The Book Of JUDGES
Judges 21:25 "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
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CHAPTER 7:
Verses 1-8: The total number of Gideon’s army is 32,000 men. (v.3) But God tells Gideon this is too great a number for the LORD to receive the honor and glory for the coming victory against the Midianites. (v.2) He instructs Gideon to release any man who is fearful and afraid of the coming battle. (v.3) This winnows the army from 32,000 to 10,000. But that’s still too many for God to receive all the credit for the coming victory. So He tells Gideon to bring the men to the river’s edge, and, based on how each man kneels to take a drink, he will either remain or be dismissed to return home. (v.4-6) The men who scoop up the water with one hand are kept while the rest who kneel and drank straight from the river are dismissed. One possible explanation for this unusual disqualification process is that the men who drink from one hand are able to keep the other near their weapon, thus being vigilant while satisfying their thirst. The rest of the men, however, leave themselves defenseless and off guard by kneeling down to drink straight from the river. Now, with just 300 men, God tells Gideon that his army is the right size for going up against the Midianites. (v.7) Gideon sends the rest of the men back to their tents. (v.8) God often works in the same way in our own lives today. He strips us of what we think are our strengths and abilities so that we are wholly dependent upon Him for the victory in whatever trial or testing He is putting us through. It often doesn’t make sense from our perspective, but, like Gideon, we must learn to have faith in God and trust Him alone, not in our own might or strength. In this way, only God can rightfully get the honor and glory that is due Him and Him alone. Verses 9-15: God instructs Gideon that night to slip unseen into the enemy camp on a scouting mission. (v.9-11) He promises Gideon once more that He has delivered all of them into Israel’s hand, and the purpose of this covert op is so that Gideon’s faith and courage will be increased. (v.11) God even graciously allows for Phurah to go with Gideon if he is too fearful to go by himself. (v.10) How merciful and understanding is the LORD! He does not chasten us or get short tempered with our constant anxieties and fears. His patience and longsuffering are seemingly endless as He graciously accommodates our frailties and weaknesses. He doesn’t berate or scold Gideon for still being afraid, even after God has promised Him yet again that He will give the Israelites the victory. Instead, the LORD gives Gideon yet another tangible sign that He is with Gideon and the Israelites this night. Gideon and Phurah obey the Lord, slipping unseen into the midst of the Midianite camp. In one of the tents, two soldiers are talking, and one of them tells the other of his unusual dream. (v.13) A barley loaf tumbles through the camp, destroying one of the tents, and the other soldier responds by saying that it represents Gideon and the Israelite army. The two men are convinced that they will all be defeated by Israel this night. (v.14) God had already begun working in the hearts of the Midianites, making them fearful and anxious about the coming battle. As expected, Gideon’s courage and faith are strengthened by this news, and he and Phurah quietly return to their camp. (v.15) Gideon assures his 300 men that God has indeed given the Midianites over to them this night. Verses 16-25: Gideon divides the 300 into three companies of 100 each, and gives each man a pitcher with only a candle inside. (v.16) The three hundred men silently surround the enemy camp shortly after the Midianites had set the middle watch of the night. (v.19) At Gideon’s signal the men break their pitchers while also sounding their trumpets, and they shout in one voice, “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!” (v.20) Startled from slumber, the Midianite army is confused, believing that the whole Israelite army has surrounded them. God further works in the hearts of the Midianites, turning their fear against them, so that they attack one another while others flee from the camp. (v.21-22) The 300 Israelites continue to blow their trumpets while soldiers from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh pursue the Midianites that escape the camp. (v.23) Gideon sends messengers to Ephraim, summoning their soldiers to assist in the pursuit of the Midianites. (v.24) The reason for this is because the soldiers he had already assembled are not enough to round up all the Midianites that had fled the camp. This is a testament to how great in number are the Midianites. The men of Ephraim successfully round up the remainder of the enemy’s army, capturing Oreb and Zeeb in the process, two of the Midianite commanders. (v.25) In true poetic justice, Oreb and Zeeb are executed at the winepress of Zeeb, and their heads are brought to Gideon as a trophy. From the Moody Bible Commentary: “A few statistics are in order to indicate the miracle involved with this victory. The Midianite army numbered about 135,000 soldiers (see Judges 8:10 for the 15,000 Midianite survivors plus the 120,000 killed in the battle). The army of Gideon numbered 300. That yields a ratio of 450 Midianite soldiers to each Jewish soldier. Who else but God could receive the credit for such a victory? And this is precisely the point of the narrative. It is God, not Gideon, who is the hero in this and every story!” CHAPTER 8: Verses 1-3: The pride of the elders of Ephraim is wounded, and they come to Gideon, rebuking him for waiting until after the main battle with the Midianites to call for their aid. This hearkens back to Gideon’s objection to the angel of the Lord in chapter 6 regarding the social status of him and his tribe. Gideon’s response here in verse 2 is meant to soothe the ruffled feathers of Ephraim’s men. Gideon acknowledges their tribe’s greatness, and he also points out to them how God delivered Oreb and Zeeb into their hands instead of giving Gideon that particular victory. (v.3) The fact is that God had deliberately winnowed Gideon’s army down