Abimelech's Conspiracy and Downfall

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Judges 9:1) And Abimelech the son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to his mother's brethren and communed with them and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

In the last chapter and post, Gideon, the same as Jerub-Baal, had passed away, and we learned that he had a son by a concubine who lived in Shechem named Abimelech.  He had also had seventy sons by his multiple wives.  Now Abimelech went to Shechem to his mother's family to visit with them and with all the family of his mother's father.

(2) "Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men in Shechem, 'Which is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerub-Baal, seventy persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you?' Remember that I am your own flesh and bone."

Although Gideon and his son Jether had refused kingship as it was the Lord only who should rule over His people, the son of his concubine, Abimelech, conspired to be ruler over the Israelites.  He asked his mother's relatives to talk to the men of Shechem and ask them if it would be better for the seventy sons of Gideon to rule over them, which might cause strife and division, or just one person, meaning himself, to rule.  He reminded them that he was their flesh and blood, hoping that would prompt them to do what he proposed.

(3) And his mother's brethren spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother."

Indeed, his mother's family was inclined to follow Abimelech because he was their flesh and blood kin, and they spoke of him to the men of Shechem using all the words and rationale he had given them.

(4) And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light persons who followed him.

The men of Shechem gave Abimelech seventy pieces of silver out of the treasury of the temple of their false god, Baal-Berith, the temple surely having been erected after the death of Gideon.  With the money Abimelech hired worthless scoundrels to follow him around and surely to do what he told them to do.

(5) And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal, seventy persons, on one stone; however, Jotham the youngest son of Jerub-Baal was left for he hid himself.

Abimelech and his followers went to the house of his father, Gideon, and killed his half-brothers, the sons of Gideon, brutally executing each one on one stone.  However, one of the seventy sons of Gideon escaped, Jotham, the youngest, because he hid himself.

(6) And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar in Shechem.

All the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo, which may have been a prominent family in or near Shechem, or as "beyth millo" that was translated as "house of Millo" means precisely "house of rampart," perhaps it was a sort of town hall or some such center of government or courthouse.  Regardless of who they all were, they made the decision to make Abimelech their king.  They anointed him king by the plain of the pillar in Shechem.  They may have erected a pillar in Shechem to commemorate the anointing of their king or simply chose to anoint him at a previously erected pillar.  This might be the stone pillar erected by Joshua under an oak tree as a testimony between God and His people.  If so, what an act of blasphemy and sacrilege!  They never consulted God about whether they should replace Him as their king, and Abimelech had killed sixty-nine innocent men to give himself that title.

(7) And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice and cried, and said to them, "Hearken to me, you men of Shechem, that God may hearken to you!"

When it was told to Jotham that Abimelech had been made king, he went up to the top of Mount Gerizim and cried out to the men of Shechem to hear him if they wanted God to ever hear them when they cried to Him for mercy.

(8) "The trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.' (9) But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I leave my fatness with which by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?'"

Jotham began a parable, crying out in the hearing of the men of Shechem.  He spoke of trees who sought a king tree to rule over them.  They went to a fine olive tree and asked that it reign over them, but it refused them asking if it should leave its God-given purpose in providing oil that burned lamps in the tabernacle to rule over the trees, something for which God had not called.  The trees represented the people of Israel, especially the people of Shechem.  They had asked Gideon and his son after him to rule over them.  Gideon was a fine and honorable man who had refused them.  He would not leave the position to which God had called him to promote himself to something God had not asked him to do.  He had told the people that God ruled over them; there was no need for a king.

(10) "And the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and reign over us.' (11) But the fig tree said to them, 'Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit and go to be promoted over the trees?'"

The trees then went to the fig tree, which may have represented the people going to Gideon's son desiring that he reign over them.  The fig tree also refused to leave its purpose of providing sweet fruit to go and reign over the trees.

(12) "Then said the trees to the vine, 'Come and reign over us.' (13) And the vine said to them, 'Should I leave my wine which cheers God and man and go to be promoted over the trees?'"

The trees continued looking for a king and went to the grapevine which may have represented Gideon's son's son whom the people had desired to rule over them (Judges 8:22).  The vine also refused them, stating that it would not leave its purpose of providing wine that was pleasing to God and man.

(14) "Then said all the trees to the bramble, 'Come and reign over us.'"

The trees finally resorted to asking the bramble to reign over them.  The bramble could scarcely be called a tree, just a thorny bush barren and fruitless only providing distress and pain.  This, of course, represented the wicked Abimelech.

(15) "And the bramble said to the trees, 'If in truth you anoint me king over you, come put your trust in my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'"

The bramble said to the trees that if they truly wanted it to be king over them, then they would find protection in its shadow.  But how much protection can the shadow of a bramble really be?  It would only be a painful irritant to one who would try to find shelter under it.  The bramble was making promises it would never keep and demanding loyalty up front if the trees truly wanted it as king.  If they did not submit to the bramble as king and put all faith and confidence in it, then they would feel the fire of its wrath and vengeance.  The lowly bramble located under the tall trees could more easily catch fire than the trees and quickly burn up, but then its fire would catch the trees on fire and take them down with it, even the great cedars of Lebanon.  The bramble, of course, represented Abimelech, and the moral of the story was that if the people chose so low, worthless, and wicked a man to rule over them, then he would be the destruction of all of them.

(16) "Now therefore, if you have done truly and sincerely in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerub-Baal and his house and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands, (17) (For my father fought for you and adventured his life far and delivered you out of the hand of Midian, (18) And you are risen up against my father's house this day and have slain his sons, seventy persons upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem because he is your brother); (19) If you then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerub-Baal and with his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech and let him also rejoice in you."

Jotham then applied his parable to what the people had done.  If they had truly and sincerely made Abimelech king, and if they had dealt truly and sincerely with Gideon and his house, dealing with him as well as he deserved according to what he had done for them, then so be it.  Jotham reminded them that Gideon had risked his life fighting for them to deliver them out of the hand of the Midianites.  However, they had risen up against his father's house and had slain his seventy sons.  At least that was their intention, to kill all seventy, but Jotham had survived.  They had then made Abimelech, the son of Gideon's maidservant, king over the men of Shechem because he was their kin.  If in all this, the people had dealt well and truly with Gideon and his house, then they should rejoice in their king Abimelech and let him rejoice in them.

(20) "But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo, and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech!"

However, if the people had not dealt rightly and sincerely with the house of Gideon, then he wished for wrath, fury, and rage to burn forth from Abimelech like fire, and let it destroy the men of Shechem and the house of Millo (verse 6).  May the men, in turn, turn on Abimelech and destroy him, as well.

(21) And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

Jotham then ran away and fled to Beer, a place remote from Shechem and out of Abimelech's reach.  He dwelt there because he was afraid of what Abimelech might do to him because after all, Abimelech had intended that Jotham be killed.

(22) When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, (23) Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, (24) That the cruelty to the seventy sons of Jerub-Baal might come and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother who killed them and on the men of Shechem who aided him in the killing of his brothers.

Abimelech was actually allowed by Israel to rule over them for three years.  He was not technically the king of Israel as he was only appointed by the men of Shechem (verse 6), but it appears that the children of Israel consented to him ruling over them.  After three years, the Lord God sent an evil spirit to stir up animosity between Abimelech and the men of Shechem in order to avenge the innocent blood of Gideon's sons.  He would righteously lay the blame on Abimelech and on the men of Shechem who aided in the killing of his brothers in order to make him a king.

(25) And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them, and it was told Abimelech.

The men of Shechem set men on the top of the mountains to lie in wait for Abimelech.  Meanwhile, they robbed all who went that way by them.  It was told to Abimelech that they were lying in wait for him, specifically.

(26) And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren and went over to Shechem, and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

A man named Gaal, the son of Ebed, came that way with his brethren, whether they be his birth brothers or brethren in general it's hard to say.  The men of Shechem put their confidence in them, telling them of their plan to ambush Abimelech.

(27) And they went out into the fields and gathered their vineyards and trod them and made merry, and went into the house of their god and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.

Now with a boost in courage because of the addition of Gaal and his brethren, the men went into their fields and gathered their grapes and trod them and had a good time, which may have been something they had been unable to do under the rule of Abimelech.  They went into the house of their god which was probably Baal-Berith (Judges 8:33), and they ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.

(28) And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal? And Zebul, his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, for why should we serve him?"

As they were making merry, probably drinking and carousing, while they cursed Abimelech, Gaal asked who Abimelech was anyway that they should serve him.  He was a Shechemite, and who was Shechem that they should serve him? He pointed out that he was the son of Jerub-Baal, that is Gideon, who had thrown down the altar of Baal.  Abimelech had evidently set Zebul as an officer over the people, and Gaal pondered who Zebul was that they should obey him.  He suggested that they should rather serve the descendants of Hamor, the old Canaanite prince, rather than Abimelech.  Of what importance was Abimelech that they should serve him?

