altar.” The subject of the verb, if not Gideon, is indefinite (in which case a passive translation is permissible). 32 That very day Gideon’s father named him Jerub-Baal,#tn Heb “He called him on that day Jerub-Baal.” The name means, at least by popular etymology, “Let Baal fight!” because he had said, “Let Baal fight with him, for it was his altar that was pulled down.”
Gideon Summons an Army and Seeks Confirmation
33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east#tn Heb “Midian, Amalek, and the sons of the east.” assembled. They crossed the Jordan River#tn The words “the Jordan River” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification. and camped in the Jezreel Valley. 34 The Lord’s spirit took control of#tn Heb “clothed.” Gideon. He blew a trumpet,#tn That is, “mustered an army.” summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.#tn Heb “Abiezer was summoned after him.” 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh and summoned them to follow him as well.#tn Heb “and he also was summoned after him.” He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet him.
36 Gideon said to God, “If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel,#tn More literally, “you are about to deliver Israel by my hand.” as you promised, then give me a sign as proof.#tn The words “then give me a sign as proof” are supplied in the translation for clarification. 37 Look, I am putting a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and the ground around it#tn Heb “all the ground.” is dry, then I will be sure#tn Or “know.” that you will use me to deliver Israel,#tn Heb “you will deliver Israel by my hand.” as you promised.” 38 The Lord did as he asked.#tn Heb “And it was so.” When he got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece, and enough dew dripped from it to fill a bowl.#tn Heb “dew dripped from the fleece – a bowl full of water.” 39 Gideon said to God, “Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign.#tn Heb “Let your anger not rage at me, so that I might speak only this once.” Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make only the fleece dry, while the ground around it is covered with dew.”#tn Heb “let the fleece alone be dry, while dew is on all the ground.” 40 That night God did as he asked.#tn Heb “God did so that night.” Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.
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Judges 6
6
The Midianites Oppresses Israel
1The Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and Yahweh gave them into the hand of the Midianites#Hebrew “Midianite” for seven years. 2The hand of the Midianites#Hebrew “Midianite” prevailed over Israel; because of the presence of the Midianites,#Hebrew “Midianite” the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” made for themselves hiding places that were in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. 3And whenever Israel sowed seed, the Midianites,#Hebrew “Midianite” Amalekites,#Hebrew “Amalekite” and the people of the east would come up against them. 4They would camp against them and destroy the produce of the land as far as#Literally “until your coming to” Gaza; they left no produce in Israel, or sheep, ox, or donkey. 5For they, their livestock, and their tents would come up like a great number of locusts; they and their camels could not be counted; they came into the land and devoured it. 6Israel was very poor because of the presence of the Midianites,#Hebrew “Midianite” and the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” cried out to Yahweh.
7When the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” cried out to Yahweh on account of the Midianites,#Hebrew “Midianite” 8Yahweh sent a prophet to the Israelites,#Literally “sons/children of Israel” and he said to them, “Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt; I brought you from the house of slavery.#Hebrew “slaves” 9I delivered you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors, and drove them out from before you;#Literally “your face/presence” and I gave you their land. 10And I said to you, ‘I am Yahweh your God; do not fear#Or “revere” the gods of the Amorites,#Hebrew “Amorite” in whose land you are living.’ But you have not listened to my voice.”
The Angel of Yahweh Calls Gideon
11The angel of Yahweh came and sat under the oak#Or “terebinth” that was at Ophrah that belonged to Jehoash the Abiezrite; and Gideon his son was threshing wheat in the winepress to hide it#Or “keep it away” from the Midianites.#Hebrew “Midianite” 12The angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said to him, “Yahweh is with you, you mighty warrior.”#Literally “strong/mighty of power” 13Gideon said to him, “Excuse me, my lord. If Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors#Or “fathers” recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has forsaken us; he has given us into the palm of Midian.” 14And Yahweh turned to him and said, “Go in this your strength, and you will deliver Israel from the palm of Midian. Did I not send you?” 15He said to him, “Excuse me, my lord. How will I deliver Israel? Look, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” 16And Yahweh said to him, “But I will be with you, and you will defeat Midian as if they are one man.”#Literally “as one man” 17And he#That is, Gideon said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, show me a sign#Literally “make a sign for me” that you are speaking with me. 18Please, do not depart from here until I come back to you and bring out my gift and set it out before you.”#Or “in your presence” And he said, “I will stay until you return.”
19And Gideon went and prepared a young goat#Literally “a kid of goat” and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour; he put meat in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and he brought them to him under the oak#Or “terebinth” and presented them. 20The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes and put them on this rock; pour the broth over it.” And he did so. 21Then the angel of Yahweh reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and he touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and fire went up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of Yahweh went from his sight.#Literally “from his eyes” 22And Gideon realized that he was the angel of Yahweh; and Gideon said, “Oh, my lord Yahweh! For now I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face.” 23And Yahweh said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not fear; you will not die.” 24And Gideon built there an altar to Yahweh, and he called it “Yahweh is peace.” To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.#Hebrew “Abiezrite”
25Now on that same night Yahweh said to him, “Take the bull of the cattle that belongs to your father, and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah#An Asherah is a cultic pole set up next to an altar symbolizing the goddess Asherah that is beside it; 26and build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold in the proper arrangement, and take a second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah#An Asherah is a cultic pole set up next to an altar symbolizing the goddess Asherah that you will cut down. 27Gideon took ten men from his servants, and he did just as Yahweh told him;#Or “spoke to him” and because he was too afraid of his father’s family#Literally “father’s house” and the men of the city to do it during the day, he did it during night.
Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal
28When the men of the city got up early in the morning, look, the altar of Baal and the Asherah#An Asherah is a cultic pole set up next to an altar symbolizing the goddess Asherah that was beside it were cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. 29And they said to one another,#Literally “And each man to his neighbor said” “Who did this thing?” So they searched and inquired, and they said, “Gideon son of Jehoash did this thing.” 30And the men of the city said to Jehoash, “Bring out your son so that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah that was beside it.” 31But Jehoash said to all who stood against him,#Or “who arrayed against him” “Will you contend for Baal? Will you rescue him? Whoever contends for him will be put to death by the morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself because his altar has been pulled down.”#Literally “because he has pulled down his altar”; the subject in Hebrew has not been specified 32Thus, on that day he#That is, Gideon was called Jerub-Baal, which means,#Literally “saying” “Let Baal contend against him,” because he had pulled down his altar.
33Then all the Midianites,#Hebrew “Midianite” Amalekites,#Hebrew “Amalekite” and the people of the east gathered together and crossed the Jordan; and they camped in the valley of Jezreel. 34So the Spirit of Yahweh took possession of#Literally “clothed” Gideon, and he blew on the trumpet, and the Abiezrites#Hebrew “Abiezerite” were called to follow him. 35He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they were also called to follow him; and he sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.
Gideon Tests Yahweh With the Fleece
36Then Gideon said to God, “In order to see that you will deliver Israel by my hand, just as you have said, 37I will place a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and all of the ground is dry, I will know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, just as you have said.” 38And it was so. He arose early the next day and squeezed the fleece, and he wrung out dew from the fleece, a full drinking bowl of water. 39And Gideon said to God, “Do not let your anger burn#Literally “Do not let your nose become hot” against me; let me speak once more. Please let me test once more with the fleece; let the fleece be dry, and let there be dew on the ground.” 40And God did so that night; only the fleece was dry, and dew was on all the ground.
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