to just 300 men, and that’s the primary reason Gideon had not called on the army of Ephraim to aid him in battle. But Gideon wisely doesn’t argue with the elders of Ephraim. Instead, he just acknowledges their tribe’s status and gives God the glory for giving Ephraim the victory in their capture of Oreb and Zeeb. Verses 4-9: Although the main battle is over, the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, are still at large. Gideon and his 300 men set off in pursuit, crossing over the Jordan in the process. However, all of them are still weary from the battle, as well as hungry, and they stop in the village of Succoth to request food and supplies. (v.5) But the men of Succoth doubt Gideon’s ability with his small band of soldiers to successfully defeat the army of the Midianites which is still great in number. (Not all of the army had been slain in the earlier battle, which is one reason Gideon is still pursuing them.) So they deny Gideon his request. In response, Gideon promises retribution when he and his men return from their successful victory. (v.7) He further declares that God is the one who will give them the final victory, demonstrating the weakness of the faith of the elders of Succoth. The same scenario happens at the village of Penuel. (v.8-9) Gideon promises that when he returns he will tear down the tower that stands at the center of their village. Verses 10-12: Gideon’s faith in God is vindicated before the men of Penuel and Succoth when he successfully slays the remainder of the Midianite army, which is about 15,000 men. (v.10-11) Once again, it is only the LORD that could receive the honor and glory, for 300 against 15,000 is indeed miraculous! Gideon and his men also successfully capture the two kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. Verses 13-17: On his return journey, Gideon captures one of the young men of Succoth and has him write down the seventy-seven names of the city elders. (v.14) He then tracks them down, rebukes them, and scourges them using whips made of thorns and briers. (v.15-16) Next, Gideon and his men tear down the tower of Penuel. (v.17) Verses 18-21: Zebah and Zalmunna had slain Gideon’s brothers at Tabor, and for that reason Gideon now pronounces judgment on them. (v.18-19) At first, he orders his oldest son, Jether, to do the act, but Jether protests, saying that he’s too young and weak to wield the sword. (v.20) So Gideon kills them instead. (v.21) He also takes as spoil the gold ornaments that are hung around the necks of the kings’ camels. It is this gold that will later be used to make the ephod that will become an idol for Gideon. Verses 22 – 27: The men of Israel are so grateful to Gideon for freeing them from the Midianite oppression that they offer Gideon the role of king to rule over them. (v.22) This hereditary kingship would pass down from Gideon to his son and his son’s son, etc. This tradition was not out of the ordinary for the peoples of the ANE. Kingship was often bestowed upon men who had proven themselves in battle and attained great victories, which Gideon had just accomplished. But Gideon rejects their offer, saying “…The LORD shall rule over you.” (v.23) Thus Gideon remained in the role of judge for the rest of his life, following the pattern of the judges that had come before him. Instead lieu of kingship, Gideon makes a special request of the soldiers: the gold earrings they had taken as spoil from the Midianites. (v.24) The men willingly give them up, and the total value is 1,700 shekels. (v.26) This is besides all the other spoil seized from the two kings: royal garments, jewelry, the ornaments from the camel’s necks, etc. From the gold earrings Gideon fashions an ephod for himself, and this is his first mistake. Only the high priest was to possess the ephod, which was a method by which he could determine the will of God. (Exodus 28:2, 4) The amount of gold used to make the ephod suggests that some kind of idolatrous image is on it, and that, combined with the statements in verse 27, tells us that Gideon set himself up to be worshiped by Israel as a king. This, too, was a common practice by the cultures of the ANE, and this why the author concludes with the statement, “…which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.” Verses 28-35: Forty years seems to be the most common length of time that Israel has peace and rest from all her enemies. (v.28) Another common practice in the ANE was for kings and/or men of great renown to take multiple wives, which Gideon does during this period of peace and prosperity. (v.30) In addition to polygamy, these men would also have concubines, and Gideon, unfortunately, is no exception. One of his seventy sons (v.30) is Abimelech (v.31), who will eventually cause great trouble for all of Israel after Gideon’s death. Although polygamy was against God’s law, the practice was never completely abolished in Israel. Starting with Abraham and continuing down through every generation – even with men of God as great as David and Solomon – polygamy was the one sin that always got them and their descendants in trouble. Scripture is clear that just because these men who walked with God – and whom God blessed greatly – had multiple wives, God did not approve of or bless this immoral, pagan tradition. As we will see here in Judges and everywhere else in the OT, the consequences of polygamy were never good for the man of God or for the nation of Israel. God did bless Gideon with long life for his obedience and faith, and upon his death he is buried in Ophrah, in the grave of his father. (v.32) And, of course, it doesn’t take long for the children of Israel to once again go astray. (v.33) They fall back into idolatry, betraying the memory and spiritual legacy of Gideon. (v.35) It is sad that the legacy of a man of God such as Gideon was stained in his later years by the sins of idolatry and polygamy. Like King Solomon, Gideon was led astray by a combination of his own foolish pride and his many wives and concubines. His account here in Judges is one of the many lessons that scripture teaches us today about the ease with which we can become ensnared by the desires of our flesh if we are not careful.