(29) "And would to God this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech." And he said to Abimelech, "Increase your army and come out!"

Gaal said that if only the people were under his rule, he would remove Abimelech.  Then he said to Abimelech, as if he were really before him, to increase his army and strength and come out to him.  Perhaps he actually sent the message to Abimelech.

(30) And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

When Zebul, Abimelech's officer and ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal, either because someone told him or perhaps because Gaal had indeed sent a message to him, his anger was aroused against Gaal.  

(31) And he sent messengers to Abimelech privately, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren have come to Shechem, and behold, they fortify the city against you."

Zebul then sent messengers to Abimelech privately, unknown to Gaal and the men of Shechem, to tell him that Gaal and his brethren had come to Shechem and were inciting the people of the city against him.  It is possible that he meant Gaal and his supporters were literally fortifying the city against Abimelech, perhaps not to let anyone leave or any help to come in.

(32) "Now therefore, up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. (33) And it shall be in the morning, you shall rise early and set upon the city, and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion."

Zebul told Abimelech to get up in the night, he and the people with him, and lie in wait in the field.  Early in the morning, they were to rise up and rush upon the city, and when Gaal and his men came out against them, Abimelech and his men could do to Gaal and his men as opportunity offered them.

(34) And Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

Abimelech did as Zebul had suggested, and he and his men went by night to the field where they lay in wait in four companies, likely to cover the four sides of the city, for Gaal and the men of Shechem.

(35) And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entering of the gate of the city, and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from lying in wait.

Gaal and the men with him indeed came out as anticipated to the entrance gate of the city, and Abimelech and the men with him rose up from lying in wait.

(36) And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains." And Zebul said to him, "You see the shadow of the mountains as men."

When Gaal saw all the people with Abimelech, he said to his officer, Zebul, that he had people coming down from the mountains to aid him.  However, Zebul told him that he only saw the shadows of the mountains and thought they were men.

(37) And Gaal spoke again and said, "See there come people down by the middle of the land and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim."

Gaal spoke to Zebul again and told him there were people coming from the middle of the land, which might have meant the valley between the mountains, and also more people coming along by the plain of Meonenim.  Other Bible translations called Meonenim the "Diviners' Oak," but I'm not sure that the place or its name have any real significance.

(38) Then Zebul said to him, "Where now is your mouth with which you said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Is this not the people that you have despised? Go out, I pray now, and fight with them."

Zebul answered Gaal, taunting him, asking where his big talk was when he had asked who Abimelech was, that they should serve him.  He now had the people he had said he despised before him, so he should put his money where his mouth was, so to speak, and go out and fight them.

(39) And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. (40) And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded to the entering of the gate.

Gaal indeed went out with the men of Shechem behind him, and they fought Abimelech and his men.  Abimelech chased Gaal back to the entrance gate of the city, and many men were overthrown and wounded all the way back to the gate of the city.

(41) And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah, and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.

Abimelech dwelt in a place called Arumah, probably near Shechem, while he waited for another opportunity to avenge his name.  His officer Zebul thrust Gaal and his brethren out of the city of Shechem, and they were forbidden to dwell in Shechem.

(42) And it came to pass on the next day, that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.

The next day the people went out to their fields, probably going back to their daily routines, as they thought Abimelech was gone and Gaal and his brethren had been thrown out of the city.  It was told to Abimelech that the people had returned to the fields.

(43) And he took the people and divided them into three companies and laid wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city, and he rose up against them and struck them.

Abimelech took the people who were with him and divided them into three different companies, and they lay in wait in the fields.  When the people came out of the city to return to the fields, Abimelech and his company rose up and attacked them.

(44) And Abimelech and the company with him rushed forward and stood in the entering of the gate of the city, and the two other companies ran upon all who were in the fields and killed them.

Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed toward the city and stood at the entrance gate, attacking the people before they had a chance to return to the fields.  His two other companies attacked and killed all the people who were already in the fields.

(45) And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he took the city and killed the people who were in it, and beat down the city and sowed it with salt.

Abimelech and his men fought against the city all day long, and he eventually took the city and killed the people who were in it, at least all who had turned against him.  He beat down the buildings of the city and sowed it with salt, a sign that it might never again be a fruitful city.

(46) And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard, they entered into a hold of the house of the god Berith.

It appears that the tower of Shechem must not have been within the city gates of Shechem, as the men of the tower heard about what Abimelech had done to the city, and they entered into what they thought to be a stronghold, the temple of their god, Baal-Berith.

(47) And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. (48) And Abimelech got him up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him, and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees and took it and laid it on his shoulder and said to the people who were with him, "What you have seen me do, make haste, do as I."

It was told to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem had gathered themselves together.  He went up to Mount Zalmon, a mountain near Shechem, and all the people with him followed him.  He took an axe and cut down a bough from one of the trees and took and laid it on his shoulder.  He then told the people who were with him to do as he had done.

(49) And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough and followed Abimelech and put them to the hold and set the hold on fire upon them, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

All the people with Abimelech did as he had done and cut down a bough from a tree and laid it across their shoulders.  They followed Abimelech to the stronghold of the people of the tower, which was the temple of their god, Baal-Berith.  They all laid their boughs against the stronghold and set fire to them, which in turn, burned all the people held up in the stronghold, about a thousand people.

(50) Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and took it. (51) But there was a strong tower within the city, and there fled all the men and women, and all them of the city, and shut themselves in and got them up to the top of the tower.

Abimelech then went to Thebez, a city next to Shechem which must have also rebelled against him.  He camped across from it and took it.  However, there was a strong tower within the city, and all the people of the city ran to it and shut themselves up in it and got themselves to the top of the tower.

(52) And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and went hard to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it.  He went against the door of the tower to burn it with fire as he done at the temple of Baal-Berith.

(53) And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone on Abimelech's head, and all to break his skull.

A woman in the tower threw a piece of a millstone with the intention of breaking Abimelech's skull.  It was a fitting death for the man who killed his sixty-nine brothers on one stone that he should die by a stone.

(54) Then he called hastily to the young man his armourbearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, that men do not say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

The stone struck Abimelech in the head but did not kill him right away.  He called for his armorbearer to quickly draw his sword and kill him so that men would not remember him as having been killed by a woman.  Too late!  It was recorded and kept forever in the Bible that he had been essentially killed by a woman, but his armorbearer did finish the job by stabbing him through, and he died.

(55) And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.

When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they were able to return to their own places in peace.

(56) Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brethren.

God was the one who had sent the evil spirit that created the strife between Abimelech and the men of Shechem in order to avenge the death of Gideon's sixty-nine or seventy sons (verse 23).  I believe Abimelech actually killed sixty-nine of his half-brothers, as Jotham escaped.  Judges 8:30 said that Gideon had seventy sons by his wives and one son, Abimelech, by his concubine.  However, verse 5 above said that Abimelech killed seventy of his brothers on one stone.  That was definitely his intent, but Jotham escaped.  I've seen it written by some Bible commentators that Jotham was the seventy-first son of Gideon, but I don't believe that to be the case, according to Judges 8:30.

(57) And all the evil of the men of Shechem rendered upon their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerub-Baal.

Likewise, God rendered the wickedness of the men of Shechem, according to the curse stated by Jotham in verse 20 above.  He had said if the men of Shechem had not dealt honestly with the house of Gideon, his father, then may Abimelech and the men of Shechem destroy each other, which they did.  Abimelech had beat down the city of Shechem and burned the stronghold where the last of the people had hidden, and in the end, he, too, was killed.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote that Jotham's parable in verses 8 through 15 which turned out to be a prophetic curse, was probably the first fable ever recorded, some five hundred years before Aesop's fables.

Gideon Defeats the Midianites

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Judges 7:1) Then Jerub-Baal, who is Gideon, and all the people with him, rose up early and pitched beside the well of Harod, so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh in the valley.

In the last chapter and post, God had called Gideon to deliver His people from the Midianites, and he had subsequently called tribes of large numbers of men to accompany him.  Gideon had cast down the altar of Baal, and his father called him Jerub-Baal.  Now Gideon, with all his men, rose up early in the morning and pitched a tent beside the well of Harod.  No one can say exactly where this well was located, but it was a location that put the Midianites on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh which was in the valley of Jezreel.

(2) And the Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.'"

The Lord told Gideon that he had gathered too many men for His purpose to deliver Midian into Israel's hand.  Their numbers might so overpower the Midianites that they would think it was by their own might that they were able to defeat the Midianites.  However, it would be God who defeated them by the hand of a self-described poor and insignificant nobody (Judges 6:15).

(3) "Now therefore go to proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead.'" And there returned of the people twenty-two thousand, and there remained ten thousand.

Because there were too many men for His purpose, God told Gideon to go proclaim to the people that if any of them were fearful, they were free to leave Mount Gilead, which was apparently where they were at the time.  This cannot be the Mount Gilead on the eastern side of the Jordan River but must have been another by the same name.  22,000 people subsequently left, leaving 10,000 men.

