Judges 6
COA1655Judges 6:1
Midian] See the Annotations on Hab. III. 7.
Judges 6:2
Fire] Here fire comes out of a rock: as water did, Exod. XVII. 7.
Judges 6:11
Angel] Christ the Angel of the Covenant. ver. 14, 15, 16, 22, 23.
Judges 6:14
Thy might] Which I now give thee; with my promise to assist thee; as ver. 16.
Judges 6:18
My Present] Not Sacrifice, or meat-offering; but for thy food and repast. As Abraham entertained the Angels, Gen. XVIII. and Manoab, Iudg. XIII. 15.
Judges 6:25
Of seven years old] The same age that the tyranny and oppression of the Midianites had arrived to.
Judges 6:26
And build an Altar] Gideon had Gods warrant and command for all, for his building the Altar; and for his sacrificing upon it. And this is that Altar mentioned, ver. 24.
Judges 6:30
That he may die] Their idolatrous zeale.
Judges 6:32
Ierubbaal] Gideon so called by his father; not in way of reproach, but of honour rather. In 2 Sam. XI. 21. he is called Ierubbosheth. And so Eshbaal, and Meribbaal, the sonne, and grandchilde of Saul, 1 Chron. VIII. 33, 34. are called Ishbosheth, and Mephibosheth, 2 Sam. II. 8. and IV. 4.
Judges 6:33
Iezreel] As here in Iezreel the Midianites pitched; so did both the Philistines, and Israelites in Sauls time, 1 Sam. XXIX. 1, 11. And hence came the newes of Sauls death, 2 Sam. IV. 4. who was slaine in Mount Gilboa on the North-side of Iezreel. This Iezreel was not that in the Tribe of Iudah, Iosh. XV. 56.
But in Manasseh; towards Issachar; about twelve miles Northward from Samaria. Ahab from Carmel rode hither, and Elijah did run before his Chariot, 1 King. XVIII. 45, 46. Here Ahab gets Naboths Vineyard, and came from Samaria in the Tribe of Ephraim hither to take possession, 1 King. XXI. 18. having his habitations and Palaces in both Cities. And besides Gods judgement upon Ahab himself, ver. 19. both Ioram, and Iezebel, the sonne, and wife of Ahab, were slaine here by Iehu; and also all that belonged to Ahab in Iezreel: And the heads of Ahabs seventy sons were brought from Samaria to Iezreel, 2 King.
IX. and X Chapters.
Judges 6:35
Messengers] The Tribes here named were the next to Gideon, and to Iabin.
Judges 6:37
Fleece of wooll] Herein is Gods great condescension to Gideon, working a miracle forward and backward, as it were; yea, many miracles for the strengthening of his faith, in his vocation, and in Gods promise.