Judges 6

Chap. VI. Ver. 1—24. Israel rebel beholds an angel.—Perhaps after all been urged respecting the history of the Israelites, the most surprising is, to find a people so frequently the subjects of the miraculous protection of Jehovah, turning aside to worship the lying vanities of the heathen; and it is an objection not to be completely obviated, but in the experience of those who know “the plague of their own hearts,” and deeply feel a like propensity to turn aside from God, to connect themselves with a world they have professed to renounce, and to indulge in pleasures which they know to be either incompatible, or at least very injurious, to the Christian life. On the other hand, we can never sufficiently admire the long-suffering and compassion of God, who no sooner beholds a prodigal son returning—a sinner forsaking his iniquities—than he meets him in a way of mercy and forgiveness.

In the instance before us we find, that when the children of Israel cried to the Lord, under the weight of oppression from their enemies, he first sends a prophet, to reprove and remonstrate with them, and then an angel, to point out a deliverer. As a respectable traveller, treats him with the accustomed hospitality of the east, and gives him some immediate temporary refreshment, while he prepares a kid for his farther entertainment. In the mean time the conversation turns on the circumstances of the nation, and the angel assures him that the Lord was with him. Gideon, instead of taking this personally to himself, understands it as spoken of the nation generally, and replies, “Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why is all this befallen us? and where be all the miracles which our fathers told us of?” How is it that he who delivered them from the Egyptians, suffers us to pine in slavery under the Midianites? Thus do we often reason, inferring from our afflictions the unkindness and neglect of divine providence; and not considering that all our afflictions originate in sin, and that while we are sinners, we can have no claim on him whom we have offended. Gideon’s misconception is soon corrected. He knew not to whom he spake; but the angel, who is here called the Lord, looked upon, and, in a tone of authority, again commissioned him to save Israel, with this gentle reproof, “Have not I sent thee?”—“Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”

Still Gideon seems insensible of the high dignity of his illustrious guest, and though he treats him with great respect, he argues the impropriety of his making the attempt, who was himself the least of the meanest family of one of the smallest tribes of Israel. To silence his objections, and to convince him of his divine authority, the apparent angel now shows his true character, producing fire from the rock to consume his present, thereby turning it into a sacrifice; and then vanishes out of his sight. Gideon was at length convinced that he had received a heavenly visitant, and became alarmed, from the apprehension, that such a vision might be fatal; he was assured, however, to the contrary, and built an altar, which he named Jehovah Shalom, the Lord send peace!

This altar does not appear to have been intended for sacrifice, but as a memorial of the Lord’s appearing to him on this occasion. ((Joshua 22:26-27).) Ver. 25—40. Gideon commences war against Baal and the Midianites.—The circumstances under which Gideon was favoured with the vision of the angel of the Lord may be worthy of our remark, as analogous to those under which the Lord usually bestows his presence and his blessing. He was in a state of retirement from the world, laudably and industriously employed, deeply impressed with the distresses of his brethren and of his country, and becomingly sensible of his own unworthiness and insignificance; it is under such circumstances that we may reasonably hope to enjoy the divine presence and blessing.

To return, however, to the history of Gideon: the vision he had seen by day is confirmed by a divine dream by night, and he is enjoined to declare war against Baal, whose worship had been introduced even into his father’s family. With the assistance of ten of his own servants he fulfilled his orders; and in consequence, in the morning, a great alarm was spread, and the author of this supposed impiety being known, the people of the town apply immediately to his father, to deliver him up to death. His father, however, demurred to this demand; not only influenced by paternal feelings, but also deeply self-convicted that he had been himself an idolater, and, as an Israelite, deserved punishment rather than his son; instead, therefore, of delivering up his son, he retaliates upon them the charge of idolatry, and puts the divinity of Baal to this test—if he be a god, he is able to defend himself.

This suggestion probably came from Gideon, and therefore the name Jerubbaal was given to him; and he was afterwards called Jerub-besheth, the word Baal being put out, and Besheth, that is, shame, put in; which implies that this was the same Baal worshipped at Peor. (See (Numbers 25:3). Hosea ix. 10.) This opposition to idolatry excited the Midianites to see the cause of Baal, while the Spirit of God in Gideon roused the Israelites to self-defence. The aged warrior was, however, still diffident and incredulous. That he, a stripling unaccustomed to war, without arms or troops, should be able to deliver Israel, seems to him so wonderful, that he thinks another miracle necessary, to satisfy him fully of the divine appointment, and to animate him to the work.