(4) And the Lord said to Gideon, "The people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for you there, and it shall be of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' the same shall go with you, and of whomever I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' the same shall not go."

The Lord told Gideon there were still too many men.  He told him to bring them down from the hill to the water where He Himself would tell Gideon who was to go with him and who was not to go.

(5) So he brought down the people to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, "Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue as a dog laps, him shall you set by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink." (6) And the number of them who lapped, their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men, but all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water.

Gideon brought all the men down to the water, and the Lord told him to separate the men into groups according to how they drank water from the stream.  Everyone who lapped water with his tongue was to be set aside in one group, and those who knelt down to drink were in another group.  The point was not so much the action of the tongue in lapping, but whether they scooped up water in their hand and did a quick lap or slurp or if they took the time to kneel down and drink water from the stream.  It might be that those who stood and took a quick lap from their hands would appear to be of greater stamina and haste to get the job done than those who took the time to get down on their knees to drink their fill.  Three hundred men stood and lapped a handful of water, ready to go forth into battle, while the rest of the men were kneeling at the creek and drinking.

(7) And the Lord said to Gideon, "By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his place."

Indeed, the Lord told Gideon that He would save him and the children of Israel and deliver the Midianites into his hand by the three hundred men who stood and lapped the water from their hand.  Interestingly, I now read that the historian Josephus wrote that the three hundred represented the most fearful men, taking a quick swipe of water, while the more courageous men knelt down, not so afraid of their surroundings.  With this reasoning, God would choose the weakest men so that there was no doubt that it was God alone who delivered the Midianites into Gideon's hand.  Whatever the reasoning, and perhaps there was none other than to separate some men into a small group, God chose the group of three hundred men to accompany Gideon.  Regardless of how strong and courageous they were, they were only three hundred against 135,000 according to Judges 8:10, so there was no doubt that it was God alone who would deliver Israel.

(8) So the people took provisions in their hand and their trumpets, and he sent all Israel every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men; and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

This would appear to be the three hundred men who gathered provisions and their trumpets and perhaps gathered of those of the people not chosen, and Gideon sent all the rest of the people back to their tents.  The Midianite army was below Gideon and his three hundred men in the valley of Jezreel.

(9) And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, "Arise, get down to the host, for I have delivered it into your hand. (10) But if you fear to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the host."

That night the Lord came to Gideon and told him to get up and go down to the Midianite army for He had already delivered them into Gideon's hand.  One would think that assurance that it was a done deal would be enough for this hero of faith (Hebrews 11:32), but God gave him another option if he was too fearful to go forth toward the enemy.  I find this amazing!  The Lord showed such incredible patience with Gideon from the beginning of His call to him.  He allowed his requests for multiple signs and now He offered him another option if he was too afraid, even after God had assured him that the huge Midianite army was delivered into his hand.  This should give us so much encouragement that the Lord can be so patient with our fears even though He constantly commands that we "fear not."  It all comes down to the heart that the Lord can see.  He can see our trembling faith, and if it is sincere but just needs a little boost of courage, He is gracious and patient to give us what we need.  God told Gideon if he was afraid to go forth with his small army, that he and his servant Purah could first go down privately.

(11) "And you shall hear what they say, and afterward shall your hands be strengthened to go down to the host." Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outside of the armed men in the host.

The Lord continued with what Gideon could choose to do if he was afraid.  He could take his servant and go down secretly to hear what the Midianites said, and then he would be strengthened by what he heard.  Gideon indeed chose to take his servant Purah and went down to the edge of the Midianite army.

(12) And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude and their camels without number as the sand by the seaside for multitude.

Gideon saw that the Midianites, Amalekites, and Arabians, and all their camels lay in the valley as numerous as grains of sand on the seashore.  That sight could have put even more fear in Gideon's heart, but the Lord had told him to listen to what they said.

(13) And when Gideon had come, behold, a man told his dream to his companion, and said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian and came to a tent and struck it that it fell, and overturned it that the tent lay along." (14) And his companion answered and said, "This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel, for into his hand has God delivered Midian and all the host."

When Gideon had come to the edge of the huge army, he heard a man telling his companion that he had had a dream.  He saw a small simple loaf of barley bread tumble into the Midianite army and take down a tent.  His companion interpreted the dream the only way he saw possible, that it must represent the small army of Gideon, a man of Israel, and the fact that God had delivered Midian into his hand.  The dream, as well as the interpretation, had surely been put into the minds of the Midianite soldiers by God to increase Gideon's courage and confidence.  It may have also had the effect of frightening the Midianites.

(15) And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and the interpretation of it, that he worshiped and returned to the host of Israel, and said, "Arise, for the Lord has delivered into your hand the host of Midian."

Gideon was indeed strengthened after hearing the dream and its interpretation.  He worshiped God, surely thanking Him for giving him this extra sign of confirmation.  He then returned to the small Israelite army and told them to rise up for the Lord had delivered the army of the Midianites into their hand, and it was now the time to go take it.

(16) And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

Gideon divided the three hundred men into three companies, probably one hundred in each company.  He put a trumpet in every man's hand.  There were enough trumpets for every man to have one because they had gathered them from the people not chosen (verse 8).  He gave every man a pitcher empty of any liquid and put lamps inside each one.  As it was night, the lamps would provide a little light for the small army, yet the light would be concealed from the enemy as they approached them.

(17) And he said to them, "Look on me and do likewise, and behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be, as I do, so shall you do. (18) When I blow a trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, 'The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!'"

Gideon told the men in his army to watch him and do just what he did, especially when he came to the outside of the Midianite camp.  Then it appears that the two other companies than the one Gideon was with were to go on other sides of the Midianite camp.  Then when Gideon and his company blew their trumpets, the other companies were to blow their trumpets at the same time, and cry out, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!"

(19) So Gideon and the hundred men with him came to the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, and they had but newly set the watch, and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers in their hands. (20) And the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers and held the lamps in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands to blow, and they cried, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!"

Gideon and his company came to the outside of the Midianite camp in the beginning of the midnight watch.  In the Old Testament the night was divided into three watches, the first watch being the hours after sunset, the middle watch included the hours around midnight, and then there was the pre-dawn watch.  The middle watch had just begun when Gideon and his company blew their trumpets and broke the pitchers, and the other companies blew their trumpets and broke their pitchers and held their lamps in their left hands.  They all cried out, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!"  What a fearsome sight and sound this must have been that awakened the Midianites.  Three hundred trumpets, three hundred breaking pitchers, and three hundred men all yelling at once, as well as three hundred lights surrounding their camp.

(21) And they stood every man in his place around the camp, and all the host ran and cried and fled.

All of Gideon's army stood every man in his place while the Midianites cried out and ran.

(22) And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow throughout all the host, and the host fled to Beth Shittah in Zererah to the border of Abel Meholah to Tabbath.

Gideon's three hundred men continued blowing their trumpets, and the Lord so confused the Midianites that they used their swords against one another throughout the whole Midianite army.  Those who remained of the Midianites fled to places most of which were unknown by the Biblical commentators I study, but they went as far as Abel Meholah which was in the Jordan valley.

(23) And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

The men of Israel, probably the same ones Gideon had initially called (Judges 6:35) before the Lord cut them down to size, gathered themselves together out of the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, and pursued the Midianites who had fled.  It appears that the tribe of Zebulun did not accompany the Israelite army this time.

(24) And Gideon sent messengers throughout all Mount Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and take before them the waters to Beth Barah and Jordan." Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together and took the waters to Beth Barah and Jordan.

Gideon sent messengers throughout Mount Ephraim telling them to go down against the Midianites cutting them off at the Jordan River before they had a chance to cross over it back to Midian.  The men of the tribe of Ephraim did just that.

(25) And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb on the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.

The Israelites killed two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb.  They killed Oreb on the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb.  They killed these princes at places that would afterward be called by those names, or more likely they pursued them into Midian, as they brought the heads of those princes to Gideon "on the other side of the Jordan."

(Judges 8:1) And the men of Ephraim said to him, "Why have you served us thus that you did not call us when you went to fight with the Midianites?" And they did chide him sharply.

Then the men of Ephraim asked Gideon why he had done such a thing as to not call them when he went to fight the Midianites.  The fact that they chided him so sharply shows that this was probably out of pride rather than a desire to help.  They didn't like the fact that they had played a subordinate part and that Gideon would get all the glory.

(2) And he said to them, "What have I done now in comparison to you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? (3) God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and what was I able to do in comparison to you?" Then their anger was abated toward him when he had said that.

