Abimelech Destroys Shechem
9: 42-49

Abimelech destroys Shechem DIG: How is Ga’al’s character displayed here? What, or who, would possess a man to kill unarmed people? How was the curse of Jotham literally fulfilled? Why the salt? ADONAI’s Name is never mentioned in connection with Abimelech? Why? How did he act like a thornbush?

REFLECT: Abimelech was out for revenge. What does B’rit Chadashah have to say to us about revenge? Was Abimelech paranoid? Abimelech ended up hating the city and the people that appointed him as their king. How did (does) that happen? Was evil ever really in control? Why? Why not? Memorize Romans 12:19.

For the Shechemites there would be no blessing, only a curse; no Gerizim, only Ebal.

With the defeat of Ga’al (to see link click Bl – The Conspiracy of Ga’al), another problem remained for Abimelech, that of addressing the rebellion of the men of Shechem. He was well aware that Ga’al was merely a symptom of a deeper problem. The leaders of Shechem had been acting treacherously toward him (9:23-25). Although Zebul’s action had temporarily brought the situation under control, Abimelech was determined to teach the rebels in Shechem a lesson they would not forget. It seems that what transpired was an act of revenge against those who had questioned his leadership.

Later, in the B’rit Chadashah, Paul denounces returning evil for evil, declaring: Never seek revenge, my friends; instead, leave that to God’s anger. If a wrong has been done to us, no matter how serious and harmful it may have been, we never have the right to render punishment for the offense ourselves. We are to leave that to God’s anger. Quoting from Deuteronomy 32:35, Paul reminds us that in the Tanakh it is written, “ADONAI says: Vengeance is my responsibility . . . I will repay (Romans 12:19; Second Samuel 22:48; Nahum 1:2; Hebrews 10:30). In His divine time, God’s anger is coming on those who disobey Him (Colossians 3:6).

Day Three: Abimelech destroys Shechem: With the crisis apparently over, the next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields to work as usual. It was a natural and harmless thing to do, and an indication that they were tired of war and eager to resume their normal way of life. Abimelech and his supporters, however, saw it quite differently. The last time the Shechemites went out into the fields, it was to conspire with Ga’al against Abimelech (9:27a), and the closing statement of 9:42 indicates that some loyal to the king suspected that mischief was afoot again and it was reported to Abimelech.

In this second campaign, Abimelech used the same strategy that he used so successfully in the first engagement: ambush and encirclement (9:34-40). But now he neither receives nor needs any advice from Zebul, and this time victory comes even more easily because the victims were unsuspecting and presumably unarmed. Once again, it was no contest. Abimelech divided his men into three groups this time and set an ambush. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose and attacked them. Abimelech, personally leading his men, stormed the city gate to keep the men of Shechem from getting back in, while Abimelech’s other two groups cut them down in the fields. Then all three companies moved into the city, systematically killing its inhabitants (taking all day to do it) before Abimelech finally captured the city. He killed all the people and leveled the city (9:42-45a NLT). The operation, from beginning to end, was carried out with ruthless efficiency. It is reminiscent, in many of its details, of the campaign against Ai in the time of Joshua (see the commentary on Joshua Bg – The Destruction of Ai), but now it is Shechem against Shechem, clan against clan, and brother against brother – a jagged tear in the very heart of Isra’el.

Then Abimelech scattered salt all over the city (9:45b NLT), an act unparalleled in the TaNaKh. Salty ground was a symbol of a barren desert (Deuteronomy 29:33; Job 39:6; Jeremiah 17:6; Psalm 107:34). This was a symbolic act that the city was to be turned forever into a barren salt desert. That didn’t happen, but this was Abimelech’s desire for the city in light of their rebellion. It showed his hatred for the place and everything associated with it. But as we are about to see, even this didn’t satisfy his blood thirst.²⁴⁸

As typical in a siege of the ancient Near Eastern city, the commoners were the first to face defeat, while the elite were able to find safety within a stronghold at the center of the city, here attached to the temple of their pagan god. When the leading citizens heard of Ga’al’s defeat they entered the inner chamber of the temple of Ba’al-Berith. Someone reported to Abimelech that the citizens had gathered in the temple (9:46-47 Hebrew). In what follows, he acted as his father Gideon had done, but with even more brutality (see Bf – The Final Defeat of the Midianites: The Punishment of Succoth and Pen’el) With his enemy trapped, Abimelech decided to kill them all by setting fire to the temple.²⁴⁹

So he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. The word Zalmon is related to the word “shadow.” Hence, Mount Zalmon is “Shadowy/Dark Mountain.” It is not to be confused with the Zalmon of Psalm 68:14, which (as the context shows here) is in the region of Bashan, northeast of the Sea of Galilee. The mountain in view here must be close to Shechem. But since no mountain by that name is known in that area, it’s likely that it is an alternative name for either Mount Gerizim or Mount Ebal, the two mountains near Shechem where the covenant blessings and curses had been pronounced in the time of Joshua (see Joshua Bh – The Covenant at Mount Ebal). Ironically, Jotham had stood on Mount Gerizim, the mountain of blessing, to curse the Shechemites for making Abimelech their king. The message was clear. For them there would be no blessing, only a curse; no Gerizim, only Ebal. So it really didn’t matter which of the two was called “Dark Mountain” here; the appropriateness of the name derives from what Abimelech was about to do on it. The sun had set on Shechem; all that remained was darkness. When they got there, Abimelech took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, “Quick! Do what you see me do” (9:48 NLT).²⁵⁰

Sometimes it may appear as though evil is in control and that ADONAI has taken a vacation. Injustice dominates and wicked people, morally empty and reckless like Abimelech, seem to prevail (Psalm 37 and 73). Anyone living in Isra’el at that time must have felt that way. Certainly many believers living in Nazi Germany in the 1930’s and 40’s felt that way, as does anyone living in a totalitarian state. When believers forget the Lord and live according to the world’s standards, it only intensifies the power of the wicked. When believers choose that path, becoming functionally unbelievers, they may discover that Ha’Shem allows them to get what they deserve, just as the Israelites experienced Abimelech.

But believers living in the world (First John 2:15-16) can never negate God’s sovereignty. He is in control whether they acknowledge Him or not. YHVH moves things to His intended outcome (see the commentary on Romans Ae – My Position on T.U.L.I.P. or Calvinism), and whatever gods have been used to replace Him will prove to be worthless in the day of trouble, just as Ba’al-Berith proved to be for the leading citizens of Shechem, who took refuge in the pagan temple from Abimelech.²⁵¹

The slaughter itself is told with a dreadful matter-of-factness. So each of his men cut down some branches, following Abimelech’s example. They piled the branches against the walls of the temple and set them on fire, incinerating everyone inside. In the prophecy of the fate of the Shechemites, Jotham had spoken of trees and fire. Now, with awful accuracy, his words had been fulfilled. Fire had come out from that thornbush, Abimelech (9:14-15), the one they had chosen as king, and devoured them all (9:20a). Unwittingly, this fulfilled Jotham’s curse (see Bj – The Curse of Jotham). So all the people who had retreated to the tower of Shechem died – about a thousand men and women (9:49 NLT). The mention of them at the very end emphasizes the full horror of what happened; its immense, deep, tragedy.²⁵²

Dear heavenly Father, Praise You that You are not mean and wrathful, but full of steadfast love, righteousness, justice and mercy. You rule with both love and discerning righteous wisdom. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne. Lovingkindness and truth go before You (Psalms 89:14). The wicked may appear to prosper for a time; but then You, ADONAI, will break their strength, while upholding the righteous with an eternal inheritance. Better a little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, while ADONAI upholds the righteous. ADONAI knows the days of the blameless—their inheritance endures forever (Psalms 37:16-18). So much greater than ruling a city, as Abimelech desired, is the joy and peace that comes from desiring to please and to live for You. You are my strength and my portion. Whom have I in heaven but You? On earth there is none I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalms 73:25-26). It is comforting to know that while the wicked prosper, You are my refuge. I desire to please You in every way possible. To the One who sits at Your right hand. Amen

The Conspiracy of Ga’al
9: 26-41

The conspiracy of Ga’al DIG: Why did Ga’al want to fight Abimelech? Where did Abimelech live? Where did Ga’al live? Why did Ga’al emphasize Abimelech’s paternal heritage rather than his maternal heritage? What was Zebul’s plan to defeat the rebellion of Ga’al? Why didn’t Ga’al stand a chance in the battle?

REFLECT: When presented with a problem, do you wait around until action is unavoidable or are you proactive? How do you show your loyalty to YHVH? Because today’s culture doesn’t encourage loyalty to either family or to the Lord, how can you protect yourself against the wiles of the devil? 

God gave the Israelites the king they deserved, and He gave Abimelech the people he deserved.

ADONAI created a rift between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem (to see link click Bk – The Destruction of Shechem), so much so that the Shechemites began to work against the king. They began to rob the caravans that passed by the city on the nearby trade routes. Abimelech was living at Arumah (9:41), and the activities of those bandits were robbing him of both money and reputation. Foreign merchants would hear about the danger and take a different trade route. But even more, the word would get out that the king couldn’t even control his subjects or protect his kingdom. Into this situation stepped a newcomer, Ga’al, a man who knew a good opportunity when he saw it.²³⁸

Day one: The Conspiracy of Ga’al (9:26-29): Abimelech appears to have taken no action against the marauding bands which were terrorizing the countryside. It was not until there was a direct challenge to his authority that he was stirred to action. Now Ga’al, (Hebrew: meaning to vomit) son of Ebed, moved his relatives into Shechem, and its citizens put their trust in him (9:26 NIV). He appears out of nowhere, but soon will claim to be a descendant of Hamor, the founder of Shechem (Genesis 33:19 and 34:2). The return with Ga’al’s relatives was ominous because they are bound to him by blood. Nothing is known of Ga’al apart from the information given in this chapter. The citizens of Shechem were apparently easily swayed and Ga’al gained their confidence by his guile, just as Abimelech had previously done (see Bi – The Conspiracy of Abimelech).²³⁹

At the time of the grape harvest (June-July) the Shechemites held a pagan religious festival comparable to, but earlier than, the Israelite festival of Sukkot (see the commentary on Leviticus Eg – Hag Sukkot) which was in September-October (Deuteronomy 16:13-15). Under the Canaanite influence, the pagan festival had replaced Sukkot as the great summer festival until the reformations of Hezekiah and Josiah (Second Kings 23:21ff and Second Chronicles 30:1ff and 35:1ff). This gave Ga’al and the rulers of Shechem the opportunity to meet and plan their next move under the guise of holding a religious festival. The people went out into the fields, harvested their grapes, and held the annual festival at Shechem that was held in the temple of the local god, Ba’al-Berith (9:27a Hebrew).²⁴⁰ Grapes were gathered and trodden out in the winepresses to produce wine during this season, which became a time of merry-making, over-indulgence, and immorality, hardly compatible with a holy feast. The scene of Shechem taken over by a mob of drunkards contrasted sharply with the picture of well-being Abimelech had promised the city (9:26).²⁴¹

And everyone began cursing Abimelech. At the height of the celebration Ga’al took the opportunity to address the crowd. “Who is Abimelech?” Ga’al boasted. “He’s not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? Then he slyly traced Abimelech’s genealogy through his father, not his Shechemite mother, saying: he’s merely the son of Gideon, and this Zebul is merely his henchman. Next, he appealed to them to serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem (see Genesis Ib – The Rape of Dinah). Why should we serve this half-breed Abimelech (9:27b-28 NLT)? Finally, having undermined their confidence in Abimelech and having made his emotional appeal, he hinted how different things would be if he were made their leader.²⁴² Ga’al was living in Shechem while Abimelech was living in Arumah. The people could tell Ga’al their problems, and he would give them what they needed, so why would they go to Arumah for help? He said: If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, “Get some soldiers, and come out and fight” (9:29 NLT). He was confident that the people would follow him and he could get rid of Abimelech. So with empty bravado he tossed out his challenge to the absent king. The tone and the methods of Ga’al were similar to those of Absalom (see the Life of David Do – Absalom’s Conspiracy).²⁴³

The report to Abimelech (9:30-33): Abimelech’s local lackey in Shechem was Zebul, the governor of the city, who wasted no time getting the information about Ga’al to the king. When Zebul heard what Ga’al said, he was furious. He sent messengers to Abimelech in Arumah, telling him, “Ga’al son of Ebed and his brothers have come to live in Shechem, and now they are inciting the city against you.” This suggests that not everyone was a part of the drunken mob and Abimelech continued to have a measure of support. But the drift toward a civil war was brewing. Not only did Zebul inform Abimelech about the rebellion, but he also gave the king a strategy for dealing with the boastful intruder. Come by night with an army and hide out in the fields. In the morning, as soon as it is daylight, attack the city. No doubt reasoning that it would be better to take the initiative rather than to allow Ga’al time to consolidate his position.²⁴⁴ When Ga’al and those who are with him come out against you, you can do with them as you wish (9:30-33 NLT). Zebul would be working for the king within Shechem, and the king would gather his troops outside the city.

Day Two: The defeat of Ga’al (9:34-41): Abimelech’s response was quick. He and all his men went by night and split into four companies, stationing themselves around Shechem. By about 3:00am, I imagine, Abimelech had his four companies of troops waiting in position around Shechem. Zebul played his role with considerable skill. Now Ga’al was standing at the city gate just as Abimelech and his army came out of hiding (9:34-35 NLT). When Ga’al saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, there are people coming down from the hilltops!” But Zebul made a disarming comment trying to avoid the obvious: It’s just the shadows on the hills that look like men. In a little while, Ga’al squinted and exclaimed: No, those are men coming down from the hills. And another group is coming down the road past the Diviners’ Oak. Then Zebul, with his trump card ready, turned to him and taunted: Where is your big mouth now? He must have practiced that line all night. Wasn’t that what you said, “Who is Abimelech, and why should we be his servants?” The men you mocked are right outside the city, leaving Ga’al no alternative but to fight or lose face!²⁴⁵ So Ga’al led the men of Shechem out to fight Abimelech, but they were woefully unprepared. Abimelech chased Ga’al, and the big mouth fled the battlefield. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the city gate (9:36-40 NLT).

Abimelech settled (Hebrew: vaiyseshev) in Arumah, and Zebul drove out Ga’al and his relatives, so that they couldn’t live in Shechem (9:41 Hebrew). Very few details are given about the battle itself, but the very brevity of the account is telling. It was really no contest at all. Ga’al realized all too late that he had been outmaneuvered and beat a hasty retreat, only to lose most of his men in the process. Ga’al himself and his relatives – the instigators of the rebellion in the first place – made it back to Shechem, but were unable to remain there or to cause any further trouble. They left there for parts unknown. Zebul, now in full control of the city, drove them out, reversing their arrival there back in 9:26 and bringing closure, apparently, to the whole Ga’al episode. We never hear from Ga’al again.

However, the statement that Abimelech settled in Arumah rather than Shechem itself is puzzling, and prevents the closure of the story from being total. Arumah was only five miles from Shechem. Abimelech had already left Shechem before the final clash with Ga’al, and may have even been in Arumah. But Shechem was by far the most significant city in the area, and the place where Abimelech had first made his bid for power and made king. To withdraw from it temporarily for tactical reasons is understandable, but to settle elsewhere is odd, to say the least. It suggests that something still remained to be resolved between Abimelech and the people of Shechem. This tension sets us up for the sequel to the Ga’al episode that follows (see Bm – Abimelech Destroys Shechem).²⁴⁶

After the death of Gideon, the Israelites didn’t show covenant loyalty or faithfulness to ADONAI (8:33). They demonstrated disregard for God’s covenant and for Gideon and his descendants whom Ha’Shem raised up on their behalf. Humanity’s tendency is to quickly forget all the good that others (human and divine) may do for them. When the Israelites made Ba’al-Berith (9:46) their god, breaking their covenant with YHVH to enter into a covenant with a Canaanite deity, they became spiritually Canaanite. In such a situation, with the enemy being internal rather than external, ADONAI withdrew His gracious favor. God gave the Israelites the king they deserved, and He gave Abimelech the people he deserved. What characterized the Israelites in general characterized their leader, Abimelech, who showed no regard for their loyalty and certainly none for YHVH. Certainly the culture that we live today doesn’t encourage loyalty to either family or to the Lord.²⁴⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, praise You: For nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37). Ga’al’s followers, proud in heart, were brought low. Soon proud Abimelech and his proud followers would be brought low by You. They had both demonstrated disregard for Your covenant and for Gideon and his descendants whom You raised up. When men are proud and show no regard for You and Your covenant, they had better watch out for You do see and at the right time You will step into destroy them. You are a Mighty God showing love, mercy, righteousness and justice. Then Adonai passed before him, and proclaimed, “Adonai, Adonai, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, showing mercy to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means leaving the guilty unpunished, but bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 34:6-7). Father, You have almighty power, including to take out the ruler of any city or country. We worship You. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Destruction of Shechem
9: 22-25

The destruction of Shechem DIG: What characterized Abimelech’s reign as king? Why? How long did Abimelech reign compared to others that we see in Judges? How can evil proceed from ADONAI (First Samuel 16:14 and 18:10)? How did God punish Abimelech for murdering Gideon’s [sixty-nine] sons?

REFLECT: Sooner or later, Ha’Shem repays wickedness. What does that inspire in you? Awe? Comfort? Guilt? Fear? Is there any wicked thing that you’d like to rid yourself of? Do you know a modern-day Abimelech? What can you do to not be affected by his or her evil? Read Psalm 73 and be comforted.

Ha’Shem will not allow the murderer to escape; but will punish him in some dreadful way.

Self-seeking opportunists and those capable of treacherous murder never make easy companions, and it was not long before hostility broke out between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. Perhaps it’s significant that Abimelech didn’t seem to live in Shechem, but delegated that oversight to Zebul (9:30). The sovereignty of God can be seen in these verses (1 Samuel 16:14 and 1 Kings 22:19-23).²³⁰ The main thread of the narrative is resumed here after the interlude of Jotham’s fable (to see link click Bj – The Curse of Jotham). But rather than opening with an account of the events of Abimelech’s reign, it moves almost at once to his downfall.²³¹

And Abimelech was prince (Hebrew: sar) over Isra’el. Abimelech was seated on the throne his father refused. But how long did it last? In a mere three years (9:22 NLT) we see the thornbush (9:14-15) withered and burned. The prosperity of the wicked is short and fickle. The author used the Hebrew word sar, which means prince, captain, or official, and not the word melech, which means king. By using sar, the author states that Abimelech governed, but the narrator didn’t accept him as a king; thus showing that he didn’t fulfill Isra’el’s need for a king. The term Isra’el is not always used of the whole nation, but sometimes used more locally, as it is here. In this case, Isra’el refers to Greater Shechem, which included Shechem, Beth-Millo, Arumah, and Thebez (9:6). Here, the length of his three-year rule is announced at the beginning of his reign rather than the end, which is the norm in this book. This signaled that his attempt to be “king” would not last as long as any of the oppressions by the enemies of Isra’el or any of the periods in the rest of the book.