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Judge #5: Gideon (Manasseh)
Verses 1-6: The Midianites are the descendants of Abraham through his handmaid Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2), and the Amalekites (v.3) are the offspring of Esau (Genesis 36:12). Both nations are used by God to once again punish Israel for their disobedience. (v.1) It’s clear from this passage that not all the Midianites were killed and/or conquered by Israel in their first encounter several generations earlier. (Numbers 31) Many of them must have escaped and fled into neighboring countries, eventually coming back together to form their own nation by the time Israel begins their conquest of the promised land. The Midianites raid the fields and towns of Israel, plundering their crops and livestock, until there is almost nothing left for the Israelites to sustain themselves. (v.3-4) This, too, makes sense in that the descendants of those survivors from the first encounter with Israel are motivated by vengeance, and God uses that to chasten His people. The armies of the Midianites and the Amalekites combined are so great in number that the author compares them to the multitude of grasshoppers, and their invasion of Israel’s land is sudden and swift. (v.5) (This is also further proof of God’s initial promise to Abraham. It was not only by Sarah that Abraham’s seed was as great in number as the stars in the sky, but also by Hagar and Keturah as well.) The resulting devastation is so great that all of Israel is left utterly destitute. (v.6) They are forced to flee into the mountains, hiding themselves in caves. (v.2) As always, Israel cries out to the LORD, repenting of their sin and begging Him for deliverance from their enemies. (v.6) Verses 7-10: As with Deborah, God uses a prophet to deliver a message to His people, and the prophet begins the message with a reminder to Israel of their fathers’ deliverance from Egypt by His hand. Keep in mind that the whole reason for Israel’s constant apostasy and idolatry is because each generation is neglecting to pass on to their children who God is and what He did for the descendants of Jacob in Egypt. Therefore, God Himself must now remind the new generation of who He is and what He’s done for their fathers. (v.8-9) God reminds Israel of the covenant He made with their fathers at Mount Sinai, how He delivered them from all their enemies – not just the Egyptians – and that it was He who gave them the promised land. (v.9-10) God had warned His people about turning away from Him to worship the false gods of the Amorites, but Israel didn’t listen and disobeyed the Lord’s commandments, thus breaking His covenant with them. (v.10) Verses 11-24: Gideon, son of Joash the Abiezrite, is threshing wheat in a winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites. (v.11) Gideon is of the tribe of Manasseh, from Ophrah, which in the north, in the Jezreel valley. Threshing wheat is a process whereby the grain is separated from the stalks by having people or oxen tread over them in a wide, flat, open area, typically in the fields and preferably on high ground. Then, once the grain has been separated, the next step is called winnowing, where the wheat and chaff are separated by tossing them into the air. The kernels of wheat, which are heavier than the chaff, fall to the ground while the chaff is blown away in the wind. All of this is typically done in a large, open communal area that is easily visible to anyone passing by. But the threat and the oppression of the Midianites is so great at this time that Gideon is forced to thresh the wheat in a winepress. The winepress, however, is usually tucked away in the middle of a garden or a vineyard, away from public view. The angel of the LORD, a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, surprises Gideon in the midst of his threshing wheat and greets him with the salutation “thou mighty man of valour.” (v.12) The angel also informs Gideon that “…The LORD is with thee…”, but Gideon is skeptical of this statement. He asks the angel why, if God is truly with Israel, has all this recent misery befallen them? Gideon references the accounts of their fathers, of their miraculous deliverance from Egypt and all the other signs and wonders that God had displayed for His people afterwards. (v.13) Gideon, like many of his generation, believes that God has abandoned Israel, leaving them at the mercy of the Midianites. This statement is also proof that in every generation of Israel not all had failed in teaching their children about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There is always a remnant that remembers the Law of Moses and has taught their children about the one true God. Verse 14 is further proof that Gideon is speaking directly with Christ Himself (“And the LORD looked upon him…”). God tells Gideon that he has been chosen to be the next leader of Israel, to save them from the Midianites, and that he is being sent by God. In other words, Gideon should take courage and strength from the certainty that God is with him and will give him all that he needs to defeat the Midianites. But Gideon, like Moses, is fearful and timid, and lacks faith in God’s promises. He’s also understandably bewildered by the LORD’s choice of him, a poor farmer from an insignificant house of one of the lesser tribes of Israel. (v.15) In the ANE, as well as the nation of Israel, rank is everything. One’s status is derived from one’s birth order, house, and clan or tribal name, and Gideon is understandably skeptical about his chances of gaining a large enough following of the armies of Israel in order to defeat an enemy so great as the Midianites. It’s also very likely that he is the youngest son of his family (“…I am least in my father’s house.”) As with David several generations later, God chooses the youngest and the lowliest to lead His people. The LORD graciously reassures Gideon that He will be with him, and he “…shalt smite the Midianites as one man.” (v.16) In other words, Gideon, with the supernatural aid of God, will be successful in commanding the army of Israel. But Gideon is still skeptical, and he asks the LORD for a sign that He is indeed the God of Israel. (v.17) The way this verse is phrased (“…shew me a sign that thou talkest with me”) suggests that Gideon is not entirely certain that he’s actually speaking with God. He desires proof that it’s truly the LORD Himself that is standing before him. Gideon asks the angel to wait while he prepares a gift in the form of a sacrifice, and the LORD agrees. (v.18) This is even further proof that the angel is the preincarnate Christ, for only God would accept worship from mankind. Abraham did something similar when he was visited by the angel of the LORD. (Genesis 18:3-5) Gideon prepares a young goat and unleavened cakes made from an ephah of flour which the angel of God commands him to lay upon the altar. (v.19-20) The angel then holds out his staff, touching the altar, and fire from heaven consumes the offering, but the fire