Gideon gave the tribe of Ephraim a calm and gentle answer, as "a soft answer turns away wrath..." (Proverbs 15:1).  There could have been an all-out civil war between the tribes if Gideon had become puffed up himself, telling Ephraim they had no right to question him as, after all, God had chosen him to deliver Israel.  But he downplayed his part, asking what he had done in comparison to them.  After all, God Himself delivered the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into their hands.  Wasn't the gleaning of the grapes by Ephraim, that final act of finishing up the harvest, better than the entire vintage or campaign?  I am struck by Gideon's meekness and the fact that God chose such a meek and gentle man for this task.  Gideon constantly downplayed himself.  He called himself poor and the least in his father's house when God initially called him (Judges 6:15).  He called for multiple signs to be sure that it was God calling him.  God, knowing Gideon's heart, obviously did not take these requests as a lack of faith, as He was quite patient in granting them, and he was called one of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.  If there was any lack of faith on Gideon's part, it was a lack of faith in himself.  He wanted to be sure he was acting in God's will and not some misplaced will of his own.  In Gideon's calm and humble answer in the above verse, he gives the bulk of the glory to Ephraim and averts what could have been a civil war among the tribes.  God, in His great wisdom, of course, chose the right man for the job.

(4) And Gideon came to Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet in pursuit.

Gideon and his army of three hundred crossed the Jordan River pursuing the remaining Midianites.  They were getting fatigued having been up all night.

(5) And he said to the men of Succoth, "Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian."

When they came to Succoth on the east side of the Jordan River in the tribe of Gad, he asked the men there to please give his army of men loaves of bread as they were fatigued and hungry, but they were still in pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

(6) And the princes of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand that we should give bread to your army?"

The chief magistrates of Succoth, men of Israel, refused them!  Once they saw that they had captured Zebah and Zalmunna, then maybe they would give bread to Gideon's army.  I imagine that they did not see how so little an army was a match for the Midianites and feared if they helped their brethren, they would surely pay for it and their bondage would be harder than it was before.  It was very cruel of them to show no sympathy or compassion for their brethren, and it demonstrated selfishness and concern only for themselves.  John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, wrote that these men had to be worshippers of Baal to turn their backs on God's own people, their brethren.

(7) And Gideon said, "Therefore when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

The humble and meek Gideon was brought to righteous anger.  He told the men of Succoth that when the Lord had delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into his hands, as he had no doubt He would, he would return to tear their flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, suggested that Succoth may have been known for all the thorns and briers that grew in the wilderness near the city, as "succoth" or "sukkah" was used by Job in Job 41:7 to mean "barbed irons."

(8) And he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them likewise, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

Gideon and his army then went from Succoth to the city of Penuel, also inhabited by his Israelite brethren, and asked them for bread to feed his fatigued army, and they shockingly also refused him.

(9) And he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, "When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower."

Gideon spoke to the men of Penuel with the same righteous anger as he had spoken to the men of Succoth and told them that when he had returned their way in peace after conquering all his enemies, he would break down a tower in their city.

(10) Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand, all who were left of all the hosts of the children of the east, for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men who drew sword.

The kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, were in a place called Karkor, the location of which is not known by the Biblical scholars I study.  All their armies of men were with them, about 15,000, which was all that were left of the original armies, as 120,000 of those who had fought against Israel had fallen.

(11) And Gideon went up by the way of those who dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah and struck the host, for the host was secure.

Gideon and his small army went by the way of the wilderness where the Arabians dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, which were in the tribes of Manasseh and Gad, respectively.  They were able to strike the Midianites because their guard was down as they felt secure in their location.

(12) And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.

Gideon's army threw the Midianite host into a panic and the kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, fled, and Gideon pursued them and eventually took them.

(13) And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, (14) And caught a young man of the men of Succoth and enquired of him, and he described to him the princes of Succoth and the elders, seventy-seven men.

Gideon returned from battle before sun-up.  As he came to Succoth, he caught a young man of the city and questioned him about the chiefs of the city.  The young man described to him the princes and elders of the city, a total of seventy-seven men.

(15) And he came to the men of Succoth, and said, "Behold, Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom you did upbraid me, saying, 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men?'" (16) And he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

Gideon then went to the elders of Succoth and told them that he now had Zebah and Zalmunna in his hand, and reminded them about how they had refused to give his weary men bread when they noted that he did not yet have the kings in his custody and insinuated that his small army never would have them (verse 6).  He then took the elders of the city and with the thorns and briers of the wilderness, taught them a lesson.  We often learn the best lessons through adversity.  Actually, the Hebrew characters for the word translated as "taught" are very similar to the characters translated as "tore," and as the latter agrees with what Gideon said he would do to the men in verse 7, it is likely that is what is meant here.

(17) And he beat down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

Gideon, true to his word (verse 8), also went to Penuel and beat down its tower.  He also killed men of the city, probably only the ones who tried to stop him from tearing down the tower.

(18) Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, "What manner of men whom you killed at Tabor?" And they answered, "As you, so they; each one resembled the son of a king."

Gideon then asked the kings what manner of men they had killed at Mount Tabor.  That particular event was not detailed in scripture, but I imagine it took place sometime after the Israelites had been forced to hide out in dens they made in the mountains (Judges 6:2).  The kings replied that they were like Gideon himself, and that each one looked like the son of a king, probably meaning they were graceful and dignified even in the lowly state to which they were relegated.

(19) And he said, "They were my brethren, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you."

Gideon told the kings that they had been his brethren whom they had killed.  He added "the sons of my mother" to indicate he did not mean brethren in the larger sense, but these were his immediate family.  He added that had the kings saved his brethren alive, he would not have killed them, but the logical conclusion is that because they had killed his brothers, he would kill them.

(20) And he said to Jether, his firstborn, "Up, kill them!" But the youth did not draw his sword for he was afraid because he was still a youth.

Gideon called on Jether, his firstborn son, to slay the kings, perhaps to give him honor for avenging his family's blood, but he was young and afraid and did not draw his sword.

(21) Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Rise yourself and fall on us, for as the man, so is his strength." And Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took away the ornaments on their camels' necks.

If they must die, the kings asked that Gideon do it.  Perhaps they feared that the strength of the youth would not be enough to kill them at once and instantly put them out of their misery.  They might have died a lingering and painful death at the hands of Jether.  Gideon did indeed rise up and kill the kings, and he took the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

(22) Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, and your son's son also, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian."

The men of Israel then asked that Gideon and his son rule over them, as well as their posterity after them.  Their reasoning for wanting him to be as a king over them was because he had delivered them from the hand of the Midianites.  Indeed, God had used Gideon to deliver His people from the Midianites, but it was obviously God Himself who had done the delivering.  How else could three hundred men defeat 135,000 (verse 10)?  The Lord was their King and had always defended and protected them, but they were awed by the success of a man who was merely God's instrument.

(23) And Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you."

Gideon, in fact, did tell the people that neither he nor his son would agree to rule over them.  Only the Lord God of Israel would rule over them.

(24) And Gideon said to them, "I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

However, Gideon did make another request of them.  If they wanted to do something for him, they could give him the earrings of their prey.  They had golden earrings of the Ishmaelites who were spoken of here as the same as the Midianites.  The Ishmaelites were the progeny of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and the maidservant Hagar.  Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness where an angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar and told her that Ishmael would become a great nation.  Genesis 16:12 said that Ishmael would be a wild man with his hand against every man, and he would dwell in the presence of his brethren.  The Ishmaelites at this time resided in Moab next to the Midianites, and as Arabs, they wore earrings and nose-rings.

(25) And they answered, "We will willingly give." And they spread a garment and cast in it every man the earrings of his prey.

The people told Gideon they would willingly give their golden earrings.  They spread out a garment and every man put his earrings into it.

(26) And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred gold, besides ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that had been on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains about their camels' necks.

The weight of the golden earrings gathered totaled 1700 weights of gold.  Most of the Bible translations added the word "shekels," but the original does not say what standard was used.  Even if it were measured in shekels, there is not a consensus as to exactly how much that would be. The word "shekel" itself just means "weight."  I've seen among the commentators I study estimates of 43 to 100 pounds of gold that was gathered just from the golden earrings.  The people also collected ornaments, collars, and purple raiment from the kings of Midian, as well as the chains from the camels' necks. 

(27) And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel went there a whoring after it, which thing became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

Gideon made a golden ephod out of all the gold.  An ephod was an apron like vestment worn on the outside of the clothing.  With it being perhaps 100 pounds in weight, Gideon did not wear it but placed it in his city of Ophrah as a monument of his victories.  The people made an idol of it, which is the meaning of "a whoring" in the Bible.  They committed adultery and worshiped a false god or idol of the golden ephod.  Thus it became a snare to Gideon and his house.  At the very least, it seems that calling for all that gold to make an ephod that would be set up as a kind of trophy, was an act of pride.  And Gideon was responsible for making that idol that the people would begin to worship.

(28) Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

The Midianites were subdued by the Lord using the hand of Gideon and his small army, and they did not regain their strength.  Israel had peace for forty years during the days of Gideon.