After three years of relative success, Abimelech found himself in trouble. It’s one thing to acquire a throne and quite another to defend and hold onto it. The divine vindication of Jotham’s judgment began with a divine action. Elohim sent an evil spirit, a demon, between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. As a result of the demonic attack the men of Shechem revolted against Abimelech (9:23 Hebrew), as was predicted by Jotham three years earlier. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon’s [sixty-nine] sons (9:5a), and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his half-brothers (9:24 NLT).²³²

The result was that a series of events were set in motion that had a relentless, repeating pattern to them. Abimelech going to Shechem to incite the rulers to conspire against the sons of Gideon (9:1-2) is answered by Ga’al’s arrival in Shechem to incite its rulers to conspire with Ga’al against Abimelech (see Bl – The Conspiracy of Ga’al). The ambush set by the men of Shechem (9:25) is answered by the ambush set by Abimelech on the advice of Zebul (9:34). Finally, Abimelech, who killed the sons of Gideon on one stone (9:5a and 18), is himself killed by a millstone which was dropped on his head by a woman of Thebez (9:53). Therefore, in the working out of the plot, act answers to act, and evil to evil. So God used a demon to bring about the death of Abimelech, showing that He is able to use demons to carry out His purposes. Ha’Shem will do this again in the case of Ahab (see the commentary on Elijah and Elisha Bf – The Death of Ahab). And that demon is not eliminated until Abimelech, the chief instigator of evil is struck down; after that, his followers, as if walking away from a bad dream, put down their weapons and went home (9:55).²³³

The rulers of Shechem, who had helped crown Abimelech as king, set men on the mountains and robbed everyone who passed that way. The mountains in view here were probably Gerizim and Ebal, which overlook Shechem and would have provided excellent vantage points from which to see anyone approaching the narrow Shechem valley below.²³⁴ As the caravans were coming to pay tribute to Abimelech, the men of Shechem robbed them. This highway robbery would discredit the government of Abimelech. All this was from Ha’Shem, who was about to punish both Abimelech and the men of Shechem for the slaughter of Gideon’s [sixty-nine] sons (9:5a).²³⁵ The fact that someone warned Abimelech about their plot (9:25 Hebrew) shows that the seat of government was not in Shechem. The actions of the men of Shechem achieved two things: First, they showed that Abimelech could not guarantee the safety of travelers in his own domain; and secondly, the caravans would hear about the danger, take a different route, and not have to pay Abimelech whatever tribute money levied upon them.²³⁶ The destabilizing of Abimelech’s fledgling kingdom created a situation like the one existing in the terrible days of Shamgar and Ja’el (5:6-7a). Abimelech was informed about what was going on, but before he could take action to stop it, another, more ominous development took place with the boasting of Ga’al.

Although Abimelech thought he was still in control of his destiny, the cracks were beginning to show. Men may do evil, and think they have profited; they may imagine that they have strengthened themselves in their wickedness, and are quite secure (Psalm 73). That they have friends who will stand by them, and save them; but ADONAI can, with great ease, make all their schemes crumble around them, turn their best plans into ruin, and punish those on whom they depended for help and security. The example of Abimelech and the men of Shechem may assure us that Ha’Shem will not allow the murderer to escape; but will punish him in some dreadful way (see Bn – The death of Abimelech).²³⁷

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for how wonderful You always are (Psalms 63:3)! You offer those who trust in You an eternity that is much better than any momentary earthly thrill. This world will pass away but life with You will last forever! Even when I have hard earthly trials, I am comforted by knowing that they will be over soon! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). Those who live separating themselves from Your love on earth will live separate from You after they die. By loving themselves the most and giving into all kinds of selfish desires, they will have chosen an eternity of pain and suffering. He who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Curse of Jotham
9: 7-21

The curse of Jotham DIG: How did Jotham expose the truth about Abimelech as a leader? Why did the olive tree reject the offer to become king? The fig tree? The vine? What was the danger in offering the thornbush to be their king? What was Jotham’s warning? What was the main point of Jotham’s fable?

REFLECT: How do you get things off of your chest that you think are wrong? Are you as direct as Jotham? Have you ever turned down what seemed like a great job opportunity? Why did you turn it down? What is your more useful purpose? Do you know any Abimelech’s? How can you distance yourself from them?

Abimelech lacked any useful qualifications to become a good king,
because he seized his rule by guile and maintained it by force.

So far Abimelech’s plot seemed to be going according to plan . . . except for one small problem. As noted at the end of 9:5, one of Gideon’s sons, Jotham, the youngest, had hidden from his half-brother Abimelech and managed to escape his sword. The author had mentioned this small detail only in passing and had immediately resumed the main plot line concerning Abimelech, as if the supplanter would have it all his way. But the early reference to Jotham created an expectation for a complication in the plot. And we are not disappointed. Here in verses 7-21 the focus shifts to this young boy, who is presented as a positive character in contrast to Abimelech, whose name, my father is king, reflected his ambition. Jotham’s name is an expression of godly faith: ADONAI is perfect. This will be confirmed by the way in which YHVH resolves the problems raised by Abimelech’s conduct. In contrast to Abimelech who sought to rule by sheer power, Jonathan is powerless. Since he was the only survivor of a family murdered by his half-brother, he couldn’t enter Shechem to make his point. Therefore, he needed to speak from Mount Gerizim outside the city, and he had to flee for his life after his speech. And precisely because he was powerless, he chose a powerful rhetorical device – the fable.²²²

Approximately a century and a half before, six of the tribes had stood on the slopes of Mount Gerizim and thundered out their “Amens” to the blessings of the Torah, pronounced by the Levites (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Fd – Blessings and the Curses). Now Jotham stood on the same mountain, using it as a bully pulpit from which to denounce the shameful actions of the Shechemites. It is unlikely that he stood on the summit of the mountain; a convenient crag seems to be indicated, from which he could be heard, and from which he could beat a hasty retreat. A ledge halfway to the top is popularly called “Jotham’s pulpit.” Ironically, for the leading citizens of Shechem it became a mountain of curse.

Shechem was a natural amphitheater between Mount Gerizim (750 feet above the valley) and Mount Ebal (1,400 feet above the valley). Voices carried a long way there. It was used as an open-air pulpit in the great religious ceremony of Joshua (see the commentary on Joshua Bh – The Covenant at Mount Ebal), which itself was a fulfillment of the provisions of Deuteronomy above.

Addressing the leading citizens of Shechem who were responsible for Abimelech’s rise to power, Jotham makes what ranks as one of the most powerful speeches in the TaNaKh, the story of the trees in search of a king. It is interesting that the principle of kingship itself is not condemned. The main point is that a worthless person, Abimelech, had been chosen. The implication is that the sons of Gideon, including Jotham himself, would have been a more desirable choice, although this is not specifically stated.²²³

Preamble to the fable (9:7): The fable itself is of importance as an ancient illustration of a story with a moral message, and it bears comparison with Nathan’s rebuke of David (Second Samuel 12:1-4), and the message of Jehoash, king of Isra’el to Amaziah king of Judah (Second Kings 14:9-10). It was a protest against the shameful treatment given to Gideon and his descendants, and a prophecy of the effect of Abimelech’s rule. The main thrust of the speech doesn’t lie in the fable itself (verses 8-15), but in his application of it to the present situation (verses 16-21).²²⁴ When Jotham was told that the leading citizens of Shechem made Abimelech king (see Bi – The Conspiracy of Abimelech), he went and stood on Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, rulers of Shechem, so that God may listen to you” (9:7 NIV).

First, the Olive Tree (9:8-9): One day the trees decided to choose a king and they came to the olive tree first. An especially fitting choice of a metaphor for a scene set in the fertile valley of Shechem where, even today, beautiful groves of olive trees flourish. The picture of the trees going to anoint a tree (whether olive, fig, vine, or thornbush) symbolically represents men choosing one of their own kind as king (Deuteronomy 17:15). They said to the olive tree, “Be our king!” But the olive tree rejected their offer by making a distinction between the greater and the lesser. The greater was represented by the statement: Should I quit producing the olive oil that honors both God and mankind? It honors God because olive oil was used for anointing the priesthood and used for the lampstand in the holy place of the Tabernacle. And it honors mankind since olive oil was used for anointing as a refreshment of the skin and for food. The lesser would be just to wave back and forth over all the other trees (9:8-9 Hebrew)? In other words, why should the olive tree become king, reigning over all the other trees, and abandon the more useful purpose it already had?

Second, the Fig Tree (9:10-11): Next, they said to the fig tree, “You come and reign over us.” But the fig tree also rejected the offer with a difference between the greater and the lesser. The greater was represented in the question: Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit? The fig maintains its sweetness when either fresh or dried. The Hebrew word for good fruit means produce. The yield of a fig tree is two or three crops a year, not just one as with other trees. Therefore, the lesser would be to just to wave back and forth over all the other trees (9:10-11 NLT)?

Third, the Vine (9:12-13): Then the trees made the same offer to the vine, “Come and be our king,” which also rejected it with a difference between the greater and the lesser. The greater is represented by the question: Should I quit producing my new wine that cheers both God and mankind? The wine cheers God because of the drink offerings of the Torah (Exodus 29:38-41; Numbers 15:1-16); and it cheers mankind because, as Psalm 104:15 reveals: wine gladdens the heart. This is great of course. So, why choose the lesser just to wave back and forth over all the trees (9:12-13 NLT). Therefore, the olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine all rejected the offer of being king because they felt that they already had a more useful purpose.²²⁵

Fourth, the Thornbush (9:14-15): The fable reaches its climax when all the trees turn to the thornbush and say: “Come and be our king.” While the other trees that were asked to become king were all productive members of the landscape, yielding delectable fruit and useful byproducts; however, the thornbush yields only thorns. If anything, it’s dangerous and a danger to the farmer because if it catches fire, it can destroy the whole crop. Thus, the trees, having failed to tempt the useful trees to leave their usefulness for the sake of status, as a last resort, offered the kinship to the lowest grade of plant life, and therefore any other option would be better than the thornbush. And the thornbush replied to the trees, “If you truly want to make me your king, come and take shelter in my shade.” The image of the trees “seeking cover” beneath a thornbush is absurd, not only because of the size, but also because the thornbush offers neither shade nor cover, it has thorns! The story continues: If not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Lebanon, which are symbolic, as in Isaiah 2:12-13, for the proud, and in this case, the proud rulers of Shechem (9:14-15 NLT). In short, “Make me your king, or I will destroy you.” The point of all this is that Abimelech can offer no comfort to Shechem, and, in fact, he will be the source of its destruction (see Bk – The Destruction of Shechem).

The Application of the fable (9:16-20): Then Jotham made the application of the fable. First, in verses 16-19 he made the application in the case of righteousness: Now make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelech your king, and that you have done right by Gideon and all of his descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished? If the rulers of Shechem had acted righteously in all that they did to Gideon, and remembered that [he] fought for [them] and risked his life when he rescued [them] from the Midianites, then all was good (9:16-17 NLT). But today you have revolted against my father and his descendants, killing his seventy sons on a single stone made by Abimelech, the son of a female slave, king over the rulers of Shechem because he is related to you (9:18 Hebrew). Jotham’s basic charge is that they corrupted goodness into expediency, and covenant faithfulness into tribalism. Then Jotham returned to the train of thought suspended at the end of verse 16. So if you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Gideon and his family today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you (9:19 NIV). There is a bit of sarcasm here. It’s as if he was saying, “May you find much happiness with this thornbush of yours.”²²⁶

Second, comes the application in the case of unrighteousness: But if you have not acted in good faith, then may the result be mutual destruction: May fire come out from that thornbush Abimelech and devour the citizens of Shechem and also consume Abimelech himself (9:20 NLT). So Jotham explains that the worthless Abimelech is just like the thornbush. He lacked any constructive or useful qualifications to become a good king, because he seized his rule by guile and maintained it by force. Although he promised to protect those who had been persuaded to appoint him, in the end he destroyed them and himself with his self-centered recklessness.²²⁷

Jotham’s Escape (9:21): Knowing that his half-brother Abimelech would not rest in his crusade against his family until every member had been killed, and having invoked the curse upon Shechem and Abimelech, Jotham escaped and lived in Beer (meaning well) because he was afraid of him (9:21 NLT). Beer was mentioned in Numbers 21:16 as a place where the Israelites stopped as they were traveling around Mo’ab on their way to Canaan. It was probably located on the edge of the desert, where it served as a watering place for nomads and traders. Its main appeal for Jotham was probably its remoteness from Shechem . . . and therefore from Abimelech. Jotham probably went into hiding for the three years that Abimelech was still living (9:22). David later sought sanctuary for his family in the same general area during the reign of Sha’ul (First Samuel 22:2-4).²²⁸

Abimelech considered himself to be a stately tree of great value, but Jotham said he was nothing but a useless weed. What a blow to his pride! When the rulers of Shechem chose Abimelech as their new king, they didn’t get useful olive oil, tasty figs, or cheerful wine, they only got thorns – fuel for fire. In reality, Abimelech was trying to wrestle “the kingdom” away from ADONAI (Judges 8:23), and the LORD permitted him to have a limited amount of success. But God was still on the throne and would see to it that Abimelech’s selfish purposes would not end well.

It’s a dangerous thing for us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Paul reminds us: For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you (Romans 12:3). We all need to discover the gifts God has given to us and then use them in the place where He puts us. Each member of the Body of Messiah is important (First Corinthians 12:12-31), and we all need one another, and to minister to one another. Since there is no competition in the work of the Lord (John 4:34-38; First Corinthians 3:5-9), there’s no need for us to promote ourselves. The important thing is that ADONAI receives the glory.²²⁹

Dear heavenly Father, praise You that You are so very great and wise! Living to please You is such a joy! It is so much more fulfilling to seek to please you than to chase after worldly power. Earthly rewards are nice to get, but they are not of value for eternity. The best reward to seek after is the eternal reward of Your abiding Presence, that you have promised to those who love You. Yeshua answered and said to him: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23). Better than having one’s name written as a city ruler, is to have one’s name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, because of one’s trust in You. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Conspiracy of Abimelech
8:33 to 9:6

The conspiracy of Abimelech DIG: Who was Abimelech? Who were his parents? Why did he go to Shechem? What did Abimelech do in order to become king? Why did Isra’el “forget” what Gideon and ADONAI had done? What was the substitute? What kind of a person would abandon their birth name and then name themselves? How would you describe Abimelech’s character? Who was Abimelech loyal to? Why did his brothers and the citizens of Shechem follow him?

REFLECT: Gideon’s people soon forgot about ADONAI. What can you do to help ensure that doesn’t happen to you? Who is God calling you to express kindness to this week? How will you? Why is it important that you don’t hang out with vain and reckless people? What do you hope your legacy will be after you die? Do you keep your obligations? How are truth and integrity displayed in your life?

His rule was secured by guile, maintained by force, and did not survive his death.
He was never a judge, much less a king.

It’s All in the Name (8:33-35): As Michael Hattin relates in his commentary on Judges, as a man of resolve, ruthless Abimelech must have had his eye on the kingship from the very day the Israelites had first raised the subject. It is reasonable to assume that at the time of Gideon’s great victory over the Midianites (to see link click Bd – Gideon’s Victory Over the Midianites), Abimelech was either not born yet or else very young, for at the killing of the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna in the aftermath of the victory, Gideon’s firstborn son Jether was described as being only a boy (8:20). No doubt, however, the son of the concubine grew up with the stories of his father’s great victory and the reports of his father’s refusal to become king of Isra’el. However, Abimelech was made of more brutal stuff than his father. It is more likely that his pretentious name, which means my father is king, was not given to him by his father at all, but rather it was self-appointed! A careful reading of the relevant verse implies as much, for it says: He [Gideon’s] concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he made his name Abimelech (8:31 Hebrew).

Generally in the TaNaKh, when names are given to children by their parents, the verb vayikra (he called) is used, or vatikra (she called) if the mother gives it. The verb kara means to call and its usage in biblical Hebrew is quite similar to its usage in English – it frequently means to address another, and it can sometimes mean to assign a name. But here, the account does not say vayikra shmo Abimelech, but vayasem et shmo Abimelech, which translates literally as and he made his name Abimelech. The subject of the pronoun he in 8:31 may not be the father Gideon at all but rather Abimelech himself, and indicates that at some point the ambitious man renounced his birth name and instead adopted a name that was more in keeping with his future ambitions. Instead of reading the verse: and he [Gideon] made his name Abimelech, we may just as reliably read it as: and he [Abimelech] made his [own] name Abimelech! Gideon refused to become king over his people, but Abimelech rode on his father’s coattails in order to advance his own illegitimate and immoral claim. My father is king, essentially implies that I will succeed my glorious father as king in his stead.²¹²

Gideon died when he was very old, and he was buried in the grave of his father, Joash, at Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer. No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again committed spiritual adultery with the Ba’al’s, making Ba’al their god (8:32-33 Hebrew). The death of a judge once more led to the removal of restraint and a movement towards the Ba’al worship of their neighbors. So not surprisingly, as soon as Gideon died, all restraint was cast to the wind, and the nation rushed headlong into apostasy. The particular apostasy was Ba’al worship, specifically Ba’al-Berith (9:46), or lord of the covenant, which flourished in Shechem. Their true covenant was with YHVH but they were giving up all pretense of being faithful to Him.

Shechem was in the Israelite heartland, about 31 miles (50 kilometers) north of Jerusalem and 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) west of the Jordan River. On a positive note, it was there that Abraham had first built an altar to ADONAI after arriving in Canaan (Genesis 12:6). There, too, Joshua had called all the tribes together for a great covenant renewal ceremony after the completion of his campaigns of conquest (Joshua 24:1). But on the dark side of their history, Simeon and Levi slaughtered all the men of Shechem because of the rape of their sister Dinah by Shechem, the clueless son the mayor Hamor (see the commentary on Genesis Ie – The Slaughter at Shechem by Simeon and Levi).

The Israelites forgot ADONAI their God, who had rescued them from all their enemies surrounding them (8:34 Hebrew). YHVH and His mighty works were forgotten. He might be useful for a time of crisis, but the fertility gods appeared to offer more for their everyday existence. Shechem lay at the southern end of the valley separating Gerizim and Ebal, the mountains of blessing and a curse respectively (Deuteronomy Cq – A Blessing and a Curse). Therefore, it was a place of great symbolic importance. It was also significant in our present story from the fact that Gideon had a concubine there, and that Abimelech was his son by her (8:31).

Less surprising was the failure of the Israelites to remember Gideon. They also failed to show any kindness (Hebrew: chesed, meaning faithfulness or loyalty) to the family of Jerub-Ba’al in spite of all the good he had done for Isra’el (8:35 Hebrew). Many years had passed since his accomplishments, but the opulence of his family life may have aroused jealousy in the new generation, and the feeling might have been that he had already been sufficiently rewarded.²¹³ Here, Gideon is ironically called Jerub-Ba’al, the Ba’al Fighter, while his son goes back to the worship of Ba’al.

Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh (6:15), but Shechem was a city in Ephraim (Joshua 20:7 and 21:21). We can only speculate why Gideon had a concubine there. Was it an attempt to heal the tense relationship between himself and the Ephraimites that had flared up (see Be – Gideon’s Problem with Ephraim)? Or, to put the same issue more positively, was it a king-like political liaison intended to symbolically unite the two largest northern tribes under his authority as the new national leader? But why then a concubine rather than one of his many wives (8:30)? Or was it simply lust which he chose not to dignify with a marriage as a snub to the Ephraimites in retaliation for the problems they had given him? We don’t know. But what we do know is that it caused trouble . . . big trouble.²¹⁴

The conspiracy of Abimelech (9:1-6): The sequel to the Gideon narrative is set in motion when Abimelech went to Shechem to speak to his mother’s brothers and all his mother’s clan. He said to them, “Ask all the rulers of Shechem,” literally the ba’al’s of Shechem, its original meaning is lord or owner, as in Joshua 24:11; Judges 20:5; First Samuel 23:11-12; Second Samuel 21:12.²¹⁵ Abimelech’s evil thought was this: Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Ba’al’s [Gideon’s] sons rule over you, or just one man (9:1-2a NIV).? In other words, one ruler is better than seventy rulers. However, there was no indication that any of the other sons had any such ambition. Thus far in the book of Judges, no judge was succeeded by a son. Through the whole course of his disastrous kingship, Abimelech sought to influence the rulers of Shechem through his relatives. His message to them was that a power struggle was under way and they were going to have to choose between him and the other seventy sons of Jerub-Ba’al (8:30).

Abimelech said: remember, I am your flesh and blood” (9:2b NIV). Abimelech will not speak again in the story until almost the very end (9:48 and 54). In all of his speeches, he commands others to take pains on his behalf. The first (9:2b) and the last (9:54) reveal Abimelech’s preoccupation with himself and his image. His argument was couched in a society where the cohesive power of faithfulness to YHVH and His covenant was declining; and tribalism, in the worst sense, was again on the rise. And the Canaanite blood-tie was the most convincing argument, indeed, Abimelech would act more like a Canaanite than a Jew.²¹⁶

Abimelech’s brothers did not hesitate; they immediately pledged their support to him, and the rulers of Shechem followed suit. When the brothers repeated all this to the rulers of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said: He is related to us (9:3). If there was going to be a power struggle, they would stand with Abimelech.²¹⁷

The rulers of Shechem immediately put their money where their mouth was by giving Abimelech seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Ba’al-Berith (9:4a NLT). So the funds came out of a temple dedicated to Ba’al. This was not a large amount, but it corresponded exactly to the seventy brothers that he would execute. Effectively, he murdered each one of his brothers in cold blood for the measly pittance of a single shekel! Abimelech’s disdain for the value of a human life and fraternal blood, already demonstrated at the very outset of his rule, will color the rest of his vicious career.²¹⁸ Judas betrayed his Master for thirty pieces of silver (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Kc – Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus); and this “Judas,” Abimelech, betrayed his brothers in the same manner, including death.