comes up from the altar itself instead of raining from heaven. Following this the angel disappears. (v.21) Gideon then realizes that he has seen God Himself in the flesh, face to face, and he is filled with awe and fear. (v.22) But God commands him, “Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.” (v.23) Gideon then builds another altar in the same spot as the previous one that had been consumed. (v.24) He names it Jehovah-shalom, which means “The LORD is peace”. Verses 25-32: Now that Gideon has accepted God’s calling for him, the LORD assigns him a specific task. He commands Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and the grove that is around it. (v.25) Using the wood from those trees, Gideon is to then offer up a blood sacrifice on a new altar that he will build in its place. (v.26) Before Gideon can lead all of Israel to victory, he needs to clean up his own house first. Not only that, God needs to build up Gideon’s courage and his faith in preparation for national leadership. As with Moses, God summons His chosen man first and then qualifies him for the task He assigns him. Gideon obeys God, but he completes the assignment by night out of fear of reprisal from both his father and the elders of the city. (v.27) When the elders discover the vandalism the next morning, it doesn’t take them long to search out the culprit. It was most likely one of the ten servants that Gideon used to assist him the night before that gave him up to the city elders. (v.28-29) When they confront Joash at his house, demanding that he surrender Gideon to them for execution, Joash challenges the men to let Baal plead for himself. (v.30-31) If he’s a real god he will be the one to punish Gideon, not the men of the city. As mentioned earlier, the fact that Gideon knows of God and of the Mosaic Law, combined with Joash’s response to the city elders in verse 31, indicate that Joash taught Gideon of the one true God of Israel. However, it also stands to reason that Joash had built the altar to Baal, as well as practicing the pagan rituals associated with that heathen worship, in order to appease the elders and protect his house. But now that Gideon has courageously stood up to the men and done what’s right in the eyes of God, Joash is also willing to take a stand. Perhaps his youngest son persuaded Him of God’s calling, and Joash, too, has experienced renewed faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He and all his house no longer fear the men of the city as they once did. Joash also gives Gideon another name, Jerubbaal, because of his actions. (v.32) News of Gideon’s act and his calling by God naturally spreads throughout Ophrah and the surrounding region, as indicated by the rest of this chapter. Verses 33-40: The armies of the Midianites and the Amalekites set up camp in the valley of Jezreel in preparation for another battle. (v.33) As with the previous judges, the Holy Spirit indwells Gideon (v.34), and he sends messengers to not only his own tribe of Manasseh, but also Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. (v.35) Their armies readily join together under Gideon’s leadership, but Gideon’s faith is still weak. This account of the fleece and Gideon’s testing of God’s calling is not to be taken by believers today as a good example. Gideon already knew what God had called him to do, and God had already promised Gideon that He would deliver the Midianites and Amalekites into Israel’s hands. There was no need for Gideon to seek another sign from the Lord as assurance of His promise of victory. Nevertheless, rather than rebuke His servant, God patiently allows Gideon to test His word and gives Gideon the two signs that he asks for. The Song of Deborah
This chapter is not only a song of praise for God’s deliverance of His chosen people, but also a picture of daily life for Israel at this time. Verse 2: It was never God’s desire that His people live in such misery and unrest. Their apostasy, rebellion, and general disobedience had brought upon themselves the LORD's chastisement. Yet God did not hesitate to avenge Israel when they finally repented and cried unto Him for deliverance. It was only when Barak and his army “willingly offered themselves” to God for His service that God did a mighty work on their behalf. This was the root of Israel’s problem: consistent rebellion and unwillingness to submit themselves to the Lord to do His will daily! This is the key to having a close and personal walk with God. We must willingly surrender ourselves to Him every day and do what He commands us. Israel’s sin was that of pride. They chose to do what they wanted to do, not what God had commanded them in His law. Because of this, they forfeited God’s blessings as well as His divine protection from their enemies. Verses 3-5: Deborah sings of God’s mighty deliverance, echoing the same poetic language that characterized the song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32) as well as that used by David in his psalms many generations later. It’s possible, in fact, that David was referencing this passage when he wrote Psalm 68:8. Verse 5 is a reference to God’s first appearance to Israel at Mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:18) Verses 6-11: Shamgar is a contemporary of Deborah, Barak, and Jael. It’s possible that Deborah summoned Shamgar and gave him his mission from God the same way she summoned Barak. During this time the main roads are unsafe because of Israel’s enemies. Thieves attack unsuspecting travelers, and because of this the people use alternate routes to get where they need to go. (v.6) Villages, too, are unsafe because there is no central, stable government in Israel. Small towns and villages are vulnerable to raids by Israel’s enemies, and this, in combination with the lack of godly male leadership, has caused severe disruption in the daily life of Israel. (v.7) Because the nation has turned away from God in favor of worshiping the false gods of the Canaanites, God punishes His people by allowing their enemies to attack them, and there are no godly men among the Israelites willing to go fight their enemies. (v.8) Verse 9 echoes and reaffirms the statement in verse 2. God uses those who willingly surrender themselves to Him for His service and divine plan. The city gates (v.11) is where Deborah and Barak muster “…the people of the LORD…”. In the ANE the gates of a city are where all the important men, primarily the elders and rulers, gather. Therefore this is the logical place one would go to summon the warriors of every tribe. Verses 12-18: This section details how Deborah and Barak summon the men to battle, though not all of the tribes respond to Deborah’s call. “Machir” (v.14) is referring to Manasseh, and “…the pen of the writer…” (v.14) refers to the recruiting staff held by the tribe of Zebulun. This is a staff held by the leaders of a military unit, according to the Moody Bible Commentary. Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Issachar all answer the summons. Reuben, Gad, Asher, and Dan, however, refuse to join their brethren in war. Verses 19-23: This section describes the battle at the river Kishon. Taanach is “…on the southern edge of the Jezreel Valley, about 25 miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee. The Kishon River runs through the swampy lowlands to the north of the city.” (The Moody Bible Commentary) Verse 20 is poetic language that refers to God’s divine power against Sisera and his army. God used the natural elements, such as the Kishon River, to sweep away Israel’s enemies. Verse 22 is almost certainly poetic sarcasm, for it would be impossible for Sisera’s horses to be galloping and prancing when they and the chariots are mired in swampy marshlands. It’s also very likely that God causes an unexpected and torrential downpour at the start of the battle. This would have caused the river to overflow its banks, thus turning the tide of battle in Israel’s favor. The name “Meroz” in verse 23 clearly references a place, possibly a city or a village in or near Taanach. Deborah curses its people because they refused to aid the Israelites. Verses 24-27: This passage is a retelling of verses 17-24 of chapter 4. In addition to the milk Jael also gave Sisera some butter (v.25) and probably some bread to go with it. This helps explain why he was so quick to fall asleep afterwards. The weariness of battle combined with the heaviness of a full meal lulled him into a deep sleep. After driving the stake through his temples, Jael cut off Sisera’s head, another detail omitted from the account in the previous chapter. Verses 28-30: Deborah imagines the pain and longing that Sisera’s mother experienced as she waited desperately and vainly for her son’s return. Her maidens try to comfort her with the explanation that Sisera is delayed because he and his men are indulging in the spoils of victory, part of which includes raping the Israelite women. (v.30) This section is not meant to illicit sympathy for Sisera’s mother, but rather to serve as a dramatic flourish to the climax of Deborah’s song. While the Israelites are rejoicing in their victory, the enemies of God are left alone, destitute, and mourning the loss of their kinsman and children. Verse 31: Deborah gives a final note of praise to the LORD, comparing His children to the sun when it rises on a new day. God gives strength and victory to those that love Him and obey His commandments. Israel once again has peace and rest from her enemies for forty years. Verses 1-3: It doesn’t take long for the current generation at the time of Ehud’s death to fall back into sin and rebellion against God. (Judges 2:19) They “…again did evil in the sight of the LORD…” (v.1) and so this time God uses King Jabin of Hazor to punish Israel. The captain of Jabin’s army is Sisera of Harosheth. (v.2) The fact that he has “…nine hundred chariots of iron…” (v.3) confirms his military might, and he successfully conquers Israel. The oppression and rule of King Jabin lasts twenty years. (v.3)
Judge #4: Deborah (Issachar) Verses 4-10: Deborah’s presence as a judge of Israel at this time shows how far God’s chosen people had fallen from His divine plan for the nation in the promised land. From the very beginning God designed men to be the rulers of both the nation and their individual families. When Adam and Eve brought the curse of sin upon themselves and the world, God declared to Eve that Adam, in the role of her husband, would be her spiritual authority and that she, as his wife, was to submit to his leadership. (Genesis 3:16) When it came time to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, God called a man, Moses, to lead His chosen people. He commanded Moses to number the tribes according to the men who were twenty years of age or older. (Numbers 1:1-4) Only the males of the tribe of Levi could serve as priests in the tabernacle. (Numbers 3:9-10) God Himself is referred to in scripture as male, not female. Even in the New Testament church age, God commands the men to be the spiritual leaders of their homes and for the wives to submit to the authority of their husbands. (Ephesians 5:22-23, 1 Peter 3:5-6) Women are forbidden from having any office of leadership in the church that would place them in authority over the men. (1 Timothy 2: 9-12) Therefore, the fact that Deborah is in a position of leadership over the nation here in the era of the Judges proves just how far and how deeply the Israelites had fallen into sin and strayed from God’s commandments of the Law of Moses. The men of Israel have abdicated their rightful positions as spiritual leaders, and there are none worthy of being called by God at this time to be a judge. This same scenario will occur much later during the era of the kings, prior to the Babylonian invasion and captivity. (Isaiah 3:12) And, sadly, we today are witnessing this as well. America, as a nation, has fallen so far from God’s grace and His blessings because of our sin that we celebrate sodomy and transgenderism and feminism as “progress” and as “good”. In fact, those three things have utterly destroyed what God designed as the foundation of society: the family. God’s design has always been one man, one woman, married for life, and the man is the spiritual leader of his home as well as the leader of the nation. The men are to be the warriors, the defenders, the protectors, and the leaders of society. The women’s place is in the home as the nurturers, caregivers, and keepers of the children and the home. A woman has no business being a senator, a president, a soldier, or any other occupation where she is tasked with leading, fighting, and/or defending a community, city, or a nation. That is not her God given role and honor. She is the “weaker vessel” and needs the protection, nurturing, and leadership of her husband and other God-ordained male authority. (1 Peter 3:7) When God’s design is ignored in favor of man’s foolishness, this is the result. Men no longer step up and lead, and the women and children rebel against all authority. That is exactly what is happening here in Judges, and, as a consequence, God chooses a woman to communicate His will to the nation. To put it simply, Deborah is the exception that proves the rule. The utter dearth of brave, godly men who will lead the Israelites into battle is further illustrated by Barak, the soldier Deborah summons in verse 6. Her question to him implies that she had already given him the LORD's message but that he had not yet obeyed the command! She summons him again and repeats what God had already commanded him to do: take ten thousand soldiers of the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun and confront Jabin’s army at the Kishon river. (v.6-7) Barak’s response to this is astounding, and it stands in sharp contrast to that of Caleb’s request of Joshua several generations earlier. (Joshua 14:12) Barak demonstrates a shocking lack of faith in God and His power to give the victory to His chosen people! Rather than rely on God alone, Barak pleads with Deborah to go with Him into battle. (v.8) If