(29) And Jerub-Baal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.  

After his victory, Gideon, here called by the name his father Joash had given him, Jerub-Baal (Judges 6:32), went back to his house and dwelled there.

(30) And Gideon had seventy sons begotten of his body, for he had many wives. (31) And his concubine in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

Gideon had a total of seventy sons because he had many wives.  He also had a concubine who did not live in his house in Ophrah but lived in Shechem.  She also bore him a son whom he called Abimelech.

(32) And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon lived a long life and died at a good old age.  He was buried in his father's sepulcher in his city, Ophrah, in the family of the Abiezrites.

(33) And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again and went a whoring after the Baals and made Baal-Berith their god.

It seems the Israelites wasted no time returning to their wicked ways after the death of Gideon.  They started worshipping the various Baals, the false gods of the Canaanites, eventually making Baal-Berith their ultimate god.

(34) And the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side. 

The children of Israel did not remember their Lord God to worship Him; they did not remember how He had delivered them from the hands of their enemies time and time again.  We might find this hard to believe that the Israelites could actually turn from their Lord after all the things He had done for them, after all His love and mercy and providence.  However, if we look honestly within ourselves, we will see how we might not pray as much or think about God as much when things are going well.  We begin to spend more time on things other than God, and those things become idols, as the very definition of "idol" is any person or thing regarded with admiration and adoration.

(35) Neither did they show kindness to the house of Jerub-Baal, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.

It appears that the people also did not show any kindness or gratitude to the family of Gideon after all Gideon had done for them in allowing himself to be used by God to deliver his people from the Midianites.

As so often the case, we see in Gideon another flawed person who God used to do great things.  Why wouldn't this be the running theme throughout the whole Bible when we know that all humans are flawed and sinful (Ecclesiastes 7:20)?  Gideon seemed to be at the very least not very confident in himself as God's choice to deliver Israel.  He needed multiple signs from God to bolster his courage; however, that was not seen by God as a lack of faith in Him, but perhaps just in himself to discern whether or not he was truly hearing from God.  He was sometimes fearful (Judges 7:10).  It seems he became a little prideful after his victory.  Although he did refuse kingship offered by the people, he requested they give him lots of gold with which he made an elaborate golden ephod that stood as a monument to his success.  He had multiple wives and a concubine in another city, which was common in his day, but certainly can't be considered as a sign of model moral character.  Gideon was certainly not the worst of characters; he was just human with some of the human characteristics that befall us all.  However, that should give us all hope and encouragement that God can use us, and He will meet us where we are in life, and He will supply us with all things necessary to carry out His will for us.  Amen!

The Call of Gideon

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Judges 6:1) And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

In the last chapter and post, Deborah as judge, with Barak, had delivered Israel from Jabin king of Canaan and Sisera the captain of his army.  The land had rest for forty years.  But now the people again began doing evil in the sight of the Lord, and He allowed them to be delivered into the hand of Midian for seven years.  The Midianites had been decimated by Moses about 200 years prior, but it seems many of them had fled to neighboring countries and subsequently returned to their own land and grew in number.  God had probably purposely increased their number so that they would be a check on His people.

(2) And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds.

The Midianites prevailed against Israel and brought them into subjection to them.  Because of the oppression of the Midianites, the children of Israel built for themselves dens and caves and places for them to hide out from their enemy.

(3) And 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; (4) And they encamped against them and destroyed the increase of the earth till you come to Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

When the children of Israel came out of their hiding places and sowed the land, the Midianites came along with the Amalekites and the children of the east, who were probably Arabians.  They all joined forces and camped by the Israelites and destroyed their growing crops all the way to Gaza which was on the Mediterranean Sea in the far west of Canaan.  As they had come from the east, this meant they destroyed the whole land from east to west.  They left nothing for the Israelites, no crops and no animals.

(5) For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; both they and their camels were without number, and they entered into the land to destroy it.

The Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern tribes, came into Canaan with all their flocks and livestock to eat up the crops.  They came with tents that they could move from place to place in order to take of all that Israel had.  They were as grasshoppers in the land, just as numerous and devouring everything in their path.  They came with camels that were just as numerous, as Midian and Arabia were famous for camels.  They ate as well and trampled and destroyed the land. 

(6) And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried to the Lord.

Israel became greatly impoverished because of the Midianites and others, and they cried out to the Lord, which is always the purpose of God's punishments, to bring His people back to Him, their only source for life.

(7) And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried to the Lord because of the Midianites, (8) That the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel who said to them, "I brought you up from Egypt and brought you forth out of the house of bondage, (9) And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land, (10) And I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell but you have not obeyed My voice.'"

When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, He first sent them a prophet to make them realize how they had sinned against Him and brought this oppression on themselves.  The prophet spoke the words of the Lord, reminding the people how He had brought them out of bondage in Egypt, and He continued to drive out all who came against them to give them their land in Canaan.  He had said to the people that they were not to fear the gods of the Amorites.  He did not mean not to be afraid, but rather have no reverential fear of them so as to worship them (Deuteronomy 7:16).  However, the children of Israel had disobeyed Him, and that is why they found themselves in the trouble in which they now were again.

(11) And there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that of Joash the Abiezrite, and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.

Meanwhile, there came an angel of the Lord who sat under an oak tree belonging to Joash, a descendant of Abiezer, in a place called Ophrah.  Joash's son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, which would have been an unsuspecting place, so he could hide from the Midianites.

(12) And the angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor."

The angel of the Lord who had been under the oak tree appeared to Gideon and called him a mighty man of valor and assured him that the Lord was with him.  I love this!  Gideon was just a son of a poor man trying to get by by hiding away in fear of the Midianites.  Yet God was calling him a mighty man of valor!  God can call any of us poor weak individuals to do great things for Him, as He will be with us to perform any task to which He calls us.

(13) And Gideon said to him, "Oh, my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where all His miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."

However, Gideon answered the angel, probably not understanding he was an angel, but seeing him as a distinguished man, asking how it could be that the Lord was with them when He had allowed all that misery to befall them.  He wondered where all God's miracles were of which their fathers had told them, specifically about how God had brought them out of Egypt.  He felt that the Lord had now forsaken them because He had delivered them into the hands of the Midianites.

(14) And the Lord looked upon him and said, "Go in this your might, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?"

The Lord Himself looked upon Gideon, and through the angel He told him to go forth in the might he had received from the Lord, as he had already been told by the angel that the Lord was with him (verse 12).  He would save Israel from the oppression of the Midianites because the Lord Himself was sending him, and He would be with him.

(15) And he said to Him, "Oh my Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family poor in Manasseh, and I the least in my father's house."

But Gideon answered, asking how it was that he could save Israel.  He was from a simple family in the tribe of Manasseh, which is a better translation than "poor," for we will see in a later verse that he must have had some wealth.  He called himself the least in his father's house.  He may have been the youngest in his family or just considered himself the least fit to take on such a great work.

(16) And the Lord said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man."

The Lord assured Gideon that He would be with him, and he would be able to strike down the Midianites as easily as if they were just one man.

(17) And he said to Him, "If now I have found grace in your sight, then show me a sign that You talk with me."

Gideon then asked that if he had surely found grace in the Lord's sight, he might receive a sign from the Lord that it was truly Him talking to him through the angel.

(18) "Do not depart from here, I pray you, until I come to you and bring forth my present and set it before You." And He said, "I will tarry until you come again."

Gideon asked the angel not to leave there until he had come back with a present for him.  And the Lord, through the angel, said He would wait until Gideon came again.  In the words of Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, this "was a wonderful instance of divine condescension," that the Lord would patiently wait on a man.

(19) And Gideon went in and made ready a kid and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour; the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and he brought it out to Him under the oak and presented it.

Gideon went in and prepared a goat kid and unleavened cakes he had made from an ephah of flour, that is about two thirds of a bushel of flour.  He brought some cakes, the goat meat in a basket, and its broth in a pot, out to the angel who was still under the oak tree and presented it all to him.

(20) And the angel of God said to him, "Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes and lay them upon this rock and pour out the broth." And he did so.

The angel told Gideon to place the meat and the unleavened cakes on a rock and pour out the broth.  In this, he was making an offering to God of the meat and bread and likewise with the broth, he used it as a libation, a drink offering poured out to the Lord.

(21) Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff in his hand and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and there rose up fire out of the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.

The angel of the Lord touched the flesh and the cakes with the end of his staff, and fire rose up out of the rock and devoured the meat and cakes.  With that, the angel left, leaving Gideon with the sign for which he had asked.

(22) And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face."

Gideon then realized that the man was an angel of the Lord, and he cried out.  The exclamation "Alas!" was a word used to express pain exclamatorily in the Bible.  Speaking of seeing the angel of the Lord face to face demonstrates that Gideon had fear because of the notion that it was death for mortal man to see God.

(23) And the Lord said to him, "Peace to you, fear not, you shall not die."