And Abimelech used the silver to hire vain (Hebrew: reikim) and reckless (Hebrew: ufochazim) troublemakers who agreed to follow him (9:4b Hebrew). Two descriptions are used to describe the hired men. The first one is vain. The Hebrew word means empty, and denotes men with idle hands and empty stomachs, but with no desire to work or earn an honest living. These men were willing to sell themselves for any task. The second word used to describe these men is reckless, the type of men who followed Abimelech were idle and reckless, a bad combination indeed, devoid of any wisdom or moral understanding.

Abimelech traveled thirty miles with his troublemakers and went to his father’s home at Ophrah, and once there, on one stone, they killed [sixty-nine] of the sons of Gideon (9:5a NLT). The fact that they were killed on one stone would have required the killing to take place one at a time. This was not a quick slaughter of unsuspecting victims, but a calculated, brutal, act of murder (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bq – Do Not Murder) trying to promote terror. The stone may be a reference to a sacrificial stone, as in First Samuel 14:33-35, and if so, would allow for the easy disposal of blood, since the matter of the disposal of blood was of great consequence (see Deuteronomy Cu – Do Not Eat the Blood). In this ritual slaughter of his half-brothers, he may have been seeking to avoid any adverse consequences by carefully disposing of the blood.²¹⁹ However, when the blood is shed upon stone, and not on the earth which can absorb it (Ezeki’el 24:7ff), it is an indication that the murderer is completely reckless and without thought of Ha’Shem who avenges the crime. By murdering his half-brothers, Abimelech joined the ranks of other men in the Bible who committed fratricide, including Cain (Genesis 4), Absalom (Second Samuel 13:23ff), and Jehoram (Second Chronicles 21:4). Not very nice company. But there was one problem, the youngest brother, Jotham (see Bj – The Parable of Jotham), escaped and hid (9:5b NLT).

The bloody deed accomplished: Then all the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth-Millo gathered beside the great oak tree at the pillar of Shechem (Joshua 24:26) to crown Abimelech king (9:6 NIV). Now the temple at Shechem became an idolatrous place, representing Ba’al in a Canaanite-cult installation. The oak tree was sacred in the temple of Ba’al-Berith. Abimelech’s “coronation” was a farce, an empty ritual that was never accepted or blessed by ADONAI. The new “king” was just a selfish, godless man. He not only blasphemed God by the promises he made, but he defiled a place sacred in Jewish history.²²⁰ Abimelech’s kingdom, however, would be limited to four cities: Shechem, Beth-Milo, Arumah, and Thebez. His three-year rule was secured by guile, maintained by force, and did not survive his death. He was never a judge, much less a king.²²¹

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for Your witness in Your Word. For all scripture is inspired by You and is useful to teach me what is true and make me realize what is wrong in my life. It corrects me when I am wrong and teaches me to do what is right (Second Timothy 3:16). After Gideon died, the Israelites forgot You, who had rescued them from all their enemies. Lord, I don’t ever want to forget about You. You have promised never to leave me or abandon me (Hebrews 13:5), You are so steadfast and I am so fickle. But You know my heart. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Rise and Fall of Abimelech
8:33 to 9:57

Verses 8:31-35 transition from Gideon to Abimelech; then 9:1-57 is a sequel to the Gideon story. There are two explicit statements where the author provides the theme of the sequel. The first occurs in 9:23-24, at a crucial point in the plot: And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon’s seventy sons, and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers (9:23-24 NLT). We see the second in 9:56-57, after the climax has been reached with the death of Abimelech: In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers. God also punished the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham son of Gideon was fulfilled (9:56-57 NLT). These two statements complement each other and point to retribution as the key to the rise and fall of Abimelech: God caused the evil that Abimelech and the men of Shechem did, to rebound on their own heads.²¹¹ And he who rolls a stone down onto others, it will crush you instead (Proverbs 26:27).

The Golden Ephod and the Golden Calf
8: 22-32

The golden ephod and the golden calf DIG: How did Gideon respond to the people’s request to be their king? How did Gideon go from a great military leader to someone who led his people into idolatry? What does it say about him, that he had about 140 children? How did his pride affect the people after his death?

REFLECT: What tends to be an ephod in your life? In what situations do believers struggle with pride? When using your spiritual gift(s) and producing good fruit, do you give God the glory? Is there anything in your life that an unbeliever might look at and say, “You’re a hypocrite?” Memorize Proverbs 16:18.

The book of Judges charts the progressive disintegration
of a people who will not serve the God who saves them.

The great question mark hanging over the book of Judges from its earliest chapters, like some dark thundercloud, concerns the matter of central and effective leadership. As the chapters unfold, we note how the tribes of Isra’el have slowly fallen away from their mission only to embrace Canaanite idolatry. They had abandoned the unity that the early stages of the conquest of the land required. Judges came and went, but none ever succeeded in rallying the tribes as one or in preserving their positive reforms for long. Also, no judge ever produced a child that could rule in his or her place. Inevitably, the demise of the judge spelled the end of the brief period of rest associated with their rule, to be ominously followed by the familiar refrain: Then the children of Isra’el did evil in the sight of ADONAI (2:11, 3:12, 4:1, 6:1, 10:6, 13:1). Now, for the first time, the Israelites raised the subject by intimating that Gideon might be a candidate for kingship.¹⁹⁹

The rejection of the kingship (8:22-23): While Gideon was not received well in the Transjordan, it is clear that those in the Israelite heartland west of the Jordan considered him a conquering hero (to see link click Bf – The Final Defeat of the Midianites). The slayer of kings had achieved a kingly status in the eyes of his followers, who attributed their escape from the Midianite yoke directly to him, and made this the basis of their offer that he and his family rule Isra’el in perpetuity.²⁰⁰ The men of Isra’el came to Gideon and said: Rule over us, both you and your son and grandson because you have rescued us from the Midianites (8:22 NLT). The final chapter of Gideon’s life is a distinct anticlimax to his earlier heroic actions. The man who was a mighty warrior (6:12), now set such a deplorable example of self-indulgence that he led the whole nation into a downward spiral. Perhaps it is easier to honor God in some courageous action in the limelight of a time of national emergency than it is to honor Him consistently in ordinary, everyday life, which requires a different kind of courage. Gideon, who came though the test of adversity with flying colors, was not the first nor the last to fail in the test of victory.²⁰¹

But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. ADONAI will rule over you” (8:23 NLT)! If the rationale of the offer was that the one who saves is entitled to rule, that honor belonged to ADONAI, not to Gideon, and even less to his son and grandson. Gideon knew that. However, he would begin to act like a king, especially in his dispensing of summary justice on those who resisted his authority. In crossing the Jordan he had already exceeded his mission and began to move toward the kind of rule offered to him.²⁰²

Gideon’s ephod (8:24-27): After Gideon refused to become king, he increasingly took on the trappings of royalty. After thinking about it, he said: I do have one request – that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder, for it was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings (8:24 NIV). The term Ishmaelites originally referred to another nomadic tribe descended from Hagar (Genesis 16:15), but the term apparently took on a broader usage so that it is applied here to the Midianites.²⁰³ This was a symbolic gesture of submission. By gladly giving their plunder to him, the Israelites were acknowledging that they were his vassals. They answered: We will be glad to give them. So they spread out a robe, and each threw a gold earring that they had gathered from the plunder. The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 [shekels] or about 43 pounds of gold, beside the royal ornaments and pendants, the purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian, or the chains that were on their camels’ necks (8:25-26 NIV).

Then Gideon made an ephod from the gold (8:27a Hebrew). Gideon sought to commemorate his great victory over Midian with some tangible monument. Elsewhere in the TaNaKh, the ephod is mentioned as one of the more ornamented outer garments of the high priest that was also used in the ritual of enquiring of God and seeking His guidance (see the commentary on Exodus Gb – The Urim and Thummim: The Means of Making Decisions). But the fashioning of the image only spelled trouble, for it eventually became an object of worship in its own right, satisfying the people’s idolatrous desires. Gideon thus met the people’s request for a king with a request of his own, but while he admirably turned down their misplaced aspirations, he unwittingly provided them with a dangerous stumbling block.

In this connection, it is intriguing to note the similarities between this account and the narrative of the golden calf, cast by Aaron the priest when Moses lingered in his descent from Mount Sinai (see Exodus Gr – Aaron Made an Idol in the Shape of a Calf). In both cases, a leader figure gathered golden earrings from the people, and with the best of intentions, fashioned them into an object that quickly became an idol to be worshiped. Both well-intentioned, but both fundamentally flawed. But there is also a glaring contrast between the Golden Calf incident and the Judges passage: There, the people demanded a god figure in place of Moses, pressing a reluctant Aaron to proceed; here, it is Gideon, the leader of the people, who unleashed the tragic consequences to follow.²⁰⁴

The nature of the ephod is not clear. If the ephod was indeed a copy of the high priest’s garment (see the commentary on Exodus Fz – Make the Ephod of Gold, Blue and Purple Yarn), then Gideon was definitely out of God’s will in duplicating it and using it, because he wasn’t a priest. If it was a standing idol, then Gideon was disobeying God’s commandment (see Deuteronomy Bm – Do Not Make Idol’s), and corrupting the people as well. It was just a short step from worshipping the ephod to worshipping Ba’al (8:33).

Gideon missed a great opportunity to bring restoration, and perhaps revival to the Land. He had torn down his father’s altar to Ba’al (6:25-32), but there were many households in Isra’el that were still devoted to Ba’al, and those idols needed to be destroyed as well. The great victory over Midian gave Gideon good reason to call the nation back to ADONAI and obedience to His Torah. But instead of using the victory for God’s glory, he used it for his own profit, and the nation eventually lapsed back into sin once more.²⁰⁵

Furthermore, Gideon placed it in his hometown of Ophrah with two disastrous results (8:27b Hebrew). First, soon all Isra’el committed spiritual adultery by prostituting themselves by worshiping it there. Ophrah became the center of idolatrous worship. And second, it became a snare to Gideon. He took on himself the role of a priest, and he established a worship center away from the Tabernacle, which was in Shiloh. And it became a snare to his family, because it would ultimately result in the slaughter of all of his sons, but two, with one dying in battle later (8:27c Hebrew).²⁰⁶ Whatever Gideon’s intentions were, the people worshiped the ephod. So, for the first time in the book of Judges, it was a judge who began to promote idolatry. Thus, Gideon’s career ended by ushering in the very idolatrous worship that he had so vehemently fought at the beginning of his calling.²⁰⁷

Rest (8:28): In this way Midian was subdued before the Israelites, which never recovered. The Midianites would never again play a major role in the biblical record. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had rest (Hebrew: shaqat) for forty years (8:28 NLT). This means the land had rest from war (see Joshua 11:23 and 14:15 where the same verb, shaqat, occurs). No enemy incursions, no invaders gathering the land of its produce, no pillaging of villages. But there is a reason to underline verse 28. It’s the last note of rest in Judges. After verse 28 the land no longer recovers its rest. This was a gift that Isra’el lost, an enjoyment she forfeited. Judges charts the progressive disintegration of a people who will not serve the God who saves them. People who persistently despise God’s gift will lose it.²⁰⁸

The Judgeship of Gideon (8:29-32): Jerub-Ba’al son of Joash went back home to live (8:29 NIV). Acting like king Solomon, Gideon established a large harem and fathered seventy sons for he had many wives (8:30 Hebrew). This was just his sons! Statistically, he could have had just as many daughters! That’s about one-hundred-and-forty children! This makes you wonder how he had the energy to fight the Midianites! In any case, such families were rare among private citizens. This must be interpreted as one more violation of the Torah, for kings were not to have many wives (see Deuteronomy Dh – The King). Jacob had two wives plus two concubines, who gave birth to twelve sons; David had eight wives plus concubines who gave birth to nineteen sons. Thus, it seems reasonable to assume that Gideon must have had at least twenty wives. But that wasn’t enough. He also had a concubine who was in Shechem, and also bore him a son. He named him Abimelech (8:31 Hebrew). While not explicitly stated in the text, it’s nevertheless a clear inference that she was a Canaanite. Abimelech’s own carefully worded argument of 9:2 will make this clear.

Gideon died when he was very old, and he was buried in the grave of his father, Joash, at Ophrah, where he was born, in the land of the clan of Abiezer (8:32 NLT). But the saga of Gideon is not over yet. In the next file, his son Abimelech will rise the issue of kingship one last time (see Bh – The Rise and Fall of Abimelech) before it’s finally buried for almost two centuries, until the end of prophet Samuel’s life and the ascent of Sha’ul to the throne.²⁰⁹ As Lawson Younger relates in his commentary on Judges, we can have our theology right and yet live as hypocrites. This is not to say that it’s okay to have wrong theology, but our lifestyle should match our words. There is perhaps nothing that causes people to turn away from God more than the hypocrisy of someone who professes faith in Messiah. People make enough excuses not to trust Yeshua without those in the Church giving them ammunition!

In not correcting the people as they gave him credit for the victory over the Midianites, Gideon took what didn’t belong to him . . . God’s glory. He causes others not to give God credit. What a contrast to the Song of Debrah (see Au – Sing Praises to ADONAI), in which YHVH receives the honor and praise that He is due and that is sung just before the Gideon account. When the Lord works through us, whether in a formal or informal way, we must give Him the honor and glory. The deep-rooted pride of achievement can blur our vision as to how we got to where we are. ADONAI has gifted us, and therefore, whatever we accomplish should ultimately be credited to Him. The athlete, the intellectual, the business man or woman, the pastor – all owe their achievements and accomplishments to the LORD. Gideon should have been grateful for being used to help accomplish the defeat of the Midianites. Instead he denied God and seized the praise of his countrymen.

The apostle Paul challenges us: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (First Corinthians 10:31). Whether it is a promotion, an achievement, a recognition, or a success, the Lord should be the first to receive the glory. To glorify ADONAI is our whole duty. Yeshua prayed: I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your Presence with the glory I had with You before the world began (John 17:4-5). Gideon and his puny three hundred men did not win the battle . . . ADONAI did. As a result, all the boasting should have been in the LORD (Jeremiah 9:23-24; First Corinthians 1:31; Second Corinthians 10:17.²¹⁰

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for helping me overcome myself and relying on Your strength to get me through tough times. Lord, keep me from the pride of thinking that I can accomplish anything on my own without You. Keep me from false pride. Gideon turned down the kingship only to act like a king. Lord help me not to profess Your name, but then continue on in self-sufficiency. Help me to rest in You. It is only thru Your wisdom, strength and power that I can win victories. To the One who sits at Your Right Hand. Amen

The Final Defeat of the Midianites
8: 4-21

The final defeat of the Midianites DIG: Why did the leaders of Succoth and Peniel refuse to feed Gideon’s tired troops? What did it mean to tear their flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness? What change was seen in Gideon? Why was the capture and execution so important to Gideon?

REFLECT: How does pride affect those around us? How can we overcome pride (Proverbs 18:12; Matthew 11:28-30, 23:11-12; Philippians 2:3-4; Colossians 3:12). A gentile word (Proverbs 15:1) is always better than wrath. But sometimes a gentile word is impossible. Given that reality, what can you do instead?

The pursuit of the fleeing Midianites was temporarily interrupted by the parenthetical interlude of Gideon’s problem with Ephraim (to see link click Be – Gideon’s Problem with Ephraim). But, quite unexpectedly, Judges 8:4 will pick up where Judges 7:23 left off.

If the story had ended with 8:3, Gideon would be considered one of the heroic judges of ancient Isra’el, notwithstanding his problem with fear and lack of faith. However, as the narrative continues, the portrayal of Gideon becomes more and more bleak. The moment that he and his men cross over into the Transjordan, a whole new Gideon emerges. In contrast to the “first” Gideon, who was timid and who succeeded by the grace of God, this “second” Gideon is a forceful avenger, whose very success breeds even more failure.¹⁸⁸

Restoration: ADONAI’s work of restoration involved more than defeating external enemies. Isra’el needed renewed faith, unity, and justice within the nation. Unfortunately, Gideon wasn’t the man for that job. Not only did he turn into a tyrant, but the disintegration of the nation would continue under his judgeship. And like King Sha’ul, he became a tragic figure.

The Mockery of Succoth (8:4-7): Gideon and his three-hundred men, exhausted, yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan River and crossed it into the Transjordan (8:4 NIV). They were tired from the battle (to see link click Bd – Gideon’s Victory Over the Midianites) and the pursuit, but they were still moving. The lack of an effective rearguard action by the Midianites allowed Gideon’s small force to forge ahead as fast as possible, while the hastily-assembled, allied supporting coalition made its way in pursuit of the widely-separated stragglers. When they reached Succoth, Gideon asked the leaders of the town, “Please give my warriors some food. They are very tired. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian (8:5 NLT). The army of Gideon had been equipped for a surprise attack, not a lengthy pursuit of a routed army, but he doubtless expected to obtain supplies from the Israelite tribes on the eastern part of the Jordan River.¹⁸⁹

However, as far as the leaders of Sukkoth were concerned, this was a very dangerous request, even though Gideon’s men needed strength for the pursuit ahead. So the officials of Sukkoth replied: Catch Zebah and Zalmunna first! And then we’ll feed your army (8:6 NLT). The leaders of Sukkoth were skeptical of Gideon’s ability to defeat the fleeing Midianite army and capture the two kings. If Sukkoth helped Gideon and Gideon failed, then the Midianites would come back to Sukkoth and retaliate without mercy. It wasn’t like the men of Sukkoth didn’t think feeding their hungry brothers was an opportunity to show love, but it was a risk they didn’t want to take . . . and more to the point, they were rather disrespectful in the way they spoke to Gideon.¹⁹⁰ This showed that the cohesiveness of the tribes west of the Jordan River and the tribes east of it found in the book of Joshua had broken down. They didn’t see themselves as one people anymore.

So instead of responding with a gentle word (8:2), Gideon’s timidity completely evaporated, and throwing diplomacy to the wind, he answered the leaders of Sukkoth with a threat. Glibly invoking the name of ADONAI, he threatened to take matters into his own hands. Gideon’s personal resourcefulness, which in his initial victory over the Midianites had been submitted to God’s will was now gone. Clearly, he cut YHVH out of the picture, and anything he accomplished was by his own strength and tactical skill.¹⁹¹ We can see Gideon’s transformation right before our very eyes when he said: If that’s your answer, then after ADONAI has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I will beat (Hebrew: thresh) your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness (8:7 Hebrew), like a man beats grain on the threshing floor.¹⁹²

The Mockery of Pen’el (8:8-9): Fuming at his rejection by the people of Sukkoth, Gideon moved up the Wadi Jabbok to Pen’el and again asked for food, but he got the same answer for the same reason (8:9 NLT). Pen’el (Hebrew: the face of God) was another town with deep roots in Isra’el’s past, for it was there that Jacob had a life-changing encounter with YHVH, and called in Pen’el because of the special significance it had for him (see the commentary on Genesis Hw – Jacob Wrestles with God). But now such an encounter happens in Gideon’s case. In fact, ADONAI no longer seemed to have any part of his actions. So he said to the people of Pen’el, “After I return safely (in Hebrew the root is shalom), I will tear down this strong-tower” (8:9 NLT). This is very ironic. The shalom (victory) in which Gideon expects to return will mean anything but shalom (safety) to the people of Penial. The strong-tower was supposed to form a refuge in times of danger for the people of an unwalled city. But it would not protect them from Gideon’s wrath. One can almost hear the disdain in his voice: this strong-tower he would tear down!¹⁹³

The Capture of Zebah and Zalmunna (8:10-12): But this time Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, about one hundred miles east of the Dead Sea. The remnants of the once-mighty Midianite army must have considered themselves safe when they reached Karkor, but they didn’t count on the tenacity of Gideon and his men, who must have secured provisions along the way. The two Midianite kings only had about 15,000 men, that was all that remained of the allied armies of the east, for 120,000 had already been killed. Gideon circled around the caravan route east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and once again, they took the Midianite army by surprise because the Midianites didn’t expect Isra’el’s pursuit to extend so far south, so close to their home territory (8:10-11 NLT). Zebah and Zalmunna, the two Midianite kings, fled, but Gideon pursued after them and captured them, routing their entire army (8:12 NIV). All this inspired new panic among the enemy.¹⁹⁴ The capture of the Midianite kings made it difficult for the surviving Midianites to regroup and reassert themselves; nevertheless, Gideon withdrew before his position became vulnerable. A great and decisive victory had been won by the dogged persistence of Gideon and his men, always outnumbered by their enemies.¹⁹⁵ But the involvement of ADONAI remains silent.