she refuses then he won’t obey the LORD's command! Deborah’s response further confirms the author’s point in this passage. She tells Barak she will go with him, but that he would have no honor in the coming victory. (v.9) In fact, the name of the LORD would be even more magnified because the victory over Sisera would belong to a woman! In the culture of the ANE at this time, a woman in any position of power – especially that of a military commander – was unheard of. From the moment God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden, mankind has always been a patriarchal society, even to our present day. As I explained earlier, that means the men are the leaders, protectors, and defenders, and the women remain at home to bear children, care for and nurture them, and keep up the home. They are to be submissive to the authority of their husbands and the male leadership of their tribe, community, nation, etc. This was especially true in the ANE, as we can clearly see this illustrated throughout scripture, starting with Genesis 12 when God called Abraham to leave his people and set out for the promised land. Therefore, the fact that Deborah must now go with Barak to the battlefield because he’s unwilling to man up and accept his God given, masculine role as leader and commander of the Lord’s army speaks volumes about the appalling state of Israel at this time! Only when Deborah acquiesces to his request does he then gather his army and start marching to the Kishon river. (v.10) Verses 11-16: Heber, a Kenite, has defected from the nation of Israel, and he dispatches a messenger to Sisera that an Israelite army is on its way to confront him. (v.11-12) The specific reference to nine hundred chariots of iron in verse 13 emphasizes the power and might of Sisera’s army. Harosheth of the Gentiles (v.13, 16) is a “…city in the north of the land of Canaan on the west coast of the lake Merom.” (Brown-Driver-Briggs Bible dictionary.) Deborah encourages Barak by reminding him that the Lord has promised him the victory and Barak obeys. (v.14) God keeps His word, and though the Israelites are successful in destroying Sisera’s army, Sisera himself manages to escape. (v.15-16) Verses 17-24: Sisera flees to the tent of Heber’s wife, Jael, and she welcomes him with open arms. (v.17-18) He is weary from battle and thirsty too, so she gives him milk to drink. (v.19) It’s very likely that the milk acted as a sedative in addition to being a thirst quencher. Sisera asks Jael to protect him by lying to anyone who might come looking for him. (v.20) After this he falls asleep. Jael then drives a tent spike through his skull. (v.21) Sometime later, when Barak shows up looking for Sisera, Jael invites him into her tent to show him the body of the Canaanite captain. (v.22) As Deborah had prophesied, the final victory went to Jael, a woman, instead of Barak. God punished him for his lack of faith which is a form of disobedience. God’s original plan was for Barak to step up and lead the army without Deborah as well as being the one to kill Sisera. But because of his disobedience, the Lord gave the victory to a woman instead, emphasizing once more just how badly and deeply Israel had strayed from God. The Israelites, by the hand of God, eventually defeat King Jabin, and are granted another period of prosperity and rest. (v.23-24)  Era of the Judges. Courtesy of the Moody Bible Atlas. A total of twelve judges are described in this book, six major and six minor. The six major ones are Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson. Their stories make up the bulk of this book. (Judges 3-16) The six minor ones are Shamgar (3:31), Tola (10:1-2), Jair (10:3-5), Ibzan (12:8-10), Elon (12:11-12), and Abdon (12:13-15). The accounts of Micah and his priest (chapters 17-18) and the Levite and his concubine (chapters 19-21) are meant to show the appalling level of anarchy and depravity to which Israel as a nation had fallen. During those years there was no judge at all and “…every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25)
Verses 1-8: The author continues the point he made at the end of chapter 2. Verse 1 makes it clear that God used Israel’s disobedience to not only test them but also punish them for their sin. The nations that Israel failed to drive out are listed in verses 3 and 5: the Philistines, Sidonians, Hivites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, and Jebusites. Verse 2 gives a third reason that God used these foreigners: to teach the sons of Israel how to fight. One of the other consequences of the peace and rest that God gave the previous generation that conquered the promised land under Joshua was that their sons did not know proper warfare. Not only did their fathers not teach them of God and His law, but they also failed to continue to train their sons in the art of war. As a result, the fathers and sons take for wives the daughters of those nations previously listed and also give their daughters and sisters as wives to the sons of those heathen. (v.6) This causes exactly what God had warned His people would happen: they turn away from Him and begin worshiping the false gods of the Canaanites. (v.7) We know from other passages of the OT, especially that of Leviticus, that that worship included all forms of sexual immorality and perversity (i.e. homosexuality and bestiality) as well as child sacrifice. That’s what the author means in verse 7 when he says, “…the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD…”. As a result, “…the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel…”, and He punishes them by allowing the army of King Chushan-rishathaim (translation: “Cushan of double evil”) of Mesopotamia to invade and conquer them. (v.8) His rule over them lasts eight years. Judge #1: Othniel (Judah) Verses 9-11: Othniel is the younger brother of Caleb (v.9), and though his exact age isn’t stated in the text we can logically infer that he is well into his eighties based on what we know of Caleb from the book of Joshua. (Joshua 14:10) A phrase that is repeated often in the OT is “…the Spirit of the Lord came upon him…” (v.10), meaning that the Holy Spirit indwelt them in order to give them the ability they needed to do whatever task God has assigned to them. (Numbers 27:18, 1 Samuel 11:6, 2 Chronicles 15:1) In this case, God gives Othniel and the Israelite army victory over King Chushan-rishathaim and his army. Othniel judges Israel for forty years, during which time the people remember the Lord and obey Him. Thus the land has rest until Othniel dies. (v.11) Judge #2: Ehud (Benjamin) Verses 12-30: the cycle begins anew. As soon as Othniel dies the people of Israel forget God and fall back into sin. (v.12) This time God uses Eglon, king of Moab, to chasten His chosen people. Both the Moabites and the Ammonites (v.13) are descendants of Lot (Genesis 19:36-38), and the Amalekites are descended from Esau. (Genesis 36:10-12) The city of palm trees referenced in verse 13 is Jericho. (Deuteronomy 34:3, Judges 1:16, 2 Chronicles 