The Lord knew Gideon's fear, and He told him to have peace and not be afraid for he was not going to die.

(24) Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it Jehovah-Shalom; unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon then built an altar there to the Lord and called it Jehovah-Shalom, which meant "the Lord is peace."  The altar was still there at the time of the writing of this book, and that was most likely by the prophet Samuel.

(25) And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, "Take your father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has and cut down the grove that is by it."

That night the Lord spoke to Gideon, perhaps in a dream, and told him to take his father's young bull and a second bull of seven years old.  It's a little difficult to discern if there was one bull or two.  The verse is written in a way that could be interpreted that his father's young bull was a bull of seven years old, perhaps the second in age or position among his team.  However, the phrase "even the second," originally "sheniy," meant more precisely "double, duplicate," so it appears there were two bulls.  It becomes clearer in later verses that there probably were indeed two bulls.  One was to be Gideon's father's young bull and the other may have belonged to the people and was to be offered to Baal which seems plausible in the subsequent verses.  The Lord told him to use the bulls to tear down the altar of Baal that was apparently on his father's property, and also cut down the grove that was by it.  Groves of trees were planted near pagan altars for places of worship to the false gods.

(26) "And build an altar to the Lord your God upon the top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which you shall cut down.

The Lord continued with His command that Gideon then build an altar to Him on the rock, possibly the same one where Gideon had built his altar, or more likely it was just the large rock where Gideon had hidden himself as the Israelites had been forced to do (verse 2).  He was then to take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice of it with the wood of the grove he was going to cut down.

(27) Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had said to 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 it by night.

Gideon took ten men of his servants, which proves he was not a man poor in wealth (verse 15), to help him do what the Lord had told him to do.  Because he feared the wrath of his father, or the fact that his father would surely try to stop him, and he feared the men of the city which proves the altar to Baal, and perhaps the grove, was frequented by the public even if it was on his father's land, he tore down the altar and cut down the grove at 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 on the altar that was built. (29) And they said to one another, "Who has done this thing?" And when they enquired and asked, they said, "Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing."

When the men of the city arose early the next morning, they saw that the altar of Baal had been cast down and the grove next to it had been cut down, and a new altar had been built that had a bull as an offering upon it.  They asked one another who had done such a thing, and either received an answer from someone who knew, or just surmised that it was Gideon, perhaps because they knew him to be no friend of Baal.

(30) Then the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son that he may die because he has cast down the altar of Baal and because he has cut down the grove that was by it."

Then men of the city then demanded of Joash that he bring out his son Gideon so that he might die because he had destroyed the altar of Baal and the grove that was beside it.

(31) And Joash said to all who stood against him, "Will you plead for Baal? Will you save him? He who will plead for him, let him be put to death while morning. If he is a god, let him plead for himself because one has cast down his altar."

Joash spoke to the men seeking Gideon.  He asked if they would plead the case for the false god Baal.  After all, these men were children of Israel and knew their one true God.  He asked if they would save Baal.  After all, if he was truly a god, he could save himself and plead his own case.  If he was truly a god, he knew who cast down his altar.  He also said that whoever would plead for the false god Baal should be put to death immediately while it was still morning.  It appears that Joash had come to his senses about worshiping false idols, or at the very least, in trying to save his son, he spoke common sense truth.

(32) Therefore on that day he called him Jerub-Baal, saying, "Let Baal plead against him because he has thrown down his altar."

Joash then called his son Gideon, Jerub-Baal, which literally meant "Baal will contend," because Baal would contend with Gideon if he could.  It appears that name stuck as Gideon was called by that name in several other subsequent verses of the Bible.  It seems to me it would be considered a symbol of courage that he was the man with whom Baal should contend and destroy, but obviously he couldn't, and Jerub-Baal's very existence proved His Lord God's dominion over Baal.

(33) Then all the Midianites and Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together and went over and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

Because they had heard what Gideon had done, or perhaps just because it was harvest time and time for their usual devouring of the land, all the Midianites, Amalekites, and Arabians from the east gathered together and went over the Jordan River and pitched their tents in the valley of Jezreel.

(34) But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, and Abiezer was gathered after him. (35) And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh who was also gathered after him, and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali, and they came up to meet them.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and filled him with determination, strength, and courage, and he blew a trumpet of alarm.  The Abiezrites, of whom Gideon was a member (verse 11) gathered after him.  He then sent messengers throughout the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, and they also gathered after him.  He also sent messengers to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet him.

(36) And Gideon said to God, "If You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said, (37) Behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the floor, and if the dew is on the fleece only and dry on all the earth, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said."

Gideon then said to God in prayer that if He intended to save Israel by Gideon's hand, as He had said, then he proposed a sign to confirm it.  Gideon admitted that God had already said what He wanted him to do, yet Gideon asked for a sign.  His faith may have needed a boost, but this may have been more for the soldiers he had gathered together so that they would be encouraged by the confirmation that God would be with them.  He proposed that he would place a fleece of wool on the floor, probably the threshing floor where the angel first appeared to him which would have been exposed to open air, and if dew was on the fleece but not on the ground around, Gideon would know that the Lord would indeed save Israel by his hand.

(38) And it was so, for he rose up early the next day, and he thrust the fleece together and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

It was just as Gideon had proposed.  He rose up early the next morning, grabbed up the fleece and wrung out a bowl full of dew from it.  The verse doesn't say it, but I am sure we can safely assume that the ground around him was dry.

(39) And Gideon said to God, "Let not Your anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once; let me prove, I pray You, but this once with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew."

Then Gideon spoke to the Lord and actually asked for another sign!  However, he did ask with a great deal of humility and consciousness of the boldness and appearance of distrust he showed in asking for another sign.  He asked that the Lord not be angry with him, and that this would be the last time he asked for a sign with the fleece.  He asked that this time only the fleece would be dry, and all the ground would be wet with dew.

(40) And God did so that night, for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

The Lord patiently and graciously did as Gideon asked that night, for the next morning the fleece was dry and there was dew all over the ground around it.  Was it Gideon whose wavering faith needed so much strengthening?  If so, it is a beautiful picture of how patient God is and willing to come to us and meet us at our level of weakness and infirmity.  However, Gideon was called one of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:32.  He probably had faith in God as he had already done things God called him to do but perhaps lacked faith in himself to be the one who could fulfill God's will.  He had thought of himself as simple and poor and the least among his father's house (verse 15).  We must remember that whatever God calls us to do, He equips us to do; He will be with us.  God knows the heart and one's faith and desire to have stronger faith, as demonstrated in Mark 9:24, "...Lord, I believe; help my unbelief."  However, once again, this request for a second sign might have been more for the soldiers Gideon had called, to encourage them and reinforce their faith in God to defeat their enemy. 

Song of Deborah

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Judges 5:1) Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

In the last chapter, Deborah and Barak had just defeated the king of Canaan and his army and its captain, Sisera, by the hand of the Lord who delivered their enemy to them.  Deborah wrote a song of praise that was sung by both her and Barak:

(2) "Praise you, the Lord, for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves."

Deborah began by praising the Lord for taking vengeance on Jabin king of Canaan, when, led by the Lord, the children of Israel willingly went to fight against their enemies for Israel.

(3) "Hear, O you kings! Give ear, O you princes! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel."

Deborah desired that all kings and princes hear her song of praise, that all might know the wonderful works of the Lord God of Israel.

(4) "Lord, when You went out of Seir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped; the clouds also dropped water."

Seir and Edom are the same place, and Deborah here acknowledged that the Lord had led His people from there to their land in Canaan.  All the way, He struck dread in the hearts of their enemies with earthquakes and rain and hail storms.

(5) "The mountains melted from before the Lord, that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel."

Even the mountains trembled and melted before the Lord, just as Mount Sinai had trembled and quaked at the presence of God on it.

(6) "In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways."

Shamgar succeeded Ehud as judge, but did not appear to rule long or accomplish much (Judges 3:31), or at least not a perfect and complete deliverance of Israel.  But during his time and that of Jael, the wife of Heber (Judges 4:17), the highways were unoccupied by the Israelites because they were dangerous, occupied by their enemies who wished to do them harm.  They were forced to travel by less frequented paths.

(7) "The villages ceased; they ceased in Israel until that I, Deborah, arose, that I arose a mother in Israel."

Life in their villages as it once was ceased because the Israelites were so oppressed by their enemy.  That is, until Deborah rose up; being raised up by God, she was as a mother to the children of Israel, instructing, ruling, and protecting them.  

(8) "They chose new gods, then was war in the gates; was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?"

The children of Israel chose the false gods of the enemy, called new gods because they were new and previously unknown to them.  It's not as if they simply submitted to worshiping them when their enemy forced them, but it seems they willingly chose them.  There was war within the gates of their cities for they were completely taken over by their enemy.  Apparently, their enemy had totally disarmed the Israelites, as well.