The Punishment of Succoth and Pen’el (8:13-17): With the main objective achieved, it was time for Gideon to fulfill the threats he made to the leaders of Sukkoth and Pen’el, which he does with chilling ruthlessness and apparent relish. Then Gideon, son of Joash returned from the battle by way of the Heres Pass (8:13 CJB). He is probably referred to as Gideon son of Joash to remind us just how far this son of Joash had come, and compare what he did at the beginning (6:11-32). Gideon, who had once threshed wheat (6:11), now beat (Hebrew: threshed) the leaders of Succoth with the thorns and briers of the wilderness (8:7); and Gideon, who once had torn down the altar of Ba’al at Oprah (6:25), now tears down the tower of Pen’el (8:17). Only Abimelech will surpass Gideon’s brutality in punishing the Israelites who displease him. It was the beginning of a civil war theme that will widen as the narrative of the book continues to unfold from this point on.

Gideon is quite thorough and precise as he approaches his grim task. He captured a young man from Succoth and demanded that he write down the names of all the seventy-seven elders of the town. He wanted to make sure no one escaped his vengeance. With Zebah and Zalmunna in his hands, Gideon would have his pound of flesh; nothing more, but also nothing less. Then Gideon returned to Succoth and said to the elders, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. When we were before you, you taunted me, saying: Catch them first, and then we will feed your exhausted army.” So Gideon took the elders of the town and taught them a lesson, punishing them with thorns and briers from the wilderness. He also tore down the tower of Pen’el and killed all the men of the town (8:14-17 NLT).

The Execution of Zebah and Zalmunna (8:18-21): In this climactic section killing becomes the central motif, with reference to it in every verse. This is not killing that happens in the heat of battle, but the cold-blooded murder that happens after it (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bq – Do Not Murder), when the man who cannot be challenged uses his power to settle old scores. Gideon had killed all the men of Pen’el, Now he turned his attention to Zebah and Zalmunna.¹⁹⁶ He asked them, “The men you killed at Mount Tabor – what were they like?” This question shows that the Midianites didn’t only plunder Isra’el, they also murdered members of the Jewish population. The king’s answer would lead to their execution. “Like you,” they replied. “They all had the look of a king’s son” (8:18 NLT). Gideon’s response confirms the identity of the Mount Tabor victims. Those were my brothers, the sons of my own mother. His brothers’ blood was crying out from the grave. Therefore, Gideon must become the avenger of the blood (Numbers 35:19). As sure as ADONAI is alive, I swear that if you had spared them, I would not kill you (8:19 CJB). Gideon first offered the chance of revenge to his firstborn son Jether, since it would add to their humiliation to be killed by a youth, inexperienced in war. He said: Kill them! But Jether didn’t draw his sword, because he was only a boy and was afraid (8:20 NLT).¹⁹⁷ It seems that Jether functions as a kind of foil for Gideon that reinforces some of the changes in him that we have been observing. Jether he was afraid, just as Gideon once was once afraid (see Bb – The Destruction of the Altar of Ba’al), and Jether saw himself as too young, just as Gideon had once protested that he was the youngest in his father’s house (6:15b). In Jether, we see Gideon as he used to be, in contrast to the Gideon we see now, in other words, Gideon has changed.

As sure as ADONAI is alive, I swear that if you had spared them, I would not kill you (8:19 CJB). The oath Gideon swore produces the first reference to ADONAI since He caused the Midianites, Amalekites, and Bedouin raiders throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords (7:21). In contrast to then, ADONAI has not been portrayed as having any involvement in Gideon’s actions (commissioning him, commanding him, assuring him of victory, or giving his enemies into his hands). Even now, ADONAI doesn’t enter the story as an active participant, but only as Someone invoked by Gideon in an oath of self-justification in doing what he wanted to do all along, implying that the two kings brought it on themselves. But given Gideon’s recent actions at Succoth and Pen’el it’s difficult to see this oath as an expression of genuine holiness. Since crossing the Jordan River, Gideon has shown himself to be much more of a law-unto-himself than one who lives in dependence on ADONAI and does only as he is commanded to do.

Zebah and Zalmunna were defiant to the end, and took advantage of Gideon’s embarrassment at Jether’s hesitation, to taunt him one last time. They viewed Gideon’s delegation of their murder to Jether as a sign of weakness. They said to Gideon, “Be a man and kill us yourself!” If he was strong, like a real man, let him prove it by killing them himself. So Gideon obliged and killed them both, taking the royal ornaments from the necks of their camels as trophies of war (8:21 NLT). More detail about those ornaments is given in 8:26, where they take on a more sinister significance.¹⁹⁸

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for always being a wonderful and loving Father. No one compares with you! You are the perfect balance of power, wisdom and justice in Your sovereign rule! Your arm is mighty, Your hand is strong, exalted is Your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne. Lovingkindness and truth go before You (Psalms 89:13-14). You do have great wrath (Ephesians 5:6, Colossians 3:6); a righteous wrath against sin and unholiness. As Gideon and the Israelites defeated the Midianites in the past, they continue to empower Isra’el to defeat her many enemies today. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Gideon’s Problem with Ephraim
7:24 to 8:3

Gideon’s problem with Ephraim DIG: How are the Ephraimites presented in the book of Judges? Why was Ephraim so upset with Gideon? How did their pride get in the way? How did Gideon deal with the complaints from the Ephraimites? What was the contrast between Gideon and Jephthah?

REFLECT: In what situations do believers struggle with pride? Where do you feel shut out? Since pride goes before destruction, where in your life do you need to be extra diligent regarding pride in your life? And if you say nowhere, then you need to be extra diligent. How do you deal with the pride of others?

The pursuit of the fleeing Midianites (to see link click Bd – Gideon’s Victory Over the Midianites) is temporarily interrupted by the parenthetical interlude of Gideon’s problem with Ephraim. Judges 8:4 will pick up where 7:23 left off.

The Call of Ephraim (7:24-25): Gideon also sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying: Come down to attack the Midianites (7:24a NIV). There was nothing novel or particularly creative about Gideon’s tactics; he called for reinforcements and ordered them to cut them off at the shallow crossing of the Jordan River at Beth-barah, just as Ehud had done (3:28). Those who answered the call, for the most part, were from the same tribes that had answered the first call: Naphtali, Asher, and the western tribe of Manasseh (6:35). Their quick response suggests that the 22,000 of 7:3 and the 9,700 of 7:8 had not dispersed completely, and that most of them were still relatively close at hand. Any shortfall was made up by sending messengers to call up volunteers from Ephraim was well. While all participated in the general pursuit of the enemy, it was the Ephraimites, in particular, who were ordered to seize the shallow crossings of the Jordan River as far as Beth-barah (7:24b Hebrew).¹⁸¹

This was accomplished, but apparently not in time to prevent at least some of the Midianites from escaping. They captured Oreb (meaning raven) and Zeeb (meaning wolf), the two Midianite commanders, killing Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. The names of the places were obviously given after the execution to commemorate the fate of the two Midianite commanders. This was still remembered in Psalm 83:11 and Isaiah 10:26. Isaiah’s mention of it in the eighth century shows that it left its mark on the national consciousness for generations to come.¹⁸² They captured the two Midianite commanders and killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb. In terms of the formal shape of the narrative, what began at one wine press (6:11) ends in another (7:25a Hebrew). The raiders had been forced out of the Land, just as juice is pressed out of grapes. Gideon had rescued Isra’el from the hands of Midian (6:14), and the story might have ended here. But it was not meant to be. Gideon himself had apparently already crossed the Jordan River, and the Ephraimites followed suit, bringing the heads of Oreb and Zeeb with them (7:25b Hebrew).¹⁸³

Gideon’s Problem with Ephraim (8:1-3): The tribe of Ephraim appeared to have enjoyed a supremacy over the other tribes during the earlier period of the settlement. Its territory in the central highlands preserved their central position from the many incursions of Isra’el’s hostile neighbors; as a result, they experienced far greater freedom to consolidate themselves than did the other tribes. The two most prominent sanctuaries during the time of the judges were Bethel and Shiloh, which functioned as a rallying-point of the tribes, were situated within its boundaries and this fact undoubtedly further increased its prestige.¹⁸⁴

Knowing that they were a large and important tribe, second only to Judah, the Ephraimites were a very proud people. So the men of Ephraim asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us this way? Why didn’t you send for us when you first went out to fight the Midianites?” And they argued heatedly with Gideon (8:1 NLT). Earlier in 5:14a, the author pointed out that the Ephraimites displayed some “Amalekite” characteristics; that is, they were hostile and quarrelsome. So while rising to Gideon’s challenge, the Ephraimites were not pleased that they had been excluded from his earlier military strategy, a displeasure with economic (lack of plunder) as well as social (honor/shame) motivations. Gideon was from Manasseh, one of the two tribes of Joseph in the north, the other being the tribe of Ephraim. While Gideon’s appeal to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali made sense because of their common territorial claim to the Valley of Jezreel, the Ephraimites probably expected to be called in light of their common lineage (see Aj – The Failures of the Northern Tribes: The Victory over Bethel) This confrontation was a very dangerous moment. The fact that the Ephraimites had just captured and executed Oreb and Zeeb demonstrated their capability. It would have been risky for Gideon to respond with force, and in any case, he had more urgent matters to attend to, like the escaping Midianites. His soothing words saved the day in the present. But the Ephraimites would continue to cause problems for Isra’el in the future (see Bt – Jephthah and the Jealous Ephraimites).

The response of Gideon is an excellent example of the maxim that a gentile answer turns away wrath, but a harsh, sarcastic word, stirs up anger (see the commentary on Proverbs Cj – A Soothing Tongue is a Tree of Life). He replied: What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t even the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes better than the full grape harvest of his clan Abiezer (8:2 NLT)? God gave you victory over Oreb and Zeeb, the commanders of the Midianite army. What Have I accomplished compared to that (8:3 NLTa)? Gideon slyly made what was essentially a put-down appear to be a compliment. The metaphor he uses is drawn from the harvesting of grapes, contrasting the gleanings (those grapes left over after the harvesters have completed their work) with the full harvest. Gideon claims that even the gleanings of Ephraim’s late exploits in the battle outshine anything he has accomplished became they have captured the two Midianite leaders (the choicest grapes)!¹⁸⁵

When the men of Ephraim heard Gideon’s answer, their anger subsided (8:3 NLTb). Placated by this flattery the Ephraimites calmed down, Gideon’s tactful activity having averted a potentially dangerous situation. Displaying the marked moral decline in the cycles of the judges, this is a stark contrast to the response of Jephthah in a similar crisis (see Bs – Jephthah Makes a Rash Vow).¹⁸⁶ The problem with Ephraim will arise again, but then things will end up with far more tragic consequences (see the commentary on Proverbs Co – Pride Goes before Destruction). In the book of Judges, the Ephraimites are presented as self-centered, divisive, easily offended, and having an inflated estimation of their own importance within the nation itself.¹⁸⁷

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being such a loving, merciful and patient God! Thank You for the victories that Isra’el had in the past to defend herself, and for her victories today. You have said that she is the apple of Your eye (Deuteronomy 32:10; Zechariah 2:8; Psalm 17:8). You say in Your Word that she will remain a nation as long as the sun, moon, and stars shine at night (Jeremiah 31:35-36). But Satan hates Your people; and as a result, there will always be opposition. Lord, help me be on the right side of history and always defend Your Name and Your people. To the One who sits at Your right hand. Amen

Gideon’s Victory Over the Midianites
7: 1-25

Gideon’s victory over the Midianites DIG: As you read Judges, identify how Isra’el continued its downward spiral of unfaithfulness to ADONAI? How does God test our faith? What was prophetic about the Angel of ADONAI’s description of Gideon as a “mighty warrior” in 6:12? How did God encourage Gideon’s faith? Why is ADONAI so intent on showing Gideon his weakness?

REFLECT: When have you had to trust God despite not understanding what He was doing or asking? Why does God choose the weak and lowly to bring about His purposes? In what ways might we try to do God’s work by our strength and for our own glory? How should knowing that ADONAI acts in unpredictable ways impact how we live? When is it difficult to trust God? Memorize Judges 7:2.

Strength made perfect in weakness.

Restoration: Here we see Gideon’s victory over Midian. He began with thirty-two thousand men, but God reduced the number to three hundred. This was to ensure that Isra’el knew the victory was by God’s power, not their own strength. The weakness of Gideon and of Isra’el can be seen in Chapters 6-8. One can trace this theme in Isra’el’s total helplessness (6:2-6), in Gideon’s lack of status and relative obscurity (6:15), in his fear of family and townspeople (6:27), in his need for additional assurance (6:36-40), in the radical reduction of his army (7:2-8), in his fear of the battle and his need for additional encouragement (7:10-15). So Gideon is not our conventional hero. Instead he, and Isra’el, are presented in their weakness. Second Corinthians 12:9 nicely sums up the main point of Gideon’s victory over Midian: ADONAI’s power is most fully displayed when His people are weak.¹⁶⁸

The Division of the Armies (7:1): Early in the morning, Jerub-Ba’al (that is, Gideon as seen in 6:32) and all his men camped beside the spring of Harod, which bubbles out at the foot of Mount Gilboa. It seems that even though the author is on to the next phase of the account, the destruction of the altar of Ba’al (6:25-32) lingers in his mind. In the end, Gideon steps out and wins a great victory, but the name Jerub-Ba’al reminds us that he is a reluctant warrior.¹⁶⁹ Ironically, the spring of Harod means the spring of Trembling, a fitting name for a spring that described the mental and physical state of Gideon and the majority of Gideon’s troops as they anticipated the looming battle. The camp of Midian was about five miles north of them with a force of 135,000 (8:10) in the Jezreel Valley near Mount Moreh (7:1 NIV). The Midianites were obviously aware of the presence of the Israelite army and their intelligence service knew the name of its leader (7:14), but it does not seem to have been regarded as a serious threat; probably they felt secure in their greatly superior numerical strength and the confidence gained by the success of the previous seven years.¹⁷⁰

The First Reduction of Gideon’s Army (7:2-3): With the fleece, Gideon tested God twice (to see link click Bc – The Sign of the Fleece); now God will test Gideon twice. ADONAI said to Gideon, “There are too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to Me that they rescued themselves by their own strength.” As First Samuel 14:6 teaches, it is no problem for God to save with the few as easily as the many. So in keeping with Deuteronomy 20:8, Ha’Shem said to Gideon: Therefore, tell the people that whoever is timid or afraid should return home to Mount [Gilboa]. So 22,000 of them returned home, but 10,000 remained (7:2-3 NLT).

The Second Reduction of Gideon’s Army (7:4-6): But then the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many!” This led to a second test. “Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” So Gideon took the men down to the water. There, ADONAI told him, “Separate those who cup the water in their hands from those who lap it up with their tongues like dogs.” Three hundred-men drank from cupped hands. All the rest got down on their knees to drink and lapped up the water like dogs (7:4-6 Hebrew). When the men went down to the spring to drink, all of them would have to get down on their knees, since it’s not possible to drink any other way. The issue was not who knelt and who stood, but who cupped their hands and brought it up to their mouth, and who would not. Thus, Gideon was given instruction on how to select men for his special cutting-edge forces. Those who were kept appeared to be the ones who bowed on their knees, but cupped their hands to bring up and drink the water from their hands, showing they were ready for sudden attack. The rest put their faces down to drink. The first test (of voluntary release) eliminated the fearful; here, the second test (of readiness at the stream) eliminated the careless.¹⁷¹

The Three Hundred (7:7-8): Then ADONAI said to Gideon, “I will use the 300 men that drank from cupped hands and give the Midianites into your hands.” Less than one percent of the original 32,000 (7:3) ended up following Gideon into battle. That handful of men represented the pure gold which YHVH desired in His service. Gideon sent all the others back to the base camp” (7:7 NLT). They would be called in later to participate in the fighting, even though they wouldn’t participate in the initial attack (see Be – Gideon’s Problem with Ephraim). However apprehensive Gideon might have been, he dutifully sent 9,700 Israelites home, but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and shofars of the others. Then Gideon took charge of the pathetically small band and prepared to face the vast army of Midianites. This passage ends with a statement concerning the enemy: Now the camp of Midian lies below him in the Jezreel Valley (7:8 NIV). This is a transitional statement setting the stage for what was about to happen next.

The Spying Out of the Midianite Camp (7:9-14): With the excess eliminated from Gideon’s forces, YHVH seems eager to get on with the battle. But this time ADONAI didn’t wait for Gideon to protest the reduction of his forces. Instead, God raised the issue Himself. Verses 9 to 11 record the sign to Gideon that finally convinced him that he would defeat the Midianites. That night ADONAI gave him both a command and a promise. The command was: Get up and attack the Midianite camp the promise was: because I have given you the victory. But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, then you will be strengthened to attack the camp. So he and Purah, his right-hand man, were to go down to the outposts of the camp (7:9-11 Hebrew). The fact that Gideon was fearful again showed that he was still not the mighty warrior (6:12) that he would become. However, the one indispensable requirement for a leader of God’s people is not fearlessness, but obedience. Humanly speaking, there were two good reasons for Gideon to be afraid. The first was the sheer numbers of the enemy. The Midianites, the Amalekites, and the Bedouin raiders had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. The second was the resources and provisions of the enemy. Their camels were like the grains of sand on the seashore – too many to count (7:12 NLT). So while Gideon was troubled by fearfulness, he wasn’t paralyzed by it any more than when he was told to destroy his father’s Ba’al altar (6:25-32); he went down to the enemy camp and received the strengthening he was promised.¹⁷²

So with the stealth of spies, Gideon and Purah arrived and crept within earshot just as a man was telling his companion about his dream. Like the dreams in which God visited Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, here He also provided an interpreter, in the form of a second Midianite.¹⁷³ Generally speaking, when ADONAI communicated with or through pagans, He would do so by means of a dream. Only with Balaam did He use direct speech (see the commentary on Numbers Dn – Balaam’s Three Encounters with God). But for people like Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Laban, and Abimelech, the Philistine king of Gerar, He used dreams. The basic content of the man’s dream was this: I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. Barley was the poor man’s bread, and it represented Isra’el, made poor by famine and the Midianites. More specifically, it represented Gideon and his three hundred men. It hit a tenet, turned it over, and knocked it flat! This symbolized the defeat of the Midianites by Gideon. His companion answered: This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite victory over Midian and all its allies, meaning the Amalekites and the Bedouin raiders from the east (7:13-14 NLT).¹⁷⁴ The strange dread that revealed itself in the dream was like the great fear that came over the citizens of Jericho before it fell to Joshua (Joshua 2:9). It is a supernatural, divinely induced fear, and the knowledge that it has already begun to take hold of the enemy was the perfect antidote to Gideon’s own fear (7:10). It was all the proof he needed. The impossible was about to happen again as it had in the past. The God of the Exodus was once again turning His face toward His people.¹⁷⁵

The Preparation for War (7:15-18): With the problem of Gideon’s fearfulness being resolved, he was then ready to proceed with God’s agenda. When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he was fully convinced that he would defeat the Midianites. Only then did he finally become the mighty warrior that YHVH had prophesied. So, he bowed down and worshiped ADONAI. Then He returned to the camp of Isra’el and issued the command: Get up! ADONAI has given you the victory over the Midianite camp (7:15).