28:15) But that city, which had been destroyed by the Israelites nearly a century earlier, is still in ruins. What this verse is most likely referencing, therefore, is that Eglon sets up his headquarters near the ruins of Jericho, and that includes the palace where he is eventually assassinated by Ehud. After eighteen years of oppression by Eglon (v.14) Israel repents of their sin and cries out to God for deliverance. (v.15) Ehud is a Benjamite, the son of Gera, and one of his unique physical traits is that he is left-handed. The Moody Bible Commentary has this comment on verse 15: “Archaeology demonstrates that the left-handed were not considered a serious military threat. Figures on monuments in victorious military poses are almost always right-handed.” This helps explain why Eglon did not consider Ehud a threat when he arrived with the Israelite’s tribute. (v.15) After giving the king his present Ehud tells him he has a secret message for him, and this causes Eglon to send his bodyguards out of the room. (v.19) Ehud also dismisses his fellow Israelites, and now the two of them are alone in Eglon’s summer parlor. (v. 18, 20) Verse 17 states that Eglon is obese, and he is sitting when Ehud approaches him with the statement, “I have a message from God unto thee.” (v.20) Ehud then draws his dagger and stabs the king in his stomach. The dagger is described in verse 16 as being a cubit long, which is about 18 inches including the handle. It sinks so far into Eglon’s belly that it gets stuck, and he bleeds to death. (v.21-22) Ehud makes a hasty exit, locking the doors behind him. (v.23) After Ehud departs the palace, Eglon’s servants approach the parlor door, but when they find it locked they surmise he’s using the toilet. (v.24: “…covereth his feet in his summer chamber.”) But sometime later, when the king has still not emerged from his chambers, the servants grow fearful and they unlock the door. King Eglon’s body is on the floor of his parlor. (v.25) Ehud successfully escapes to Seirath where he gathers Israel’s army at mount Ephraim. (v.26-27) God gives them the victory over the Moabites whose army is about ten thousand mighty men. (v.28-29) After this, Israel has peace and rest for 80 years. (v.30) Judge #3: Shamgar (Tribe unknown) Verse 31: The name “Shamgar” is not Hebrew, according to Strong’s concordance, and the name “Anath” was derived from a Canaanite goddess who was the sister and wife of Baal, according to the Thomas Nelson Bible commentators. She was worshiped as the goddess of love and war, and so this verse has caused problems for many Biblical scholars and theologians. Besides the fact of his non-Israelite first name, the commentators also dispute the mention of the Philistines here since it seems to contradict established historical records that claim the Philistines didn’t arrive in Canaan as an established people and nation until much later than the time period of these early judges. Add to this the fact that Shamgar is mentioned in Judges 5:6, which would make him a contemporary of Deborah and Jael, and the logical conclusion seems to be that Shamgar was not a judge at all, technically speaking. None of that, however, matters in the final analysis. God’s word states clearly in this verse that Shamgar “…slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.” Enough said. We don’t need to dissect and dispute and try to second guess God’s word with man’s “wisdom”. God said it, so that makes it so. Period. Shamgar is the third judge, and he delivered the Israelites from their enemy, the Philistines, with only an ox goad. According to the Moody Bible Commentary, this “…was a long stick with a point at one end for poking the ox and a shovel at the other for doing necessary work around the ox. Sharpening either or both ends would produce a formidable weapon in the hands of a stout peasant warrior.” Whether or not he was an Israelite is irrelevant. He was chosen by God to fulfill a divine purpose, and he carried out his mission accordingly, same as all the other judges recorded in this book. CHAPTER 1:
Chapter 1 serves as a bridge between the death of Joshua and the period of time in which Israel had no single leader such as Moses and Joshua. The book of Judges is so named because Israel was ruled by many different judges for a few generations before the coronation of Saul as the first king. Chapter 1 is also a prologue, setting the stage for what was to follow. One of the reasons Israel was plagued by so many enemies and the need for the judges to save them was because they failed to obey God and completely drive out the foreign nations around them, particularly those in the northern parts of the promised land. As predicted by Moses and Joshua, this resulted in Israel falling into the sins of idolatry and immorality which, in turn, brought upon them God’s wrath and judgment. Verses 1-7: The term “Canaanites” is generally used here in the OT to refer to all the heathen peoples inhabiting the promised land before Israel’s arrival. The Israelites are ready to resume their campaign of conquest, and they ask of God who shall be the first to go fight the Canaanites? (v.1) The LORD confirms that the tribe of Judah will lead the battle, and He also confirms that He has already given them the victory. (v.2) Because part of Simeon’s land is within the land allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 19:1) the elders of Judah ask their brethren from Simeon to join them in their battle against the Canaanites and the Perizzites. (v.3) Simeon, of course, readily agrees and, as God had promised, the victory is theirs. The Israelite army slew ten thousand men that day. (v.4) Adoni-bezek is the king of the army that Israel fought against, and though he flees from the battle he’s quickly found and captured. (v.5-6) In the ANE at this time it was custom to cut off the thumbs and big toes of one’s prisoner, especially the kings, as a form of great humiliation and punishment. Adoni-bezek admits that Israel’s action here is just because he had done the same thing to many of his enemies. (v.7) He also recognizes before his death that his defeat was at the hands of the God of Israel. Verses 8-20: Judah and Simeon continue their campaign northward. We know from verse 21 of this chapter as well as Joshua 15:63 that the city of Jerusalem was never fully captured and conquered by Israel. Therefore, the name Jerusalem in verse 8 doesn’t refer to that city but instead, according to the Moody Bible Commentary, refers to area west of Jerusalem, known today as Mount Zion, where there is a fortress of Canaanites. Next is the Canaanites dwelling in the forests and mountains near that same region (v.9), and then it’s on to Hebron, the city and land that was awarded to Caleb. (Joshua 15:13) After that is Debir. Verses 12-15 are a retelling of Joshua 15:16-19. Verse 16 is a reminder that the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, had accepted Moses’ invitation to join with Israel. (Exodus 3:1, 18:7-8, Numbers 10:29) Furthermore, the Kenites are mentioned