(9) "My heart is toward the governors of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless you the Lord!"

Deborah had a heart for the rulers of Israel who had offered themselves willingly to do the work of their Lord.  The original word "chaqaq" that was translated as "governors" came from a root that meant "engrave."  So she might have meant that she had a heart for the wise men and scribes who willingly taught the word of God and His commandments.  She blessed the Lord for giving those "governors" hearts to willingly engage in service to Him, whatever it might be.

(10) "Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit in judgment and walk by the way."

Deborah called for nobles and magistrates, or perhaps it was the wise men and scribes, who rode on white donkeys to speak out.  The original word that was translated as "judgment" was "mad," and it most often referred to garments or clothing.  I believe what is meant here is that Deborah called for the upper class of nobles and leaders, described as having white donkeys and fine raiment, who walked among the common people, to tell of God's great works.

(11) "From the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, the righteous acts of His villages in Israel; then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates."

I'm not sure whether this means the places of drawing water were free from the noise of the archers who attacked the people, and there the nobles could celebrate the righteous acts of the Lord, or if even in spite of the noise of the attacks of their enemies, they were to celebrate the Lord.  "Celebrate" is a better translation of the original word "tanah" that was translated as "rehearse."  Most of the Biblical commentators I study see this as celebration after the Lord delivered them, but as the next verse calls on Deborah and Barak to rise up, I see this as happening before they were delivered.  Deborah had called on the nobles to speak out even in the people's oppression.  This they did, and the people cried out to the Lord (Judges 4:3).  Then they would be able to go in and out of the gates when the Lord delivered them.

(12) "Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song. Arise, Barak, and lead your captivity captive, you son of Abinoam."

Once again, I disagree with the commentators I study about the meaning of this verse.  They believe Deborah is stirring herself to more zeal and enthusiasm in her song after the Lord had delivered Israel.  Why then would the verse continue with raising up Barak against the enemy if that had already been done?  The commentators admit that there are some difficulties in the text of the song which probably lost something in translation.  However, I see this as Deborah relating the chronological order of things in her song.  She was called to rise up, and yes, she would eventually utter a song upon victory, but I believe it's also possible this was a call for her to prophesy when she was raised up.  Then she called on Barak to rise up and make those who held the children of Israel captive, themselves captive.

(13) "Then He made him who remained have dominion over the nobles among the people; the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty."

Then the Lord made those who remained of the Israelites after the oppression of the Canaanites to have dominion over the nobles and officers of the enemy among them.  The Lord had raised up Deborah to have dominion over their mighty enemy.

(14) "Out of Ephraim a root of them against Amalek; after you, Benjamin, among your people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they who handle the pen of the writer."

Out of the tribe of Ephraim, of which Deborah was a member, came the root and foundation of the campaign against the Amalekites, chief enemies of Israel among the Canaanites.  Then the tribe of Benjamin joined forces with the tribe of Ephraim against their enemy.  Machir, the son of Manasseh, represented his tribe on the west of the Jordan, and they sent leaders, probably meaning military leaders, to aid in the campaign against the Canaanites.  Even the tribe of Zebulun where normally clerks and scribes and those mighty with the pen dwelled, sent troops to aid Barak in his campaign against Jabin king of Canaan.

(15) "And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah, even Issachar, and also Barak, he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben, great thoughts of heart."

The leaders of Issachar, as well as Issachar in general, were with Deborah in her campaign.  Barak of the tribe of Naphtali, which I believe means to include the whole tribe of Naphtali, were an integral part of the campaign, and they were sent forth into the valley of the river of Kishon where the Lord would draw Sisera of King Jabin's army to them (Judges 4:7).  Among the clans of Reuben, it appears there were many conflicting thoughts about the campaign, and they did not join their brothers on the western side of the Jordan against Sisera.

(16) "Why did you abide among the sheepfolds to hear the bleating of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben, great searchings of heart."

Deborah chided the tribe of Reuben, asking why they would sit there with their flocks of sheep and not go to help their brethren.  Again, she mentions the great searchings of heart.  Either she was disappointed that they couldn't agree to accompany her, or perhaps she and Barak and the other tribes with them were the ones having to search their hearts for what they felt about their brethren who would not help them.

(17) "Gilead abode beyond Jordan, and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seashore and abode in his breaches."

The land of Gilead belonged to Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the Jordan River.  Deborah was proclaiming that those tribes stayed put and did not join the campaign.  Neither did the tribes of Dan or Asher.  The tribe of Dan continued in its work in ships on the Mediterranean Sea, as did Asher tend to its business on the shore of the sea.  They abode in their breaks in the shore and ignored their brothers fighting against Canaan.

(18) "Zebulun and Naphtali, a people who jeopardized their lives to the death in the high places of the field."

Deborah commended the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali who were the chief fighters in the war against Sisera, the 10,000 soldiers initially called by Deborah and Barak (Judges 4:6).  They jeopardized their lives in the height of battle in the battlefield while some of their brethren dwelt in safety within their tribes.

(19) "The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money."

I believe both mentions of the kings refer to the kings of Canaan who came from diverse places within Canaan to fight Israel in Taanach not far from the Kishon River.  They were unable to win any spoils; they lost it all.

(20) "They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera."

The Lord fought for Israel from heaven when what Deborah described as the stars themselves fought against Sisera.  I believe this lends credence to Josephus's assertion that Sisera's army was hit with rain and hail from heaven (see Judges 4:15).

(21) "The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, you have trodden down strength."

The Kishon River may have swept away some dead bodies of the enemy, but I rather think this was a somewhat poetic way of saying that the enemy was conquered there because that is where the Lord drew them for battle (Judges 4:7).  An ancient river, although not a necessarily great one, that is where a strong and mighty army was totally trodden down and crushed.

(22) "Then were horse hooves broken by the means of the galloping, the galloping of their mighty ones."

The enemy's horses' hooves were broken because of their violent galloping, the violent galloping of their strong and mighty horses.  Or perhaps the second part meant they were broken because of the violent galloping through the rain and hail, driven hard by their mighty soldiers.

(23) "'Curse you, Meroz,' said the angel of the Lord, 'Curse you bitterly its inhabitants because they did not come to the help of the Lord against the mighty.'"

Meroz was apparently a city close to where they fought, but none of the Bible commentators I study know where exactly it was.  John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, suggested that it may have been part of the curse that there should be no remembrance of it left.  The angel of the Lord called it to be cursed, which was either Deborah's way of describing what the Spirit of the Lord had said to her, or perhaps Barak was called the angel of the Lord because he had been called by Him to deliver His people.  Meroz was cursed because they did not come to the aid of God's people against Sisera even though they had surely been called by the Lord.

(24) "Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tents."

However, Jael was blessed because she had helped Israel, even though she had not been initially called.  She was blessed above women in tents, women whose jobs were to take care of their homes, not to be as soldiers.

(25) "He asked water, she gave milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish."

Sisera had asked Jael for water, and she gave him milk.  It seems it was a very rich milk, cream, that she brought to him in a nice dish, rather than just a drink of water from a ladle or simple cup.  It was probably just meant to be a kind act on her part, but as God was about to direct her to do otherwise, the rich milk probably helped to make him sleepy.

(26) "She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer, and with the hammer she struck Sisera; she smote off his head when she had pierced and stricken through his temples."

Jael had taken a tent spike and a hammer and struck the spike into Sisera's temple which went through and out the other temple, pinning him to the floor.  In that way she crushed his head, which is actually a better translation of the original word "machaq" which was translated as "smote off" by the King James translators.

(27) "At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down; at her feet he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell down dead."

After Jael had struck him, it was as if Sisera bowed before her feet.  Bible commentators struggled to explain how he must had stood up to bow down and fall.  However, again, I think Deborah is just being poetic in song.  Jael could not have stricken Sisera through the temples and pinned him to the floor (Judges 4:21) unless he was lying down.  Sisera fell dead at Jael's feet.

(28) "The mother of Sisera looked out at a window and cried through the lattice, 'Why is his chariot long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots tarry?'"

Deborah imagined Sisera's mother looking out a window and crying through the lattice that covered it, wondering why Sisera was so long in returning.  She wondered why she did not hear the clatter of the wheels of his nine hundred chariots returning.

(29) "Her wise ladies answered her, 'Yes,' she returned answer to herself, (30) 'Have they not sped, have they divided the prey, to every man a damsel or two, to Sisera a prey of diverse colors, a prey of diverse colors of needlework, of diverse colors of needlework on both sides for the necks of the spoilers?'"

Deborah imagined that Sisera's mother's wise maidens or women attending her would answer, and she answered herself that yes, Sisera and his army had surely sped through to victory and were still dividing the spoils.  The soldiers were probably taking the women, and Sisera was taking fine, beautiful, and colorful linens and garments either to be worn on his neck, but probably more likely to be carried on the necks or backs of the soldiers.