Next, the preparation for the attack began. Having been assured of victory, Gideon immediately began to prepare for the battle. His actions and instructions in the next three verses demonstrate great concern for detail; but like ADONAI’s instructions to Joshua before the battle of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-5), the strategy appeared to be totally absurd. Dividing the 300 men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars with torches in all of their hands (7:16 NIV). At the time the shofars were blown, the empty jars and torches could be held temporarily in one hand. The empty jars would be used to hide the light of the torches. The strategy was this: The sleeping enemy was to be surrounded on three sides, and then suddenly exposed to the light out of the darkness of night, in conjunction with the loud sounds of the three hundred trumpets, this would spread confusion and panic in the camp.¹⁷⁶ Gideon’s instructions moved from the general to the specific. First, he said: Watch me and follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do (7:17 NIV). This led to specific instructions: When I and the 100 men with me blow our shofars, then you blow your shofars all around the whole camp and shout, “For ADONAI and for Gideon” (7:18 CJB)! The basic purpose was to make as much noise as possible. The goal was to confuse the enemy and convince them that they were surrounded by a very large army. The basic sequence would go like this: First, the blast of the shofars; then the crashing of the jars exposing the light in the darkness; followed by the battle cry; which was, in turn, followed by another blast of the shofars, culminating with alternating shouts and shofar blasts during the chaos and pursuit of the enemy.¹⁷⁷

The Attack on Midian (7:19-23): Gideon’s attack was timed to perfection. He and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch. The first watch went from 6:00 to 10:00 pm; the third watch went from 2:00 to 6:00 am; the middle watch, or the second watch, went from 10:00 pm to 2:00 am. They arrived at the beginning of the middle watch, which would mean just about 10:00 pm, meaning the sentries would have just come on duty and their eyes were not fully adapted to the darkness just yet. All was set. Then, the three companies blew the trumpets and smashed their jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands, holding the trumpets that they were to blow in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for Ha’Shem and for Gideon” (7:19-20 NIV)! The sword here was used figuratively for the battle because Isra’el, at this point, didn’t have any swords. Only the Midianites had swords, which they would use against themselves. In this way, when an Israelite came upon a dead Midianite, he could take the sword from those who were slain. Adding his own name to God’s name, the sword for Ha’Shem and for Gideon, may have been the first step toward Gideon’s own downfall, as will be seen as the story progresses.

Everything went according to plan. Each Israelite stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites, Amalekites, and Bedouin raiders ran around in a panic, crying out as they fled (7:21 Hebrew). The Jewish army stood still and didn’t enter the camp itself. There was no need to enter because the mass confusion already caused was enough to win the battle. When the 300 Israelites blew their shofars, ADONAI caused the Midianites, Amalekites, and Bedouin raiders throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The confusion and panic created Gideon and his three-hundred men was entirely ADONAI’s doing and resulted into massive infighting among Isra’el’s enemies.¹⁷⁸ Those who were not killed fled down the Jordan Valley through the Beth-Shean Pass, and eventually crossing to the east side of the Jordan River, as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah and as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath (7:22 Hebrew). This battle was the biblical use of psychological warfare at its best, and it resulted in bedlam. In the chaos, the Midianites and their allies killed each other by the sword, as they ran, cried out, and fled.

The flight of the enemy led to the general call of Isra’el to arms. Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in pursuit after the Midianites (7:23 NIV). This included the thousands who originally left Gideon, since now this turned into a mopping-up operation, and so the fear was gone. The quickness with which they responded suggests that the 22,000 of verse 3 and the 9,700 of verse 8 had not been dispersed completely, and that many of them were still relatively close to the battle ground. Any shortfall was made up by sending messengers to call up volunteers from the Ephraimites as well.¹⁷⁹

Gideon was apparently a man of great potential and natural ability, but he lacked faith. He was timid in the midst of his potential. It took God’s call, signs, and arranging of events to change his heart. Are we the same? Perhaps ADONAI wants to use us in some way: teach a class, lead worship, be a greeter, lead a bible study, minister to the sick, be a counselor to youth or the down-and-out. But we are timid. We ask ourselves, “Can God really use me?” We want assurance. In fact, we demand it. Are we delaying God’s plan? Are we really trusting Him if He must give evidence after evidence that He desires (not needs) our participation? Fortunately, He doesn’t leave us wallowing in our potential. And when He brings us to trust Him and serve Him; and when we do, there is worship of Him.¹⁸⁰

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for You are so wonderful in every possible way! Gideon was wise in following exactly what You said to do in Your plan for victory. Likewise, I also need to listen carefully to Your Word and follow it to defeat the enemy of pride/sin. To love and to obey is the wisest thing I can do. For it brings me shalom and hope. For I know the plans that I have in mind for you,” declares ADONAI, “plans for shalom and not calamity – to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Though I may not completely understand the why behind what You say, trusting and obeying You completely is always the best plan! What joy it is to trust in Your great love for me. Obeying such a wonderful heavenly Father is a privilege! In Messiah’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Sign of the Fleece
6: 33-40

The sign of the fleece DIG: How would you describe Gideon? Who is to blame for Isra’el’s problems? How many times did Gideon ask for a sign from God? What does this say about him? What lesson is God trying to teach him (and us) here? Who did Gideon fear? Why was God patient with Gideon’s quest for signs?

REFLECT: Where are you uncertain or afraid of God’s call to you right now? Where are you on your spiritual journey? What one thing do you fear? Are you still afraid when you step out in faith despite your fear? Is sending out a fleece today a good idea? In what area of your life do you want to trust God more?

Gideon’s fleece was not a sign of his spirituality, but a sign of his very weak faith.

Restoration: The Call to Arms (6:33-35): Here the author reminds us of the situation outside Oprah that had prompted Gideon to thresh his wheat in a winepress (6:11). Next year, same song, next verse. The armies of Midian, Amalek, and Bedouin raiders formed an alliance against Isra’el and had crossed over the Jordan River, camping in the Jezreel Valley. But this year something is different: the Spirit of ADONAI clothed Gideon (6:33-34a CJB). This should not be interpreted too differently from every other instance in which the Spirit is described as having come upon someone. This expression, reminiscent of Numbers 24:15-16, in which Balaam, the pagan Mesopotamian seer, spoke under the control of the Ruach, does not assume any particular level of spirituality on the part of the recipient. On the contrary, the divine intrusion into human experience seems to graphically describe YHVH’s arresting of men not prepared to solve Isra’el’s problems and His equipping them for the saving task. This will be seen in both of the cases of Jephthah and Samson.

It is easy for modern-day believers who are more familiar with the B’rit Chadashah concepts of “indwelling” and “being filled” to read these back into the TaNaKh. But they do not really equate. To be filled with the Spirit in the B’rit Chadashah speaks to spirituality, that is, one who is filled is controlled by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18b-20). In the TaNaKh, the idea is that of empowerment for a particular task, though it’s apparent that the recipient might misuse that empowerment as Samson did in 14:19. The B’rit Chadashah equivalent is perhaps closer to the idea of giftedness.

So, in the case of Gideon, the Spirit’s work reflects God’s sovereign will to set things in motion for the restoration He has planned, not Gideon’s condition of faith. Although Gideon has popular support and a considerable fighting force, he hesitates. His almost immediate “fleecing” of God speaks to his unbelief, to his lack of spirituality. In fact, the fleecing incidents seen here are Gideon’s second and third requests for a sign from God, the first request was seen in 6:17, where he asked: If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really You speaking to me.¹⁶² This lack of confidence will continue until verses 36-40.

Now Gideon’s career begins to follow the “textbook” pattern exhibited by Othniel (to see link click Ap – The First Cycle: Othniel). Both Othniel and Gideon were empowered by the Spirit to do what he had been chosen to do. The effect was immediate in both cases. Othniel judged Isra’el and went out to war (3:10); Gideon sounded the shofar, and the men of the clan of Abieser, his own clan, rallied behind him. He also sent messengers throughout the western tribe of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, summoning their warriors, and all of them responded (6:34-35 Hebrew). The news of the blowing of the shofar had an electrifying and rapidly widening effect on the Israelites: beginning with the Abiezrites (Gideon’s own clan), then the Manassites (his own tribe), and finally to the other tribes in the north (Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali). All these tribes were located adjacent to the Jezreel Valley, and were those most directly affected by the new invasion by the raiders.¹⁶³

Remarkably, when Gideon summoned his clansmen, the Abiezrites, to battle against the enemy, the very people who had just called for his death (6:30) responded to the sound of the shofar and prepared for battle. Not only them, but the other northern tribes also responded. This raises an extremely important question. Why are Gideon’s clansmen, tribesmen, and countrymen so ready to respond to him? Were they impressed with his leadership ability or his courage? Did they recognize him as the mighty warrior addressed in 6:12? Not if we may judge (no pun intended) from his expressed perception of his standing within his own tribe (6:15) when ADONAI called him to restore Isra’el, or from the fear with which he destroyed the altar of Ba’al (6:25-32). Despite being clear about the will of God, being empowered by the Spirit, and being confirmed as the divinely chosen leader by the overwhelming response of his countrymen to his own call to battle, he uses every means available to try to get out of the mission to which he was called. The Spirit had to take possession of him (6:34a). As I have noted earlier and will see repeatedly later, if anything positive happens to Isra’el in the book of Judges, all the credit must go to God. ¹⁶⁴

Restoration: The First Sign of the Fleece (6:36-38): Then Gideon said to God. It is not insignificant that throughout both of the fleecing incidents the divine personal name of YHVH is missing. Instead, the rather generic designation of Elohim (God) is used. Gideon said to God, “If you will rescue Isra’el through me, as You have promised, prove it to me this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that You are going to help me rescue Isra’el as You promised” (6:36-37 NLT). The basis for the request for these signs was Gideon’s need for assurance. He was still not the mighty warrior (6:12) he had been promised to be. The miraculous nature of the sign lay in the fact that, normally, the moisture in the fleece would be absorbed into the ground beneath it. The presence of the dew shows that the rainy season had ended and the dew season had begun, with April being the month of the change. The fact that Gideon was threshing wheat would mean it was the month of June. Remarkably, Gideon’s request was granted. It seems that YHVH was more interested in restoring Isra’el than to quibble with Gideon’s lack of faith. And it happened! He got up the next morning, squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowl full of water (6:38 Hebrew).¹⁶⁵

Restoration: The Second Sign of the Fleece (6:39-40): Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. The fact that Gideon sought further assurance from ADONAI showed how desperate he was. It may have occurred to him that since the threshing-floor was made up of bedrock, it therefore would not have absorbed the dew. Instead, he then asked for a more remarkable sign. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew (6:39 NLT). The miracle here was that, under normal circumstances, the ground would dry up more quickly than the saturated wool. This request was also fulfilled.

The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground around it was wet with dew (6:40 Hebrew).¹⁶⁶It’s time to put this whole “putting out a fleece” madness to bed. Many believers have taken this narrative as a positive and adopted the practice of “putting out a fleece”- testing God in order to determine His will. For example, in a dating relationship someone might say, “God, if he sends me a card in the next six hours, then I’ll know you want me to marry him.” Yikes. Let me be as clear as possible: this passage is not an encouragement to use tests to find out the will of God! In fact, it is a sign of a lack of faith.

1. Gideon was not asking God to reveal what he should do. God had already told Gideon what he should do by special revelation (6:14 and 16). Gideon’s fleece was not a sign of his spirituality, but a sign of his very weak faith.

2. Gideon was trying to get a guarantee that the God who was speaking to him would grant him victory. This practice was a common practice in ancient cultures, but Gideon was seeking confirmation on his terms rather than God’s. In fact, Gideon’s test betrays a Canaanite theological perspective (see below).

3. Gideon was trying to get a guarantee that the God of Isra’el was greater than Ba’al. This the least known and yet most crucial piece of information in these verses. Ba’al was the Canaanite god of the storm. In one Ba’al tale, his weakness results in a drought of both rain and dew. In fact, Ba’al’s daughter, Talia, is thought to be responsible for the dew. Guess what the Hebrew word for dew here is? Tal. There is no doubt that Gideon here is testing God to see if he really is greater than Ba’al. Gideon (the one who fought with Ba’al in 6:25-32) isn’t quite convinced that Ba’al isn’t the real deal yet. So the fleece tests are the result of Gideon’s Canaanite way of thinking, and his lack of faith in YHVH, the God of Isra’el.

4. Putting God to the test is sinful. In Deuteronomy 6:16 God says: “You shall not put ADONAI your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.” In 6:39 Gideon says: Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. Gideon even uses the same verb for testing found in Deuteronomy 6:16. If we count Gideon’s request for a sign from God’s messenger Judges 6:17-18, he’s tested ADONAI three times so far.

So why does God put up with Gideon’s lack of faith? Why does He answer the tests? Why does He even offer a fourth sign later in Judges 7:8-14? The only answer to these questions is God’s covenant faithfulness, or His grace. The fact that ADONAI responded to Gideon’s Canaanite worldview isn’t meant to condone testing God or demanding signs. Instead, Ha’Shem’s patience shown to Gideon highlights the greatness of His grace towards both Gideon and Isra’el. He essentially holds Gideon’s hand throughout the entire process, thus addressing his lack of faith, his faulty theology, and his fear.

Yes, YHVH is patient with our lack of faith, with our faulty theology, and our fear. But the message is not to imitate Gideon, but rather to learn about God and ourselves from his experience. This narrative encourages us to believe God without the extra drama. Once again in Judges, Othniel’s simple faith stands out when contrasted with Gideon (3:7-11). Let’s learn from Gideon’s experience. ADONAI is greater than any false god, He is able and willing to save, and He is motivated by His grace. Don’t test God. Believe Him.¹⁶⁷

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being so absolutely wonderful, almighty, and loving! Thank You that when we are weak, You are strong. Thank You for listening to our prayers. Thank You for Your grace. Help me to understand that I already know Your will for me, because You have given me Your Word as a lamp for my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105). When I want to know Your will for me I just need to read my Bible. And if I want to hear Your audible Word for me, I just need to read my Bible out loud. I believe in You. To the One who sits at Your right hand. Amen.

The Destruction of the Altar of Ba’al
6: 25-32

The destruction of the Altar of Ba’al DIG: What problem did Gideon’s alter unwittingly cause? Why couldn’t two gods coexist? What was the significance of sacrificing the prize bull over where the altar of Ba’al had been? Have you ever had to confront a family member about their lack of a relationship with God? Why was Joash’s decision surprising? What was Gideon’s new name? What did it mean? 

REFLECT: Gideon wasn’t sure that YHVH was going to be there for him. Why are you so afraid? “Do you? Do you still have no faith” (Mark 4:40)? “Surely God is my salvation, I will trust in Him and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12:2a). After all the encouragement God had given him, Gideon’s faith should have been strong, but before we judge him, we’d better look at ourselves and see how much we trust the Lord!

We can’t have allegiance to both God and the world; He has left us no middle ground.

When Gideon replaced his make-shift stone altar with a more permanent one in gratitude for his call (to see link click Ba – The Call of Gideon), he unwittingly created a situation that couldn’t remain unresolved. Now there were two altars in Ophrah, two rival gods; his own God, ADONAI, who had just appeared to him, and his father’s god, Ba’al. The state of things in Ophrah was symptomatic of Isra’el’s situation in general. The real problem was not the relationship between Isra’el and Midian, but the relationship between Isra’el and ADONAI, which had been compromised by the worship of other gods. Things had to change, and Gideon had to start where it was the hardest . . . at home.¹⁵²

Restoration (6:25-32): Gideon was not allowed to enjoy his shalom (6:23) for very long. Now on the very night that the Angel of ADONAI had called Gideon, the LORD told him, “Take the prize bull from your father’s herd, the one that’s seven years old.” The phrase the prize bull comes from the Hebrew root shanah, which means to be of high rank or the finest. The fact that it was supposed to be seven years old (the same number of years as the retribution) means it had to be of highest quality, the prize bull, the most expensive of all the possible sacrifices. God’s command was to pull down his father’s altar to Ba’al, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it (6:25a NLT). Gideon had every right to destroy Ba’al worship because this was what Ha’Shem had commanded in His Torah (Ex 34:12-13 and Deut 7:5). Ironically, when the people were crying out and appealing to God to be rescued from Midian, there was an altar to Ba’al in Ophrah.¹⁵³

The altar to be demolished was typically Canaanite: a raised stone platform for sacrificial rites (which was to be pulled down), with a wooden Asherah pole beside it (which was to be cut down). Asherah was supposed to be the female counterpart of Ba’al, and was represented by a carved wooden image with female features. But the most disturbing thing for Gideon was the fact that this was his father’s idol on his father’s property. His father’s name, Joash (6:11), is thoroughly Israelite, and probably involves some kind of play on words with the name YHVH. His altar, however, represented the kind of Canaanization that had become so very common during the time of the judges: the worship of YHVH in Canaanite fashion, effectively an Israelite Ba’al! But this was clearly unacceptable to ADONAI, who had appeared to Gideon.¹⁵⁴

Then build a proper altar to ADONAI your God on the top of this demonic stronghold. By commanding Gideon to build the altar on that pagan site, YHVH was ordering him to reclaim that Canaanized land for Himself. Then he was to commit the ultimate indignity against the pagan cult by offering to God the bull that was used to destroy Ba’al’s altar, and then he was to use the wood from the Asherah image as fuel.¹⁵⁵ Then take the prize bull and offer it as a burnt offering (see the commentary on Leviticus Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God), using the wood from the Asherah pole you cut down (6:26 CJB). If YHVH was to be Isra’el’s Savior, Ba’al needed to go. Ba’al might have been tolerant, but God is zealous for His people. Since ADONAI was going to use Gideon to deliver Isra’el; Gideon needed to remove from his own house the very element that brought on the divine judgment in the first place, which was spiritual adultery.

Fearing the repercussions of the destruction of the Ba’al altar and Asherah pole, Gideon took ten of his servants and did what ADONAI told him to do. Since altars to Ba’al were built on high places, it would have been difficult to obey God’s orders without drawing attention. Therefore, because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople to do it during the day, he did it under cover of darkness (6:27 NIV). On the one hand, Gideon was still not the mighty warrior that the Angel of ADONAI had called him to be (6:12); but on the other hand, evidently obedience was essential and heroism optional. For us, those times come when our commitment to Messiah can no longer remain hidden, when we must declare ourselves, when we must burn our bridges, and, if need be, stand alone against the religious, social, and cultural expectations of the world.¹⁵⁶ As Yeshua has said: Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My father in heaven (Matthew 10:32).

And they offered sacrifices to ADONAI (2:5b NLT). The fact that they sacrificed to ADONAI at Bochim does not mean that the Tabernacle was located there at that time. Normally, it would have been the place for sacrifices. However, since the Angel of ADONAI was a theophany (the preincarnate Yeshua Messiah) the Shechinah Glory, the visible manifestation of God’s presence, it was permissible to sacrifice there. This action will be repeated in Judges 6:20, 6:26, 6:28, 13:16-20, and also in Second Samuel 24:25. Any place where a theophany appeared, it was possible to sacrifice at that place. This further shows that the Angel of ADONAI is indeed God Himself. But Isra’el’s revival was very short-lived.¹⁵⁷ When the men of the city got up the next morning, the altar of Ba’al was destroyed, and the Asherah pole cut down. In their place a new altar had been built, and on it were the remains of the bull that had been sacrificed (6:28 NLT).

They asked each other, “Who could have done this?” Significantly, there was no reflection on why their idol lay shattered on the ground. But after investigating, they concluded that Gideon the son of Joash had done it (6:29 CJB). Because Gideon was still living at home, and because in the patricentric society the head of the household was held responsible for the conduct of all its members, the men of the city came to Joash and demanded that he send out his son so they could kill him for destroying the altar of Ba’al and cutting down the Asherah pole (6:30 Hebrew). This reflected the true spiritual condition of the nation. The death penalty should have been imposed on the idolaters and instead was pronounced upon the one who destroyed the idol! The fact that it was the Jews who wanted to execute Gideon for pulling down the altar of Ba’al showed how far the Canaanization of the people had progressed.¹⁵⁸

Joash found himself having to choose between the men of the city and his son. At a more fundamental level, however, he had to choose between Ba’al and YHVH, between syncretism and covenantal obedience, between polytheism and monotheism: he could not have both, Gideon’s courageous act left him no middle ground. It is a breath-taking moment and a critical turning point in the story.¹⁵⁹ Joash had every reason to be angry with his son. Gideon had smashed his altar to Ba’al and replaced it with an altar to YHVH. His son had sacrificed his prize bull and used his sacred Asherah pole for fuel (Isaiah 44:13-20). But ADONAI so worked in Joash’s heart that he defended Gideon before the gathered mob and even insulted Ba’al for good measure.¹⁶⁰ As soon as Joash spoke, it was clear to everyone where his loyalties lay. The crisis was over. Joash, the former patron of a heretical cult, then morphed before our very eyes into a foreshadowing of Elijah, declared to all those crowding around him, “Does Ba’al need a defense attorney? Do you need to rescue (Hebrew: yasha) him? Anyone who defends the false god Ba’al will be put to death by tomorrow morning. If Ba’al is really a god, no one needs to defend him, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar (6:31 Hebrew).