later in the OT as being faithful to God despite the rest of the nation’s consistent disobedience. (Judges 4:11, 1 Samuel 15:6, 1 Chronicles 2:55) Verses 17-20 affirm that “…the LORD was with Judah…”. (v.19) They and Simeon successfully conquered Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron (v.18). The comment in verse 19 about the “chariots of iron” suggests one of two possibilities: Judah’s and Simeon’s faith in God’s ability to give them the victory began to wane by this point; or that God, for some divine purpose, did not give them complete victory. The former seems more likely given the account in the remainder of this chapter. Whatever the reason, the Israelites failed to completely drive out the Canaanites living in the valley of this region. Verses 22-26: Like Judah and Simeon, the two tribes of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, are successful in driving out the inhabitants of Beth-el. Like Rahab in the account of Jericho, one of the men of Beth-el is spared death when he assists the Israelite spies in conquering the city. (v.24-25) The region referred to in verse 26 that belongs to the Hittites is approximately where Syria is today. Verses 21, 27-36: Unlike their brethren in Judah, Simeon, Ephraim, and part of Manasseh, the remainder of the tribes fail to completely wipe out the Canaanites living in their allotted territories. God, through Moses and Joshua, had given the Israelites a clear and direct command: they were to utterly destroy all the nations of the promised land. They were to tear down the altars to the false gods, destroy the temples, and leave none of the heathen peoples alive. Failure to obey this directive would result in the Canaanites becoming “…snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes…”. (Joshua 23:13) Disobedience would result in God removing His divine providence from Israel, and they would no longer have the victory over their enemies. As these verses attest, that is exactly what happened. Instead of driving out the Canaanites, Israel subjugated them and made them slaves. This is what led to the era of the Judges for which this book is named. CHAPTER 2: This chapter, in conjunction with chapter 1, serves as a prologue for this period of Israel’s history. The author is explaining how and why God’s chosen people fell from His grace and earned His divine wrath and judgment. It started with Israel’s failure to completely drive out the inhabitants of the promised land, as explained in chapter 1. Now, in this passage, the author expounds on the consequences of that first sin which Moses and Joshua warned the people would happen if they disobeyed God’s directive. Verses 1-10: The angel of the LORD in verse 1 is the preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. It’s not clear from these first five verses exactly when in the conquest narrative this scene took place, but it was probably after the initial campaign of conquest described in chapters 1-12 of Joshua. (v.6) Chapter 18 describes Joshua’s rebuke of the seven tribes that had yet to divide up their portion of the land and settle it. It’s very likely that this scene which opens Judges 2 took place about that time. The question at the end of verse 2 clearly implies that God’s directive to Israel has not been completed as originally instructed. The LORD once again warns His people that if they fail to obey His command to destroy the altars of the heathen and drive them out, then He will cease to give them the victory over their enemies. Instead they “…shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.” (v.3) Confronted with the sin of their disobedience, Israel immediately repents and offers up the proper sacrifices for atonement. (v.4) The name of the place, Bochim, means “weeping”. (v.5) As mentioned above, verse 6 indicates where in the conquest timeline the scene of the first 5 verses took place. Israel now departs Shiloh to complete the conquest, and this is probably also when the battles described in chapter 1 of Judges took place. But, as mentioned by the author at the end of that account, Israel still failed to completely drive out the Canaanites as ordered by God. The nation is faithful to God and to Joshua for the rest of his days as well as the remaining years of that generation that entered the promised land. (v.7-10) Unfortunately, that generation failed to properly teach their children the law of Moses and obedience to the God of their fathers because verse 10 makes it clear that their descendants “…knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel.” Or, possibly, their children deliberately rebelled and turned away from God because of the failure of their fathers to utterly wipe out the heathen nations around them. Either way, the stage is now set for the cyclical pattern of disobedience, judgement, and repentance that takes up the rest of the book of Judges. Verses 11-19: This passage summarizes the detailed accounts that are given in the rest of this book. The author begins by describing how Israel turned away from the one, true God to serve the false gods known as Baalim. (v.11-13) That word is plural, indicating that while Baal is the central god of the Canaanite religion, there are also many other gods and goddesses associated with Baal. Exactly what God had warned His people would happen if they disobeyed happened. As a result, “…the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel…” (v.14), and he brings upon them judgement in the form of attacks from the heathen nations around them that they failed to drive out of the promised land. No matter what Israel does, God’s hand is “…against them for evil…” (v.15) as He had promised them would happen if they disobeyed. At the same time, however, the Lord’s mercy is evident in the form of judges which He arranges to deliver the people when they repent and turn back to Him. (v.16) But as soon as their enemies are defeated, Israel turns right back to their idolatry and apostasy, and the cycle repeats itself. (v.17-18) With each of the judges, God is with him/her, and it’s by His almighty hand that Israel is given the victory. (v.18) But as soon as the judge dies, Israel falls back into sin. (v.19) Verses 20-23: This closing passage describes God’s reason for not driving out the inhabitants of Canaan on behalf of His chosen people. That reason is twofold: 1) He uses the heathen nations to carry out His divine judgment against Israel for their sin as described in verses 14-15; and 2) as a way of proving Israel, testing them to see if they will adhere to His law and His statutes as given to them by Moses. (v.22) In the same way that God allows trials and temptations to come upon us believers today, He allows Israel’s enemies to vex them in order to draw them back to Him. (Judges 3:1, 4) And just as God allows us today to suffer the consequences of our own poor choices, so He allows Israel to suffer the consequences of their sins of disobedience, idolatry, pride, and immorality. |
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