Unreasonable as this may appear to us, the Lord condescended to silence all his doubts, and remove all his fears, by the double miracle of the fleece, when it is known that the night dews in that country are very heavy. We are not warranted, under the Christian dispensation, to require any miraculous intimation of the divine will; for the word of God is now alone our guide and warrant. But there we have “line upon line, and precept upon precept;” besides the voice of Providence and the influence of Grace, which are as a word behind us, saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” ((Isaiah 30:21).)

Notes on the verses

Chap. Vi. Ver. 2. Made them dens in the mountains.—{Dr. Shaw says, that a great way on each side of Joppa, on the sea-coast, there is a range of mountains and precipices; and in these high situations are generally found the dens, holes, or caves, which are so frequently mentioned in Scripture; and which were formerly the lonesome retreats of the distressed Israelites. Aster. “Baldwin L. presenting himself, with some troops, before Ascalon, the citizens were afraid to venture out to fight with him. On this, finding it would be of no advantage to continue there, he ranged about the plains, between the mountains and the sea, and found villages, whose inhabitants, having left their houses, had retired with their wives and children, their flocks and herds, into subterraneous caves.”

See (1 Samuel 14:11). Ver. 3. and 33. The children of the East,—In this history are the descendants of the other sons of Keturah, (beside Midian,) who had settled themselves in the eastern parts, adjoining Midian.—}Vells’s Geography. Ver. 11. To hide it.—Heb. “to cause it to flee;” i.e. to keep it out of sight of the Midianites. But we also suggest, that as the wine-press was used only during a short period, and then shut up, and probably had not been used at all for some years, it was as private a place as he could find on this occasion. The original term means, to beat with a stick, which method was probably used only in threshing small quantities.—Fragments, No. xlviii. Ver. 14. And the Lord looked, &c.—Here, the same person is called Jehovah who is called an angel; surely, that he was more than an angel, is a sufficient proof, in many other places, the same person is called Jehovah who is called an angel. Ver. 18. My present.—Hebrew, Mincha, or “meat-offering;” rather, an offering of bread and flour. See note on (Leviticus 2:1). Some have supposed this was intended for a sacrifice; but it is plain Gideon did not yet know the divine dignity of his visiter. He intended it as a hospitable entertainment, but the angel turned it into a sacrifice, and thereby Gideon discovered who he was. The following passage from Dr. Shaw’s Travels, Harmer calls ‘a perfect commentary on this text:’—“Besides a bowl of milk, and a basket of figs, raisins, or dates, which upon our arrival were presented to us to stay our appetites, the master of the tent where we lodged, fetched us from his flock, according to the number of our company, a kid or a goat, a lamb or a sheep; half of which was immediately seethed by his wife, and served up with cusca- Sooe; the rest was made kab-ab; i.e. cut in pieces, and roasted; which we reserved for our breakfast or dinner next day.” And the second bullock.” By Ver. 25. Even the second more distinct tear this it should seem both were offered; one as a simple sin-offering, of which himself and his men might partake; the other as a burnt-offering, for which the grove he cut down would furnish wood. Ver. 31. Let him plead for himself.—{The words are very emphatic: “Will ye plead in earnest, therefore, for Baal? Will ye really save, therefore, him? If he be God, Elohim, let Him contend for Himself, as His altar is thrown down.” Tacitus, mentioning the letter of Tiberius to the consuls in behalf of Cassius and Rubrius, two Roman knights, one of whom was accused of having sold a statue of Augustus, who had been deified, and the other of having sworn falsely by his name; said, “That divine honours were not decreed to his father (Augustus) to lay snares for the citizens; and if his statue, in common with the images of the gods in general, was put up to sale with houses and gardens, it could not be considered an injury to religion: That and false oath must be considered as an attempt to deceive Jupiter himself; but the gods must take cognizance of the injuries done unto them.”}—Bagster. Ver. 32. Jerubbaal.—That is, “Let Baal plead.”