Therefore, on that day Gideon was given the name Jerub-Ba’al, which means, “the one who contends with Ba’al,” since Gideon broke down his altar (6:32 NIV). It is in the aftermath of this pivotal episode that Gideon takes on the new name of Jerub-Ba’al, for his mission will be not only to relieve Isra’el’s political plight, but to address her spiritual decline as well. How astounding indeed was it that the citizens of Ophrah, Israelites all, had become champions of Ba’al and his protectors, while the God of Isra’el was either brazenly ignored by them or else admitted only grudgingly to their idolatrous pantheon! The showdown at Ophrah is the first time in the TaNaKh that the people of Isra’el pronounced their willingness to kill opponents of idolatry, and this new development will not bode well for them in the future.¹⁶¹

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being so wonderful always! Your Presence abides in those who place their trust in You so that You are always there to help and to guide (John 14:23). You who sees into the heart and discern the desires of all men. You know who really loves You and will trust in You. But Adonai said to Samuel, “Do not look at [David’s brother] or his stature, because I have already refused him. For God does not see a man as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but ADONAI looks into the heart” (First Samuel 16:6-7). Thank You for being gracious to even take as special warriors for Yourself, men and women whose family do not worship you, but whose hearts will obey and trust You. Living a life of faith brings an eternity of joy in heaven with You.  But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Call of Gideon
6: 11-24

The call of Gideon DIG: How would you describe Gideon? Who was The Angel of ADONAI? Why do people, especially believers, who turn their backs on God experience the consequences? What were Gideon’s objections? What was God’s response? God’s promise? How did God assure Gideon of His promise?

REFLECT: How might our circumstances impact our response to God’s calling? How does assurance of God’s Presence negate our excuse of inadequacy? What causes you to have difficulty trusting God? We can be encouraged to know that God calls unlikely people to do great things for Him. Memorize Judges 6:16.

Though Gideon considered himself inadequate,
God called him to deliver His people from the Midianites.

When we compare ourselves to others. This rarely has a positive result. It either leads to pride because we think that we’re better than others, or it leads to discouragement because we believe others are better than us. It is especially confounding when God calls a person to serve Him in some capacity when someone else seems a better fit to do it. God does this so that when that task is accomplished, He will receive the glory. Such was the case of Gideon.¹⁴⁴

Restoration (6:11-24): Then the Angel of ADONAI came and sat under the great oak tree in Ophrah (a village not far from Shechem) that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite (6:11a CJB; Joshua 17:2). Abiezer was a small family of the tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 17:2; Judges 6:15; First Chronicles 7:18). When the Angel of ADONAI is mentioned in the TaNaKh, He is never a common angel, but the second Person of the Trinity, Yeshua Messiah. This is always a reference to the pre-incarnate Messiah. Significantly, the rabbis teach that the phrase the Angel of ADONAI is sometimes used to denote God Himself.

After introducing the father of the clan, the Bible introduces the son. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites (6:11b CJB). The name Gideon comes from the root gada, meaning to hack or break to pieces. It was a fitting name for one who would hack or break to pieces the altar of Ba’al to pieces (to see link click Bb – The Destruction of the Altar of Ba’al). Gideon had a second name, which will be revealed later. Normally, wheat was threshed on a slightly elevated flat area, so the wind could blow away the chaff. The Midianites would not expect that a winepress would be used for threshing wheat and thus it would be hidden.¹⁴⁵

When the Angel of ADONAI appeared to Gideon; speaking prophetically, He said: You mighty warrior! Calling Gideon a mighty warrior is somewhat paradoxical, since he was trying to hide his activity of threshing wheat in a wine press! So, the Angel of ADONAI was speaking prophetically of what would be true of Gideon in the future. He will prove to be a mighty warrior, and thus it will be shown that God was with him (6:12)!

Gideon’s response began with a denial. Numerous commentators have noted similarities between Gideon’s call and those of Moses in Exodus 3 and Joshua in Joshua 1. He had two objections. First, his response to the LORD’s initial call was a dull, cynical question and diatribe about God’s treatment of the nation.¹⁴⁶ Excuse me my lord (which does not by itself imply deity), but if ADONAI is with us, why is all this happening to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about when they said, “Didn’t ADONAI bring us up from Egypt?” But now ADONAI has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites (6:13 Hebrew). What Gideon said was true. ADONAI did deliver Isra’el into the hands of the Midianites; but he blamed God for it, not Isra’el, to whom the blame belonged.

ADONAI turned to him and said: Go in this strength of yours and rescue Isra’el from the hands of Midian. Haven’t I sent you (6:14 CJB)? Significantly, Gideon’s call didn’t come by a prophet, nor by any human being, but by YHVH Himself, through a theophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Yeshua Messiah (6:15a Hebrew).¹⁴⁷ But Gideon responded saying: Forgive me, ADONAI, how can I rescue Isra’el? Only at that point did Gideon begin to perceive that the Speaker was really YHVH. This same Person, earlier, called the Angel of ADONAI, is now called ADONAI (Hebrew: Adonay, an emphatic form of LORD, only used as a proper name for God) showing this was a theophany.¹⁴⁸

Second, he objected by saying: My clan is the smallest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house (6:15b KJV). Gideon’s objection here is an attempt to evade personal responsibility for the conquest because of his clan’s smallness. Though his clan, the Abiezrites (Joshua 17:2; First Chronicles 7:18) was small, his family appears to have significant power and authority in the clan (as revealed throughout the remainder of the fifth cycle). But ADONAI, speaking as if He is indeed God, answered him and said: Surely I will be with you and you will strike the Midianites as if they are one man; that is, as if he were facing an enemy of one, rather than a swarm of warriors (6:16 Hebrew). Only God could say that.

Verses 17 and 18 record Gideon’s request, which ends up being a request for a sign. Gideon is the first person in the TaNaKh to request a sign from YHVH. Normally, God initiates the signs – not by request, but His sovereign will. Gideon’s request for a sign is driven by two things. The first was his desire to confirm God’s favor on him, reflecting Gideon’s uncertainty about his own relationship with the One speaking to him. Second, wants to make sure God will be with him so he will receive the strength to defeat Midian as if they were one single man. This lack of confidence will continue until verses 36-40. At last Gideon begins to speak as someone who is addressing God. Gideon replied: If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really You speaking to me (6:17 NLT). Please don’t go away until I come back and bring my offering to You. ADONAI answered: I’ll wait until you return (6:18 Hebrew).

Gideon hurried home. He cooked a young goat and a basket of unleavened bread from a measure of grain, which would make the offering somewhere between 35 to 45, depending on how he measured the grain. Either way, it was a rather large offering, even more so since the context is a time of great scarcity. Gideon’s offering isn’t in accordance with any Levitical sacrifice. It is apparently based entirely on his own evaluation of what was appropriate. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to the Person under the great oak tree. Nevertheless, in spite of Gideon’s motives, ADONAI accepted the offering. Then the Angel of ADONAI said to him, “Take the meat and unleavened bread on this rock, and pour the broth over it.” And Gideon did as he was told (6:19-20 NLT).

The Israelites had previously offered sacrifices to ADONAI at Bochim (2:5b). That did not mean that the Tabernacle was located there at that time. Normally, it would have been the place for offerings. However, since the Angel of ADONAI was a theophany (the preincarnate Yeshua Messiah) the Shechinah Glory (see Isaiah Ju – The Glory of the LORD Rises Upon You), the visible manifestation of God’s presence, made it permissible to sacrifice anywhere He appeared. This action will be repeated in Judges 6:20, 6:26, 6:28, 13:16-20, and also in Second Samuel 24:25. Any place where a theophany appeared, it was possible to make an offering at that place. This further shows that the Angel of ADONAI is indeed God Himself.¹⁴⁹

Then the Angel of ADONAI fulfilled Gideon’s request for a sign. touched the meat and unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in His hand. Fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened bread, showing that Gideon found favor in the sight of ADONAI, thus addressing his personal concern. Then ADONAI vanished from Gideon’s sight (6:21 Hebrew).

When Gideon realized that He was the Angel of ADONAI, he cried out: Oh, My LORD! ADONAI! I have seen YHVH face to face (6:22 CJB)! After he had time to think about what had just happened, he realized that he had been talking to YHVH. All this shows that Gideon recognized that ADONAI and the Angel of ADONAI were the same Person, since merely seeing an angel would not cause that kind of response on the part of a Jew.¹⁵⁰ But ADONAI reassured him, saying: Shalom to you, don’t be afraid, you won’t die (6:23 CJB). Gideon’s fear stemmed from widespread belief in the TaNaKh that seeing the face of God directly was fatal to sinful human beings. You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live (Exodus 33:20); however, after wrestling with God, Jacob marveled: I have seen God face to face, and yet I have lived (Genesis 32:30). Hence, the Jews regarded this experience as an omen of impending death. But here, the theophany made YHVH Himself “see-able.” At any rate, the danger of “seeing” had been removed with the withdrawal of the Angel of ADONAI. Gideon saw Him no longer.

In gratitude for what Gideon had experienced, he replaced the make-shift stone altar in verse 20 with a more permanent one. The Gideon built an altar there and called it ADONAI-Shalom. He gave it a name that condensed in two words all that he had experienced. ADONAI (who had appeared to him) and Shalom (the life-giving word that had been spoken to him). He built the altar in Ophrah in the land where the clan of Abiezer remained in Ophrah. The closing reference to this means that it remained there to this day (6:24 CJB), or at the time the book of Judges was written. The closing reference to Ophrah and the clan of Abiezer echoes the same words in verse 11 and acts like bookends to the intervening passage. At the same time it reminds us that Gideon had not been removed from the world by his encounter with the Angel of ADONAI. The realities of life in Ophrah were still there, and Gideon had to face them. But he would face them far richer because of the experience that he had just had.¹⁵¹

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for the riches of a loving relationship with You. Gideon’s experience with You brought him riches far beyond what any earthly accumulation of wealth could bring. May we realize that true riches are riches of eternal value! Thank You for my spiritual gift(s) and calling me to my ministry. Even though I sometimes feel inadequate to what you have called me to do, I know that you always equip the called. So I step forward in faith. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

A Prophet Sent by ADONAI Confronts Isra’el
6: 1-10

A prophet sent by ADONAI confronts Isra’el DIG: Who were the Midianites? Who aided them in their raids on the Israelites? What were they interested in? What were the Israelites forced to do in response? What was the unknown prophet’s message? How was the function of his message different from Deborah’s?

REFLECT: What outcomes should be anticipated if we live in disobedience to God? Have the passing years blurred any of the hard lessons you had to learn in the past? Who, or what, have you been turned over to? What has it cost you? Have you cried out to the Lord? Who has ADONAI sent to remind you of His ways?

The Israelites were focused on getting help, when what they needed was repentance.

Rebellion (6:1a): Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD (6:1a BSB). After the remarkable victory of Deborah and Barak over Javin and his general Sisera (to see link click Aw – The Defeat of the Canaanites), Isra’el had forty years of relative calm and stability. But the passing years blurred the memory of the great deliverance and the next generation reverted to the easy-going syncretistic religion that again threatened to obliterate Isra’el’s distinction from their pagan neighbors.¹³⁴

Retribution: The Midianites (6:1b-6): Having strayed once more from YHVH, Isra’el was abandoned to her own devices, and foreign domination was quick to follow. The anonymous prophet’s words of rebuke, that squarely lay the blame for the people’s predicament at their own doorstep. So He handed them over to the Midianites for seven years (6:1 NLT). The Midianites were descendants of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:2), and they were involved in the sale of Joseph to Egypt (Genesis 37:25-36). They were defeated by Isra’el (see the commentary on Numbers Ea – Taking a Stand for God). But now, two centuries later, the Midianites had renewed their strength. One branch of the Midianites was the Kenites; Moses found shelter with them and married one of them, and they journeyed with Isra’el into the Promised Land. But the other clans of Midian were not pro-Isra’el.¹³⁵

The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places. The Midianites were more interested in plundering the Israelite possessions and necessary supplies than exterminating them. Because they were nomadic, or Bedouin by nature, they had no desire for permanent settlement in the land. They came for the produce of the land, not after the land itself or the inhabitants. As a result of those raids, the Israelites hid their produce in the mountains, caves, and hollowed out wadis (6:2 NLT).

The plight of the Israelites is described in much more detail than in the previous cycles. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites came with the Amalekites, who had already been a problem in 3:13, where they were also described as being allied with Isra’el’s enemy Eglon. Another allied group was the people of the east. These were Bedouin raiders whose use of camels enabled them to take waterless journeys of several days, which nomads on donkeys simply could not do. Their strategy was to attack, camp, and destroy the crops as far away as Gaza, the southern end of the land (6:3-4a Hebrew). What they could not take with them as plunder, they destroyed. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived in droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. So Isra’el was impoverished, or literally Isra’el became small, which says as much about her emotional state as her economic condition. Isra’el was completely paralyzed before the Midianite menace. All these events fulfilled what God had warned would happen in Deuteronomy 28:50-51. Isra’el’s covenant unfaithfulness resulted in the covenant curse. Then the Israelites cried out to ADONAI for help (6:4b-6).¹³⁶

No Repentance (6:7-10): The response of Ha’Shem to the Israelites cry was quite different from the first four cycles. By sending an unknown prophet to confront the people and indicting them for their covenant unfaithfulness, God was implying that there comes a time when His patience turns to judgment.¹³⁷ When the Israelites cried out to ADONAI because of Midian (6:7NLT), He immediately sent them a prophet, who appeared at exactly the same point in this fifth cycle as Deborah the prophetess had appeared in the previous one. But the function of this unnamed prophet contrasted sharply with that of Deborah. He doesn’t come to restore anything, but to accuse the Israelites of spiritual adultery and to tell them (by implication) that they had forfeited all right to restoration.¹³⁸ The Israelites appear to have turned to ADONAI as a last resort. Their cry didn’t seem to have been any indication of repentance for sin because apparently they were not aware of the reason behind the Canaanite oppression until the LORD sent a prophet to point this out.¹³⁹

While the prophet’s name was unimportant, his message was very important; it was from God to His covenant people. He brought home his point by declaring: This is what ADONAI, the God of Isra’el says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt (6:8 NLT). I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land (6:9 NLT). God reminded them that He said: I am ADONAI your God. This statement is reminiscent of when the LORD told Moses to tell the Israelites that I AM WHO I AM sent him to deliver them from Egypt (Exodus 3:14). In this title, YHVH was stating that just as He has always been faithful to His covenant people, He would continue to be faithful to them.

The point of the prophet’s message was this . . . despite all that God did for Isra’el in the past, it was simply not too much to ask for exclusive allegiance to Him now. Instead, they abandoned the LORD for the gods of the Amirites. They were focused on getting help when what they needed was repentance. The message of the unnamed prophet was a reminder of what ADONAI did for Isra’el in the Exodus and the conquest of the Land under the leadership of Joshua. Isra’el’s obligation was faith, loyalty, and obedience, but the prophet concluded by pointing out Isra’el’s failure: But you have not listened to Me (6:10 NLT). One might think God’s message to Isra’el was harsh, but nothing could be further from the truth. In His mercy, the LORD exposed their sin and the reasons for their distress, and in doing so, He gave them an opportunity to repent of their sin and experience restoration. The people needed to recognize that rejecting their false gods and being faithfully devoted to ADONAI was the only way they would experience true and lasting rest.¹⁴⁰

This brief episode leaves us wondering how God will respond to the people’s persistent disloyalty. We know that the Midianite oppression represents God’s judgment, but we can’t help but expect further discipline. All this set the stage for the calling of Gideon (see Ba – The Call of Gideon). And if God raises a deliverer for Isra’el, it is an entirely gracious act because there has been no hint of repentance . . . nor any announcement of divine forgiveness. God’s subsequent intervention on Isra’el’s behalf must be interpreted in light of the people’s persistent apostasy.¹⁴¹

When you read the B’rit Chadashah epistles, you can’t help but notice that the apostles took the same approach when they admonished the believers to whom they wrote. The apostles repeatedly reminded the believers that ADONAI had saved them so that they might live obediently and serve the Lord faithfully. As God’s children, they were to walk worthy of their high heavenly calling (Ephesians 4:1) and live like people who were seated with Messiah in glory (Colossians 3:1ff). The motive for Godly living is not that we might gain something we don’t have, but that we might live up to what we already have in Messiah.

The purpose of Godly discipline is to make God’s children willing to listen to God’s Word. Often after spanking a child, parents will reassure the child of their love and then gently admonish the child to listen to what they say and obey it. ADONAI speaks to His children, either through the soft voice of Scripture, or the heavy hand of discipline; and if we ignore the first, we must endure the second. One way or another, the Lord is going to get our attention and deal with us.¹⁴²

Those who lack the resolve to resist the lures of the world will likely face the disasters and destructions that these lures often bring. They may find that Ha’Shem is their opponent . . . not their friend. Certainly, fickleness in loyalty to the things of God occurs in the Church today. When believers run after the same gods as their worldly friends, they should not be surprised when God does not hear their prayers or react in the same way they think He should.

It is interesting that Ha’Shem formally indicates. Such language places the relationship into the forensic, legal context, where doubt is removed and clarity is added to the description of what is wrong in the relationship. That God still indicts His people is clear through various passages in the B’rit Chadashah. For example, in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, several churches are indicted for their failures to God’s covenant. The Spirit of God carries on this same process with us individually.

In a practical sense, this passage addresses a common problem in the area of prayer. We turn to the LORD in a moment of need, even when we have not been walking in His ways. Yet, we expect ADONAI to answer our prayers because (and often for no other reason than) we are in need. Over and over again, the Bible (including the book of Judges) addresses this issue of manipulation in prayer (James 4:1-6). Our relationship with God is never a mechanical process.¹⁴³

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for Your offer of a relationship of steadfast love to all who believe in You as their Lord and Savior. What a wonderful gift. That relationship is more important than anything else in the world. When sin breaks the relationship with You, true repentance should come quickly from a heart full of deep sorrow. People want things to go well in their lives, but what is needed is to recognize false gods, such as prideful use of time and money and pleasure, rather than being faithfully devoted to you ADONAI is the only way to experience true and lasting peace, joy and rest. You work in my life to guide me back to loving You. Often Your guidance is thru discipline. Even when You have to correct and discipline, the correction is done in love. My son, do not take lightly the discipline of Adonai or lose heart when you are corrected by Him, because ADONAI disciplines the one He loves and punishes every son He accepts (Hebrews 12:5b-6). True Repentance involves turning away from sin and toward You. The mind/heart changes from selfishness to surrender to Your will, with a joy for pleasing You. Thank You so very much, for being such a wise and loving God to see into the heart, guiding me into true repentance that You may graciously forgive. You are awesome! I love to praise and to worship You! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Fifth Cycle: Gideon
6:1 to 9:57

It is evident from a casual reading that the fifth cycle divides into two major parts:

Gideon and the Midianites (6:1 to 8:32): It is probably true to say that, along with Samson, Gideon is the most familiar character in the book of Judges. You may dislike the term “character,” because it makes him sound fictional, and want to stress that he’s a real person. Together they hint at one reason for Gideon’s being so well-known. For many Bible teachers, it’s easy to have a character-study of some prominent person, and some Bible people lend themselves more readily than others to being held up as examples to follow. And the judges we have encountered in the first four cycles are tough nuts to crack as relatable examples of any kind. So, with some relief, we arrive at the story of Gideon, who seems to be (as James says of Elijah) a human just like we are (James 5:17a). He has to cope, personally, with circumstances to which we might also face. On that basis, we might expect to learn lessons from Gideon by seeing him as Everyman.