(31) "So let all of Your enemies perish, O Lord, but those who love Him as the sun when it goes forth in its might." And the land had rest for forty years.

Deborah ended her song with her desire that all the Lord's enemies perish as Sisera and his army had.  And she wished that all those who loved the Lord be as the sun at its brightest and hottest, with intense love and as a bright light to the world.  And then the land had rest from their enemies for forty years.

Deborah and Barak

After a brief interlude with the story of Ruth that was concurrent with the time of the first judges, Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar, Judges 4 continues to chronicle Israel's judges.  Continuing the chronological Bible study:

(Judges 4:1) And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead.

At the end of the third chapter of Judges, Ehud had delivered the Israelites from Moab.  Shamgar had a brief mention as he delivered them from at least 600 Philistines, but it appears that Ehud was the stabilizing force that allowed Israel rest for eighty years (Judges 3:30).  However, after he died, Israel returned to her wicked ways.

(2) And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, the captain of whose host was Sisera who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

Because they did evil in His sight, the Lord delivered them into bondage to Jabin, the king of Canaan.  During the time of Joshua, there was a King Jabin of Hazor whom Joshua killed (Joshua 11).  This was evidently a successor by the same name who had rebuilt and reinhabited Hazor.  It appeared that Jabin kept a standing army to keep Israel in check, and Sisera was the captain of his army.  He dwelt in a place called Harosheth of the Gentiles.

(3) And the children of Israel cried to the Lord, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

The children of Israel cried out to the Lord after twenty years of oppression by Sisera.  He had cruelly kept them in check with nine hundred chariots of iron.  These were not chariots made of iron, but rather they were chariots equipped with iron scythes that stood out from the orbs of the wheels and could slash through any group of people, thus striking fear in the Israelites, and they cried out to their Lord for deliverance.

(4) And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

Deborah, a prophetess, a female prophet who by the Spirit of God declared His will, judged Israel at that time.  It is said she was the wife of Lapidoth.  However, he is not mentioned anywhere else.  As the original word "ishshah" that was translated as "wife" can also mean "woman," this might have as easily been translated as "a woman of Lapidoth," making Lapidoth a place rather than a man.  However, there is not a place known by Bible scholars with the name of Lapidoth, so who knows?  The fact that it is only mentioned one time in the Bible makes it of little importance either way.

(5) And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

It appears Deborah sat in judgment in the open air under a palm tree that was called by her name.  It was located between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim.  The Israelites came to her there for judgment.

(6) And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, "Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, 'Go and draw toward Mount Tabor and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun'?"

Deborah called for Barak, the son of Abinoam, from Kedesh in Naphtali.  She asked Barak if he knew it to be true that the Lord had commanded Israel to go to Mount Tabor and bring ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun.  Whether or not Barak knew that the Lord had commanded him to do that, I'm not sure.  It might be that this was Deborah's way of informing him that that was what the Lord had said to her, and therefore he could not dare question it.  

(7) "'And I will draw to you to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude, and I will deliver him into your hand.'"

Deborah continued with the words of the Lord, that He would draw Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, to Barak at the river Kishon with all his army and 900 chariots of iron.  The Lord declared through Deborah that He would deliver them into his hand.

(8) And Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go."

I suppose Barak's answer does show faith that the Lord would deliver Sisera into his hand, as confirmed by Hebrews 11 where he is listed as one of the heroes of faith.  However, it seems to show a little weakness in him that he must have a woman, Deborah, go with him into battle.  Maybe it was because he highly regarded her as an oracle of God and wanted that word of the Lord leading him into battle.

(9) And she said, "I will surely go with you, notwithstanding the journey that you take shall not be for your honor, for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." And Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Deborah instantly agreed to go with Barak, but she told him that by her accompanying him, he would not be given the glory for defeating Sisera, but the Lord would deliver Sisera into the hand of a woman.  Indeed, I believe Deborah is better remembered than Barak.  Deborah rose up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

(10) And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet, and Deborah went up with him.

Barak called the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali to him in Kedesh, where ten thousand men were chosen, and those being under Barak's command, and Deborah, went forward with him.

(11) Now Heber the Kenite of the children of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites and pitched his tent to the plain of Zaanaim which is by Kedesh.

Heber, a Kenite from the children of Hobab, actually the son of Moses's father-in-law Jethro, along with all the children of Hobab (see Joshua 1:16), had severed himself from the Kenites, and he dwelt in the plain of Zaanaim which was close to Kedesh.

(12) And they showed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor.

It was reported to Sisera that Barak had gone up to Mount Tabor.  It does not say exactly who reported it.  It could have been Canaanites, but it also could have been some of the Kenites who had remained at peace with Jabin as we will see in verse 17.  Whether it was out of good will or perhaps ill will to further God's will, either way it was surely God's will that Sisera be informed about Barak being at Mount Tabor.

(13) And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles to the river of Kishon.

Therefore Sisera gathered together all his nine hundred chariots of iron and all his people from Harosheth of the Gentiles where he resided to the Kishon River which was near Mount Tabor where Barak and his men were.

(14) And Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand; is not the Lord gone out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor and ten thousand men after him.

Deborah told Barak to rise up for she had been told by a spirit of prophecy that that was the day when the Lord had delivered Sisera into his hand.  She assured Barak that the Lord had gone out before him so he might be sure of victory.  Therefore he and his ten thousand men went down from Mount Tabor.

(15) And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak, so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot and fled away on his feet.

The word that was translated as "discomfited" literally meant "to put in commotion."  The Lord confused, troubled, and frightened Sisera and his men and even his chariots.  The historian Josephus wrote that there was a great storm of rain and hail, and a great wind blew rain in the faces of the enemy that blinded their eyes.  The hail numbed their hands so that they could not hold their swords.  If all that is true, there would be no doubt that it was the Lord who stirred up the commotion that allowed Barak to come in with the sword and destroy them.  However, Sisera jumped off his chariot and ran away.

(16) But Barak pursued after the chariots and after the host to Harosheth of the Gentiles, and all the host of Sisera fell on the edge of the sword; there was not a man left.

Barak pursued after the chariots and Sisera's army all the way back to where they had started at Harosheth of the Gentiles.  Everyone of Sisera's army was killed.  There was not a single man left of his army, but Sisera himself had escaped.

(17) However, Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

Sisera had fled to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, because there had been peace between Jabin the king and the house of Heber, so he felt he would be safe there.  

(18) And Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not." And when he had turned in to her into the tent, she covered him with a rug.

Indeed, Jael went out to meet Sisera and invited him to turn into her tent and not be afraid, insinuating he would be safe there.  When he came into her tent, she covered him with a rug perhaps to hide him, or it may have been a blanket made similarly as a rug just to comfort and warm him.

(19) And he said to her, "Give me, I pray you, a little water to drink for I am thirsty." And she opened a bottle of milk and gave him drink and covered him.

Sisera asked Jael for some water because he was thirsty.  She actually gave him milk, possibly as a courtesy to give him something more nourishing, or perhaps something more than water to make him sleep.  She then covered him.

(20) Again he said to her, "Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be when any man comes and enquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' that you shall say, 'No.'"

Sisera spoke to Jael again and asked her to stand in the doorway of her tent, so that if anyone came looking for a man, they would have no need to enter her tent for she would be in the doorway and would answer that there was no one in her tent besides her.

(21) Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a nail of the tent and took a hammer in her hand and went softly to him and struck the nail into his temples and fastened it into the ground, for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

When Sisera was fast asleep for he was so weary, Jael took a tent spike and a hammer and went quietly to him and drove the spike through his temples, fastening him to the ground, where he, of course, died.  Some of the Biblical scholars I study had a moral dilemma with what Jael did.  Only God knows the heart, but He definitely used Jael to deliver Sisera into the hand of a woman as Deborah had prophesied (verse 9).  Jael may have been sincere when she encouraged Sisera to come into her tent, but she was later struck by the Spirit of God to kill him.  She may have witnessed the rain and hail and chaos that had struck Sisera and his army and may have come to realize that it was of God, and she was therefore led to do what she did.  Whatever was in her heart and spirit at the time, we can be sure that God put it there, or He knew what was there and used it for His purposes.

(22) And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, "Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek." And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

As Barak was still pursuing Sisera and neared Jael's tent, she went out to meet him and told him she would show him the man for whom he was seeking.  This tells me that she was probably Spirit led to do what she did as she knew without a doubt that Barak was looking for Sisera, and she felt safe to invite him into her tent to see him for himself.  Indeed, Barak went into Jael's tent and saw that Sisera was dead with the spike still in his temples.

(23) So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. (24) And the hand of the children of Israel prospered and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Thus God had subdued Jabin, the king of Canaan, before the children of Israel.  The Israelites prevailed against the king of Canaan until they had destroyed him.  Scripture does not tell specifically how King Jabin died, but his army and its captain being defeated, the king was apparently easily destroyed.