But before we renew our acquaintance with him with that sort of object in mind, we ought to recall that hardly anyone in Judges so far has provided suitable material for character-study. Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar are not Everyman; Deborah and Ja’el are not Everywoman. As we read their stories, we don’t say to ourselves, “I ought to be like that,” or “I must be careful not to be like that.” Instead, what the book has been focusing on is the attitudes and actions of Isra’el as a nation, the apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8), rather than from a character study of her leaders, that we can apply to our own lives. He has successes and failures . . . and so do we. His is the longest story of all the judges. Although Samson has four chapters to Gideon’s three, Gideon has a hundred verses to Samson’s ninety-six.¹³²

The Rise and Fall of Abimelech (8:33 to 9:57): 8:33-35 transition from Gideon to Abimelech; then 9:1-57 is a sequel to the Gideon story. There are two explicit statements where the author provides the theme of the sequel. The first occurs in 9:23-24, at a crucial point in the plot: And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech (9:23 KJV). God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon’s seventy sons, and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers (9:24 NLT). We see the second in 9:56-57, after the climax has been reached with the death of Abimelech: In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers. God also punished the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham son of Gideon was fulfilled (9:56-57 NLT). These two statements complement each other and point to retribution as the key to the rise and fall of Abimelech: God causes the evil that Abimelech and the men of Shechem do to rebound on their own heads.¹³³ And he who rolls a stone down onto others, it will crush you instead (Proverbs 26:27).

Blessed be Ja’el
5: 24-31

Blessed be Ja’el DIG: What is admirable in Ja’el? Why is the description of Sisera’s mother so pathetic? Why does Deborah go into such detail in her song? Why is the Bible’s characterization of Deborah so encouraging for women? How are Deborah’s last words in this hymn both a prayer to YHVH and a call to Isra’el?

REFLECT: Ja’el made the decision to support Isra’el no matter the cost. How would you rate your support for Isra’el? Other than ADONAI, for whom would you likely compose a song of praise? What aspect of Deborah’s song has benefited you the most? Try composing a song about God’s victory in your life.

While the Israelite city of Meroz failed to do its duty, the Gentile Ja’el did not fail.

As Deborah’s victory song continues (to see link click At – Deborah’s Victory Song), Deborah’s blessing on Ja’el reminds us of Gabriel’s words to Mary (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Al – The Birth of Jesus Foretold to Mary). Because of Barak’s hesitation, Deborah announced that a woman would get the credit for killing the general of the Canaanite army (4:8-9). The phrase crushing his head doesn’t mean that she decapitated him. With one stroke the tent peg went through his temple.¹²⁵

The Seventh Stanza: The Praise of Ja’el (5:24-27): Most blessed among women is Ja’el, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents (5:24 NLT). While the Israelite city of Meroz took the side of the Canaanites, the Gentile Ja’el took the side of Isra’el, even going against her husband. It should be noted that there is no condemnation of Ja’el’s actions whatsoever, only praise. There are many people that condemn her for her actions of deception; totally ignoring that during wartime, deception of the enemy is part of the rules of war. However, there are no words of condemnation of her actions in the text. The Bible only praises her, and one should not let his or her own subjective misjudgment color their thinking about certain biblical characters. He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him cheese. She was treating him like royalty. Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman’s hammer. The Hebrew text uses different, but similar-sounding words for striking. She struck (Hebrew: chalmah) Sisera with the hammer, crushing (Hebrew: machakah) his head. With a shattering blow (Hebrew: machatzah), she pierced (Hebrew: chalphah) his temple.¹²⁶ At her feet he sank, he fell, and lay still at her feet. And where he sank, there he died (5:25-27 NLT). The description of Sisera’s death in this verse gives the impression that he was standing in the tent when Ja’el struck him and then fell dead at her feet. But he was lying down asleep when he was slain (4:18). We may have here some Hebrew poetic license, but it’s also possible that in the agony of his death, Sisera raised himself up from the tent floor and then sank at her feet and died.

The Eighth Stanza: The Mother of Sisera (5:28-30): The singer moves from describing Sisera’s death to portraying Sisera’s mother watching for her son’s return. From the window, Sisera’s mother looked out. Through the window she watched for his return, saying, “Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don’t we hear the sound of chariot wheels (5:28 NLT). What a pathetic picture of hope where there is no hope! How many people today are looking out the window of false assumptions and expecting something to happen that will never happen. Sisera was dead; he would never come home to his mother’s love again.¹²⁷ The wise women of the Canaanite court answered her, even though she kept trying to convince herself that he would be coming soon. His mother and her attendants kept telling themselves that everything was going to be fine (but it wasn’t). She thought out loud: Of course! They must be dividing the captured plunder – with a woman or two for every man. The Hebrew literally reads: A womb, a pair of wombs for each man. These are sexual expressions. They reflect the realities of war for the victorious soldiers. The women of conquered foes were used primarily for sexual gratification – for rape or to become sex slaves. This woman’s loyalty to her son and her people blinded her loyalty to other women.¹²⁸ Another treasured prize of war was expensive clothing. A plunder of colorfully embroidered garments, two embroidered scarves for every soldier’s neck (5:29-30 CJB). The demise of Sisera and the portrayal of his mother are clear indications of God’s determination to judge the wicked. The mother’s thoughts about plundering and raping helpless, innocent women reveal what Sisera had undoubtedly done countless times before. But this time he would not humiliate a single woman; instead, a single woman – a Kenite woman – would humiliate him and turn him into plunder.

How can we apply the scene of Sisera’s mother? In one way, it’s a sad, tragic scene. But in the large scope of the poem as a whole and the fourth cycle in which it is found, it provides us with an important balance to the events that we have already seen, especially those in the tent of Ja’el. It prevents us from simply concluding that Sisera was an innocent victim. In different circumstances, Sisera wouldn’t have hesitated to victimize Ja’el any less than he would have hesitated to victimize Deborah or any other woman. His track record is graphically testified to by his own mother – who, in fact, was not only perfectly content with this but apparently had encouraged this behavior in her son. The poem’s presentation of her thought processes serves to show that her son’s life desires are like hers: plunder and self-gratification. Such wickedness at the expense of others will not go unjudged: Ha’Shem does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject Him (Deuteronomy 7:10). He lavishes steadfast love to a thousand generations. He forgives wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet, He doesn’t acquit the guilty (Exodus 34:7a).¹²⁹

The Ninth Stanza: The Closing Prayer (5:31a): May all your enemies perish like this, ADONAI. This assumes that those who fight against Isra’el also fight against ADONAI and is in keeping with the cursing aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant: I will curse anyone who curses you (Genesis 12:3b). But may those who love Him be like the sun going forth in glory (5:31a CJB)! This closing prayer contrasts the enemies of ADONAI, who like Sisera go out in darkness, with the people of God, who are like the noonday sun. The battle at Megiddo was more than just a conflict between two opposing armies. It was a conflict between the forces of darkness and the forces of light. We either love Messiah and walk in the light (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Df – You are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World), or we are His enemy, and perish in the darkness. Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God (James 4:4).¹³⁰

The Rest (5:31b): What the events recalled in the story and the song did produce, however, was another intermission, so to speak, in Isra’el’s downward spiral. Then there was rest in the land for forty years. Only when the song is completed is the entire Deborah-Barak story closed with the now famous formula of rest for the land (5:31b NLT).

Judges portrays a degenerative society. Yet, Deborah is without a doubt the most honorable human figure in the book and one of the most remarkable people in the entire TaNaKh. As the prophet of God in a dark and dismal age, she represented a ray of light and hope. ADONAI is the true hero in the account, but her character and achievements should not be minimized. In an era of weak men, YHVH raised up a woman to serve as a lightning rod against His wrath. The priesthood’s silence in Chapter 5 is deafening. But just because they were in spiritual decline did not mean that the LORD had totally abandoned His people. He still had a representative. She didn’t sit at Bethel or Shiloh where the Tabernacle resided, but outside the town, received the pleas of the Israelites on God’s behalf. Her commissioning of Barak represents divine authority. In fact, as His representative, she went the second mile and accompanied him into battle, as a recognized representative and spokesperson for the Commander in Chief.

That was her role; no more, no less. In doing so she was granted full authority to take her place among the continuous line of God’s servants and prophets. While they served as agents of God’s grace in every age, in none was it more welcome than in the dark days of the judges. To borrow a note from an anonymous first century author, “In Deborah the grace of God has been awakened; through her, the works of YHVH have been seen.” That people in our day, especially women, should find inspiration in Deborah is not surprising. She didn’t displace men in officially established positions of leadership, but her gender did not disqualify her from significant service to the LORD (see the commentary on Genesis Lv – Women and Spiritual Gifts). And so it is at any age. God’s call to service often catches His people by surprise, but when He calls, we must respond to His command, even when it appears to run counter to conventional thinking.¹³¹

Dear heavenly Father, praise You that You love and desire to use all who believe in You, Jews and Gentiles alike, including Ja’el the Kenite (4:17), to bring honor to Your holy Name. There were several other Gentiles that were used by God in the TaNaKh: Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High blessed Abraham, and served as an early picture of Messiah’s priesthood (Genesis 14:18-20); Rahab, a Canaanite woman from Jericho hid Israelite spies because of her faith in the God of Isra’el, was woven into the genealogy of Yeshua (Joshua 2:1-21; Matthew 1:5); Ruth, a Moabite widow left her homeland to follow Naomi and embrace the God of Isra’el, becoming the great-grandmother of King David (Ruth 1:16; Matthew 1:5); Naaman, a commander in the Syrian (Aramean) army whom ADONAI healed of leprosy through Elisha, leading him to worship the One True God (Second Kings 5;1-15); Cyrus the Great, the pagan king of Persia whom Ha’Shem called: His anointed, used him to conquer Babylon and allow the Jewish exiles to return and rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem (Isaiah 45:1); Balaam, a pagan diviner from Mesopotamia whom the LORD compelled to speak truthful blessings over Isra’el rather than curses (Numbers 22-24). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Defeat of the Canaanites
5: 19-23

The defeat of the Canaanites DIG: What had YHVH promised Isra’el? Why did the Canaanites think they had the advantage? Who were the stars from heaven? How did the sovereignty of ADONAI turn the tide of the battle? Why did Sisera flee on foot? Who was the Angel of ADONAI? Why was Meroz cursed?

REFLECT: When did the sovereignty of ADONAI show up in your life? When have you thought, “This is a God thing!” Who are the “Canaanites” you are fighting in your life today? Who are the people in your life who are aiding the enemy that you need to stay away from? How can you pray for them this week?

Suddenly, what had previously been an immeasurable advantage became a death trap.

As Deborah’s victory song continues (to see link click At – Deborah’s Victory Song), we have a poetic account of the battle described in 4:13-16. It’s one thing to show up for duty and quite something else to go into battle. Sisera had organized an alliance of the Canaanite kings, and their united forces (with 900 chariots) met the Jewish army at Megiddo on the plain of Jezreel. Since it was the dry season of the year, the charioteers expected to annihilate the army of Isra’el. But ADONAI had other plans. He sent a tremendous rainstorm that turned the Kishon River to overflow and it turned the battlefield into a swamp. The army of Isra’el trusted YHVH to give them the victory because that is what He promised in 4:6-9.¹¹⁹

The Sixth Stanza (5:19-23): Sisera undoubtedly expected a swift and easy victory for his vastly superior military forces. The kings of Canaan came and fought at Taanach near Megiddo’s springs at the western end of the Jezreel Valley. This shows that Barak’s forces crossed the whole valley from the eastern side. But there was no way that Sisera could have prepared for what actually happened. Suddenly, what had previously seemed to be an immeasurable advantage became a death trap. Sisera and all his chariots and all his army were slain with the edge of the sword before Barak. The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera (5:19a-20 NLT). Heaven and stars are used here symbolically, meaning angels engaged in a war on behalf of Isra’el in the heavenly realms (see the commentary on Ephesians Ca – The Spiritual Battle). The Canaanites thought of the stars as heavenly powers that controlled the weather. Here, they are pictured as a heavenly army which fought against Sisera in a most unusual way. At the western end flowed the Kishon River, which would prove to be the Canaanites undoing. The Kishon River swept them away – that ancient river, the river Kishon (5:21a Hebrew). This is the equivalent of the avalanche of water that did the same thing to Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and charioteers in the Sea of Reeds.¹²⁰

The Kishon River overflowed its banks, causing the battlefield to become muddy. This neutralized the chariot force, which was the primary military advantage that the Canaanites had over Isra’el. The flooding would also explain why Sisera fled on foot (4:17), since normally he could escape faster if he had a chariot, but not if his chariot was stuck in the mud.¹²¹ The phrase: March on, o my soul, with courage (5:21b Hebrew), is likened to: Bless ADONAI, o my soul, of Psalm 103:1, and is an indication of the strong encouragement that the singer, probably Barak, felt as he recalled the marvelous victory. Then the rhythm and sound of the stampeding Canaanite horses is captured in the next verse. The horses’ hooves hammered the ground, the galloping, galloping of mighty steeds of Sisera’s calvary fleeing the scene (5:22 NLT).¹²²

But Isra’el’s enemies took no plunder of silver (5:19b NLT). The “taking” the plunder of silver is the poetic equivalent of what is described more matter-of-factly in 5:30. Stripping defeated enemies of anything of value was normal practice, except in Isra’el, where the plunder of a God-given victory was presented to Ha’Shem as its rightful owner. The Canaanites took no plunder in this case because they were either dead or fleeing the battlefield as the following verse describes.

“Curse Meroz,” said the Angel of ADONAI. Anywhere the Angel of ADONAI is mentioned in the TaNaKh, it is always the Second Person of the Trinity, the Pre-incarnate Yeshua Messiah. Then the reason is given. Let them be utterly cursed, because they did not come to help the LORD, to help YHVH against mighty warriors (5:23 NLT). This is the only mention of the town of Meroz in Scripture. It was an Israelite city that failed to do its duty. They sided with the Canaanites and let those fleeing through Meroz to escape when they should have blocked their path and killed them on the spot.¹²³ The cursing of Meroz is deliberately contrasted with the blessing of Ja’el (see Ax – Blessed by Ja’el).

ADONAI continually demonstrates that He will not give up on His people. Even though this was the fourth time that they had apostatized, He was utterly consistent with them. He would not allow them to do as they pleased. As a result of His rich compassion, He would not leave them in prolonged oppression. While there is a decrease in the quality of the type of people He could use; nevertheless, He was able to bring restoration to His people. In fact, He used those who, in the ancient world, were deemed insufficient to fulfill the task.

The entire account is deliberately constructed to emphasize the deliverance provided by YHVH. He was the One behind the scenes, raising the generals, deploying the armies (even the enemy was indirectly controlled by him), dictating strategy, and effecting the victory. In the end, both the story and the song celebrate the saving work of the LORD. The text stresses God’s sovereignty over human events. Therefore, this passage encourages us to perceive ADONAI’s sovereignty over history and our own lives. Whether it is His discipline, in His compassionate deliverance, in His financial provision, or in His leading and guiding decisions, Ha’Shem is sovereign over our lives, and He’s working to complete His plan.¹²⁴

But this wasn’t the only time that ADONAI’s sovereignty saved Isra’el. Within hours of becoming a state from UN General Assembly Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947, they were attacked by hostile Arab nations surrounding Isra’el on almost every side. However, Isra’el’s military and governmental systems were not fully organized. The main road to Jerusalem was blocked, trapping Jewish residents in the City without enough food or water. So the new state of Isra’el faced severe disadvantages, including a much smaller population, a severe lack of tanks, heavy artillery, or anti-tank weapons, no air force, while Arab nations used bombers and fighter jets, or navy to protect its coasts or stop naval blockades, and an economy that was not ready for total war against multiple professional Arab armies attacking all at once. Ammunition was so low that soldiers were often restricted to just a few rounds per day, or told to hold their fire entirely until the enemy was at point blank range, rather than receiving a standardized daily number of bullets . . . and they still won. Isra’el is still battling and defeating the “Canaanites” of today.

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for caring so deeply for Isra’el and for helping her win battles against all odds. Battles are not won by the number of men fighting, nor by the amount of artillery. A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory comes from ADONAI (Proverbs 21:31). You defeated Pharoah’s army without any army from Isra’el. I will sing to ADONAI, for He is highly exalted! The horse and its rider have been thrown into the sea. ADONAI is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will glorify Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. ADONAI is a warrior – ADONAI is His Name (Exodus 15:1-3)!

You defeated the great giant Goliath without any conventional weapons! Then David said to the Philistine, “You are coming to me with a sword, a spear and a javelin, but I am coming to you in the Name of ADONAI-Tzva’ot, God of the armies of Isra’el, whom you have defied. . .  So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, struck the Philistine down and killed him (First Samuel 17:45, 50).

Even when all the armies of the world come against Messiah, Messiah will be victorious by the sword of His mouth. No need to fight; He wins without even a fight. And the armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword – so that with it He may strike down the nations – and He shall rule them with an iron rod, and He treads the winepress of the furious wrath of Elohei-Tzva’ot.  On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “King of kings, and Lord of lords (Rev 19:11b-16).

Then the beast was captured, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs before him by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, as well as those who had worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.  The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the One riding on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh (Revelation 19:20-21).

Preparation for battle is necessary, but confidence must rest in Almighty ADONAI. He will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright (Psalms 20:6c-8).

Thank you, almighty heavenly Father, that You rule over everyone and over every battle. You grant the victory that serves Your purpose. We put our trust in You and bow before You in love and worship! Knowing Your presence is within me (Hebrews 13:5), gives me the strength to proceed into the battle with my hand held tight in Yours and peace in my heart that You are in control. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Response of the Tribes
5: 12-18

The response of the tribes DIG: Which six tribes responded positively to Debrah’s call to war? Which four tribes responded negatively? Why were Judah and Simeon not involved at all? How different was the response to Deborah’s call and Joshua’s call? Why did Ephraim enlist first and Ruben resist?

REFLECT: Some of the tribes responded to Debrah’s call to help, while others did not. How have you responded to God’s call on your life? How are you using your spiritual gifts? In your life, who is responding to your need for help? Who is not? How so? Where are you feeling somewhat abandoned? 

Isra’el had no king, and everyone did whatever seemed right in their own eyes (21:25).

As Deborah’s victory song continues (to see link click At – Deborah’s Victory Song), Warren Wiersbe summarizes in his commentary on Judges. Deborah was grateful that the people offered themselves willingly in the service of ADONAI (5:2 and 9), and that the leaders offered did their share in recruiting soldiers from the tribes (5:13). Six tribes united in sending volunteers. Except for the people in the town of Meroz (5:23), the men of Naphtali responded, as did the men of Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh west (Makir), Zebulun, and Issachar. The phrase in verse 14: those who bear the staff of the scribe, may refer to the recruiting officers who wrote down the names of the soldiers. Zebulun and Naphtali are especially praised for risking their lives in the service of God and country.

However, there were four tribes that didn’t volunteer and do their share of fighting. The tribe of Reuben pondered the call to arms, but finally stayed home. They were probably considering Isra’el’s mitzvah of warfare, and examining their hearts to see whether they were exempt from going to war (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Dp – Regulations for a Holy War: Four military exemptions). Since Manasseh east (Gilead) was safe on the other side of the Jordan River, they also stayed home (5:17). Dan and Asher on the coast elected not to heed the call to battle.

Keeping in mind that during this period, Isra’el had no king, and everyone did whatever seemed right in their own eyes (21:25). When Joshua was the commander of Isra’el’s armies, ALL of the tribes participated, but when Barak summoned the forces, only half of them went to war against Jabin and Sisera (see As – The Fourth Cycle: Deborah – The Defeat of the Canaanites). The people of God today are not unlike the people of Isra’el when it comes to the call of ADONAI for service: Some immediately volunteer and follow the Lord; some risk their lives; some give the call serious consideration, but say no; while others keep to themselves as though the call had never been given.¹¹¹

The Fifth Stanza (5:12-18): This first verse of the fifth stanza introduces two leaders: Deborah and Barak. Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song! Arise, Barak! Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam (5:12 NLT)! It has become clear by this point that Deborah and Barak are not the only singers. In verse 11 we have heard others remembering (perhaps in song) the righteous deeds of ADONAI and His people. Now it seems that these common people address Deborah and Barak, urging them to more enthusiastic praise.¹¹² This verse, then, serves as an introduction to the second part of the song. Deborah is called upon to strike up a song again, and calls upon Barak to lead away his prisoners of war. It is Barak who is called to arise because he is the deliverer. But Deborah plays the most important role, not as the deliverer, but as the prophetess; for as the prophetess, she represents the voice of God.

The second verse of the fifth stanza records the response of Isra’el and ADONAI to the call to go to war. Then down came a remnant of the nobles and the people. ADONAI came down for me against the mighty enemy (5:13 Hebrew). ADONAI is viewed here as summoning the enemies of Isra’el for this war. This marks the turning point in the struggle against the oppressor. Ha’Shem is viewed here as summoning the enemies of Isra’el for this war. This marks the turning point in the struggle against the oppressor.¹¹³

In verses 14 to 18 of the fifth stanza, Deborah describes the specific responses of the tribes, both positively and negatively. The list of troops is divided into three groups: the volunteers in verses 14-15a; the resistors in verses 15b-17; and the award winners in verse 18. She begins the volunteers with her own tribe of Ephraim: Some came from Ephraim, in the spirit of the Amalekites (see the commentary on Exodus Cv – The Amalekites Attacked the Israelites at Rephidim). Throughout the book of Judges, Ephraim is presented as the leader of the northern tribes (5:14a). However, while the volunteers did come from Ephraim, they displayed some “Amalekite” characteristics; that is, they were hostile and quarrelsome. At this stage of the book such a mixed report on the Ephraimites seems puzzling, but the negative aspect of it will be confirmed by the way they act in both the Gideon (see Be – Gideon’s Problem with Ephraim) and Jephthah (see Bs – The Judgeship of Jephthah: The War with Ephraim) episodes which follow.¹¹⁴

Benjamin is mentioned next. The Benjaminites were with the people who followed you, followed by Manasseh west. From Makir captains came down. Makir here does not just stand for the family of Makir, but for the tribe of Manasseh, because Makir was Manasseh’s only son. More specifically, Makir stands for part of the main branch of Manasseh located on the west side of the Jordan River (Joshua 17:1). From Zebulun those who bear the staff of the scribe. This tribe contributed the military leaders and was assigned territory in the Jezreel Valley where the battle took place. The leaders of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak (5:14b-15a Hebrew).¹¹⁵ There is no inference that Deborah took an active part in the battle; rather, those from Issachar were with her in the sense that they were supportive of her, responsive to her call. It was Barak who, in the next line, led the charge into battle. They also followed Barak, rushing, without hesitation, into the valley of Jezreel and staying close to him during the attack. The general impression is that Issachar, especially, distinguished itself by the wholehearted support it gave Deborah and Barak . . . which makes the contrast with Reuben in the second part of the verse particularly damning.

Now the language of unity and loyalty gives way to resistance. The poet emphasizes Reuben’s failure by placing its mention at the center of the overall poem. But in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. This tribe refused to participate. There is no reference to any leaders. They are pictured as sitting around the campfire, indifferent to the plight of their brothers. They wasted precious time in discussion instead of rushing into the valley like the tribe of Issachar did. But ultimately, they decided to stay behind with their livestock rather than marching out to assist God’s army. Issachar’s territory was directly adjacent to the Jezreel Valley, and therefore one of the tribes most affected. Reuben’s territory, on the other hand, was in the southern Transjordan. So in a sense, it could afford to stay uninvolved in a way that Issachar could not. But that was not how Deborah and Barak and their supporters saw it. Note the bitter taunt in the following question. Why did you stay among the sheep pens to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the tents of Reuben there was much hesitation and internal debate (5:15b-16 Hebrew).¹¹⁶

Similarly, the half-tribe of Manasseh east (Gilead) remained east of the Jordan (see the commentary Numbers Fz – Reuben and Gad Request Land). And the text asks: why did Dan stay in ships? This may imply that the migration of Dan to the extreme north took place before Deborah, and the Danites had united somewhat with the sea-faring Phoenicians (see Aj – The Failures of the Northern Tribes). But more likely Dan was still in the South, too entrenched in the shipping industry with the Phoenicians, as their clients, to participate in an anti-Canaanite war, since the Phoenicians were Canaanites. Asher sat unmoved at the seashore, remaining in their harbors, preferring life on the beach than battlefields (5:17 NLT).

To accentuate the contrast between those who participated and those who ignored the call, the fifth stanza ends with a focus on the heroism and courageous risk of Zebulun and Naphtali in the battle itself. But Zebulun risked their lives. This tribe is now mentioned for the second time in Deborah’s song and is thus given a special place of honor for their bravery. Barak’s tribe, Naphtali, also risked their lives on the heights of the battlefield (5:18). That tribe had the most to gain since their territory was in the Jezreel Valley.¹¹⁷

The tribes of Judah and Simeon are not mentioned as participants in the war, or chastised for staying away. This might imply that they were busy fighting the Philistines and therefore could not send a fighting force for Barak. If so, since they were already fighting the enemies of Isra’el, they would not be chastised for not sending any soldiers.¹¹⁸

Responding to the call of ADONAI can be difficult, especially in the postmodern world that we live in now. Oftentimes, to put yourself out there as a believer, one who loves the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or one who loves Isra’el and prays for the peace of Jerusalem, can draw a big target on your back. I went to Isra’el in 2023 for Sukkot, and we left the day before the war started. When I got back to America, I bought a royal blue baseball cap with the star of David on the front of it and have worn it ever since. I plan on wearing it until the war is won. It’s my way of standing up for Isra’el and her right to exist. So far, I have been called “a terrorist” only once. But every other acknowledgement of my hat has been positive. Sometimes people say, “I like your hat,” or they give me a thumbs up. Other times I have people smiling at me for seemingly no reason. Let me be blunt, Satan wants the world to turn against Isra’el; ADONAI loves Isra’el. This is a real battle. How will you respond to the call?

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for Your awesome gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17) to all who believe in You (John 11:25-26). Ja’el showed her willingness to respond to Your call by her act of obedience in killing the general of Israel’s enemy. It would have been easier for her to turn away, but she put her belief in You into action. Likewise, all who have faith in You are to respond to Your call by more than lip service of admiration. May we follow Ja’el’s example and serve You even when we are alone and it is hard, for You are always with me to help and to guide me. Thank You that You have promised to never leave me. For God Himself has said: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Sing Praises to ADONAI
5: 1-11

Sing Praises to ADONAI DIG: What is the purpose and occasion for the psalm of praise? Who is it for? What other songs in Scripture does this one bring to mind? As songwriters, what similarities do Debrah and Barak have with Moses and Miriam? What feelings come through about God in this song? What can we learn from this story about the kind of people God recruits into His service?

REFLECT: Debrah was a prophetess, a leader, and a song-writer. If you (or your family or spouse) had to describe you in three words, which three would you choose? What is the story behind those words? When has God shown His mercy and saved you from ruining your life more than once? What is one change you need to make in your life to be more usable for God’s service? Who can you serve this week?

The God of the Exodus came to rescue Isra’el . . . again.

As Deborah’s victory song continues (to see link click At – Deborah’s Victory Song), unlike the story of Chapter 4, the song is not concerned with how ADONAI took the honor of victory away from Barak and gave it to a woman. It pays tribute to those individuals and tribes who rose up to defend the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and rebuke those who did not. But its chief burden is the righteous act of ADONAI Himself, who went forth as Isra’el’s champion and overwhelmed the enemy by unleashing the powers of heaven against them. The climax of the song is the battle itself (5:19-23), and the final verses show how completely the enemy was defeated (5:24-31a). Only when the song is completed is the entire Deborah-Barak story closed with the now famous formula of rest for the land (5:31b).

So, the Deborah-Barak story as we have it in Chapters 4 and 5 concludes with a victory song of praise to God and His loyal supporters, but especially YHVH Himself. The Gideon episode which follows immediately begins very differently – a striking example of the downward moral progression in each of the judges (see An – Cycles of Rebellion and Retribution). At the beginning of the Gideon episode, ADONAI will have to dispatch a prophet to remind the Israelites of their impending apostasy, and of His many interventions on their behalf (see Az – A Prophet Sent by ADONAI Confronts Isra’el).

The Singers (5:1): This verse links the song to the preceding story. On that day God subdued Jabin the Canaanite king, before the Israelites. And the hand of the Israelites grew stronger and stronger against Jabin, the Canaanite king, until they destroyed him (see As – The Fourth Cycle: Debrah). And on that day Debrah and Barak, son of Abinoam, sang this song (5:1 NIV): This does not mean that they composed the song together, it only means that they sang it together. The song they sang was composed by Deborah, as verses 3, 7, and 12 as Chapter 5 clearly shows.¹⁰⁰ The circumstances in which the song is sung and the way it is introduced both remind us of Exodus 15:1 – the song sung by Moses and the Israelites after being rescued by divine intervention from the vastly superior forces of Pharaoh with his six-hundred chariots.¹⁰¹ The phrase on that day links the song chronologically with the defeat of Jabin the Canaanite king, and suggests that it was a spontaneous response to the victory. The song itself has nine specific stanzas.

The First Stanza: Praising ADONAI (5:2-3): Verse 2 focuses on the role of the leaders and the people. When Isra’el’s leaders took charge, the people gladly followed. When Isra’el’s leaders were willing to lead, and the people were willing to follow their lead, then there was victory along with the resulting opportunity to praise ADONAI (5:2 NLT). Verse 3 issues a call to the Gentile kings and princes: Hear this, you kings! Listen, you princes! The content of what the Gentiles heard the Jews sing: I will sing praises to ADONAI, the God of Isra’el (5:3 Hebrew). Four things should be noted here. First, this is a call to Gentile kings and princes to hear what Deborah proclaims about the One true God. Second, these kings and princes were Gentiles because Isra’el had neither kings nor princes at this point in her history (21:25). Third, this verse is the response of Deborah, and thus is expressed in the first person. Fourth, this is a praise to ADONAI, and not anyone else.

The Second Stanza: ADONAI, the Commander in Chief (5:4-5): Verse 4a portrays God as a Divine Warrior, marching out from Mount Seir to aid His people. ADONAI, when You went out from Mount Seir, when You marched out from the land of Edom (5:4a CJB). It was the land of Esau, and comprised the mountain range stretching east from the southern end of the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Akabah. Verses 5:4b to 5 picture the results of God’s presence among His people. The result was that the earth quaked, and the sky shook; yes, the clouds poured down torrents of water (5:4 CJB). Keeping in mind that Ba’al was viewed as the storm god, here, the God of Isra’el was using what should have been Ba’al’s strongest weapons. The storm imagery emphasizes that ADONAI is God, not Ba’al. The following mention of Sinai and Edom recalls the beginning and end of the Wilderness Wanderings, both portrayed as witnesses to the mighty acts of YHVH. The mountains quaked at the presence of ADONAI, the God of Sinai, before ADONAI the God of Isra’el (5:5).¹⁰²

This powerful poetry draws on the historical memory of the Exodus, when Ha’Shem, as the divine warrior, displayed His presence by making wind and water change their normal actions for the sake of His people; and at Sinai, where His Presence was demonstrated on the mountain in cloud and fire and earthquake. The same kind of language can be seen in the Psalms to recall God’s saving works in the past (Psalm 68:7-10), or His present majesty as ruler of the entire earth (Psalm 97:1-6). It will be taken up later by the prophets to speak of His Second Coming to judge the world (Amos 9:5-6; Isaiah 2:19; Zechariah 14:1-5). Here in Chapter 5 it gives a powerful poetic expression to the belief that the storm which broke over Sisera and his army (5:4) threw them into panic and retreat was no merely natural event, or amazing stroke of bad-luck. It was unleashed by YHVH, as He had divided the sea at the Exodus and shaken Mount Sinai. That same God had come to their rescue . . . again.¹⁰³

The Third Stanza: The Emergence of Deborah (5:6-8): These verses describe the conditions under which Isra’el lived before Deborah arrived on the scene. In the days of Shamgar son of Anath (see Ar – The Third Cycle: Shamgar), and in the days of Ja’el (4:17-22). Here Shamgar and Ja’el are viewed as contemporaries, which further demonstrates that Shamgar’s judgeship came within the judgeship of Ehud (see Aq – The Second Cycle: Ehud). The situation was that of total destruction of communication and trade. The main highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the side roads (5:6 HCSB). The roads were deserted. The caravan routes that crisscrossed the country, especially across the Jezreel Valley, linking the Jews in the north to the Jews in the south, were disrupted so that Jews ceased traveling on their normal trade routes for fear of attack from Canaanites or to avoid the heavy tolls demanded by the Canaanites.¹⁰⁴ Shamgar may have temporally saved the Israelites by repelling an incursion into the southern highlands, but it would take more than that to free them; only a successful engagement with the enemy on the lowlands could do that, and this became a possibility only through the leadership of Deborah.¹⁰⁵

Before Deborah’s arrival, the common people, the villagers of Isra’el would not fight. However, after her arrival there was a break in the crisis. Until I, Deborah arose, until I arose as a mother in Isra’el (5:7 Hebrew). What did she mean by this? It could only have meant that she was intensely concerned for the people, pained by their anguish, and absolutely determined to change their dismal situation. Like a mother who cares for her children, Deborah was the consummate leader who cared for her “offspring,” the nation of Isra’el, and this led her to do everything in her power to improve their lot. Also, the title mother of Isra’el anticipates the contrast to Sisera’s mother later in the poem (see Ax – Blessed by Ja’el: The Eighth Stanza: The Mother of Sisera).¹⁰⁶

Verse 8a describes the religious situation as Debroah found them: When Isra’el chose new gods, the results were war, weakness, and slavery. When Isra’el violated the Torah (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bl – Have No Other Gods), she, once again, descended into idolatry. Verse 8b describes the military situation: The enemy carried their destructive raids up to the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Isra’el (5:8 NLT). Expending all their energies in making a living, the Israelites lacked any shields or spears needed to defend themselves. This is another symptom of the nation’s depressed condition, but in this context it represents another way of highlighting the role of Ha’Shem’s role in the miracle victory over Sisera’s well-equipped army.¹⁰⁷ Like the earlier battle of Jericho (see Joshua Bb – And the Walls Came Tumbling Down), this was a holy war (see Deuteronomy Ag – The Problem of Holy War in the TaNaKh) led by ADONAI-Tzva’ot, the LORD of heaven’s angelic armies. 

The Fourth Stanza: The Praise of ADONAI (5:9-11): Having described the desperate plight of her people, she now turns to their deliverance. My heart goes out to the commanders of Isra’el, with those who volunteered for war. All of you, praise ADONAI. With the rise of Deborah and the choice of new leaders, the time had come for Isra’el to go on the offensive. As in verse 2, she praises the leaders and the people for their response despite all the disadvantages. Then Deborah issues a call to all the classes of Israelite society. Consider this, those of you who ride on tawny donkeys, sitting on soft saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road . . . consider (5:9-10 NLT)! Tawny female donkeys were preferred by the rich over the generic gray animals. They advertised their status by dressing the donkeys with luxurious blankets. Those who walked along the road were the poor. Consider . . . hints at something both groups might do wrong, namely, simply get on with their lives as though nothing had happened. In effect, it is a call to join in the song. What has happened makes it inappropriate for anyone, rich or poor, to merely go on riding or traveling, sitting on soft saddle blankets, or walking along the road.

Verse 11 presents a strikingly different picture from the preceding one. Here, people are not acting as though nothing has happened. On the contrary, as they divided up spoils between the watering places (traditional meeting points), they remembered the righteous victories of ADONAI (perhaps in song), the victories of the common people who participated in the battle with Him. When they remembered those righteous victories, and with their zeal restored, the people of ADONAI marched down to the city gates to face the enemy (5:11 Hebrew). What was causing the excitement was not the spoil, but the way the people, rich and poor, responded to the call from Deborah. The reference to city gates here looks back to verse 8, making it clear that the people were eager to engage the enemy.¹⁰⁸ This was the first step taken by them that showed the change that had taken place after the LORD’s victory. Beforehand, they were afraid to go down to the gates because of the war (5:8), but now they marched down to the city gates. This serves as an introduction to the more detailed account in 5:12-31. Only here in Judges is Isra’el called the people of ADONAI.¹⁰⁹

ADONAI often uses the weaker things of this world to confound the wise. Certainly in using Debrah to raise up Barak (4:4-10) and in using Ja’el to bring down the mighty Sisera (4:17-22), we see examples of this. He continues to work this way today. He brings deliverance from unexpected sources and in unexpected ways.

He wants to use us, and we need to be willing. We may not feel up to the task. We may feel that our spiritual gifts don’t align with what He is calling us to do. In one way or another, we feel inhibited to serve. When we, as believers, do not trust God in these contexts, we lose out on the opportunity for ADONAI to work through us. We lose out on His good gifts. And worse, we may find ourselves expending all kinds of time and energy hopelessly trying to make up the difference. We want to have the assurance up front that the risk will be worth it, that we will succeed. But God has often already given the assurance in His Word and wants us to be involved so that He may work to accomplish His plan.

Deborah’s willingness to be the LORD’s spokesperson in calling Barak to deliver His people illustrates the faithfulness that ADONAI is seeking in all of us. Moreover, her willingness to go with Barak after his request demonstrates her bravery in the midst of great personal danger. There is nothing in her story that indicates any warrior status or abilities on the part of Deborah. She didn’t fight in the battle; she only spoke to Barak God’s reassurance of victory and encouragement to engage the enemy. Consequently, she was no Xena: Warrior Princes, or Wonder Woman. In fact, the Bible seems to present just the opposite. She was simply a prophetess, the wife of a man named Lappidoth.^110.

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being so wise and so loving. When a battle is won and the victory is secure, singing a song of praise is a wonderful way to remember the joy of winning and to give credit to whom credit is due. When there is a victory, it is important to praise the warriors in the battle; but to also praise You, our great and Almighty winner of battles. It is by Your strength and power that victories are won.

You are still worthy of all trust, praise, glory and honor!

You never change. Your character and purposes do not change, providing a firm foundation for faith in You. “For I am Adonai. I do not change (Malachi 3:6a).

Your Word, full of promises and teachings, will stand forever! The grass withers, the flower fades. But the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).

You are Not wishy washy for You do not change Your mind, what You say stands. God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes his mind! Does He speak and then not do it,
or promise and not fulfill it (Numbers 23:19)?

You remain a constant, pure and righteous King. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne. Lovingkindness and truth go before You (Psalms 89:14).

Your love is everlasting and reaches to the heavens! Your love, Adonai, is in the heavens, Your faithfulness up to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like the great deep (Psalms 36:5-6).

Praise Adonai, for He is good, for His lovingkindness endures forever (Psalms 136:1).

There is no variation nor shadow due to change in You. You are always reliable. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow (James 1:17).

Messiah Yeshua, you are the same forever-always faithful and always holy!  Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

How awesome it is to have such a wonderful, faithful and holy heavenly Father, who loves his children so much and nothing can separate us from Your love.

You were worthy of all trust, praise and glory in the days of Deborah and Barak, and You are still worthy of all trust, praise, glory and honor today!

I desire to give You my total worship, in words, and also in thoughts and in deeds. Thank You for never changing! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Deborah’s Victory Song
5: 1-31

When the Jewish people wanted to celebrate special occasions, they often expressed themselves in song, so the author shifts from narrative prose to jubilant poetry. Future generations might forget what the history book said, but they were not likely to forget a festive song (cf. Exodus 15; Deuteronomy 32; Second Samuel 1:17-27, and Psalm 18). The personal pronouns in 5;7, 9, and 13 indicate that this was Deborah’s victory song, but just as Barak joined her in battle, so he also joined her in the victory celebration.⁹⁷ The victory song of Deborah is universally acclaimed as a literary masterpiece. For forcefulness of expression and brilliance of imagery and style it has few rivals. Even in translation, the Hebrew still retains a vividness, an almost staccato effect of action and a spirit of sheer exultation that indicates a participant, or at least an eye witness. Her victory song is presumably included in the Book of the Wars of the LORD (see the commentary on Numbers Dj – The Book of the Wars of the LORD).⁹⁸ The song progressively unfolds a poetic account of the battle between Isra’el and Sisera already encountered (see As – The Fourth Cycle: Deborah). This poetic version includes several details that were not revealed in the earlier prose account. At regular intervals this account is creatively intertwined with a series of exhortations, spoken by both singer and congregation, that praise ADONAI, call for the defeated foe to listen and reflect, and declare curses or blessings on various people in the song.⁹⁹