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Judges 6
This chapter speaks of Gideon. See maps http://www.anova.org/sev/atlas/htm/044.htm>http://www.anova.org/sev/atlas/htm/044.htm http://www.anova.org/sev/atlas/htm/041a.htm [Judges 6:1] AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD: AND THE LORD DELIVERED THEM INTO THE HAND OF MIDIAN SEVEN YEARS.. [Judges 6:2] AND THE HAND OF MIDIAN PREVAILED AGAINST ISRAEL: AND BECAUSE OF THE MIDIANITES THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL MADE THEM THE DENS WHICH ARE IN THE MOUNTAINS, AND CAVES, AND STRONG HOLDS. There are numerous caves in Israel due to the nature of the ground and every cave was inhabited in ancient times. Living in caves could actually make sense since it saves building materials and provides natural insulation. On the other hand in some areas there exists a problem of 'Radon" which I understand to be naturally occurring radioactivity that can be dangerous. From the web: Radon is a radioactive gas. It is formed by the natural radioactive decay of uranium in rock, soil, and water. Naturally existing, low levels of uranium occur widely in Earth's crust. Radon is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and chemically inert. Once produced, radon moves through the ground to the air above. It can be found in all 50 states. Unless you test for it, there is no way of telling how much is present. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. * Nearly one in 15 homes in the U.S. has a high level of indoor radon * The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend all homes be tested for radon. * Homes with high radon levels can be fixed. We understand that radon is more of a problem in rooms etc below ground level. [Judges 6:3] AND SO IT WAS, WHEN ISRAEL HAD SOWN, THAT THE MIDIANITES CAME UP, AND THE AMALEKITES, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE EAST, EVEN THEY CAME UP AGAINST THEM. The Amalekites were frequent enemies of Israel. They usually allied themselves with whoever was attacking the Israelites. [Judges 6:4] AND THEY ENCAMPED AGAINST THEM, AND DESTROYED THE INCREASE OF THE EARTH, TILL THOU .COME UNTO GAZA, AND LEFT NO SUSTENANCE FOR ISRAEL, NEITHER SHEEP, NOR OX, NOR ASS. [Judges 6:5] FOR THEY CAME UP WITH THEIR CATTLE AND THEIR TENTS, AND THEY CAME AS GRASSHOPPERS FOR MULTITUDE; FOR BOTH THEY AND THEIR CAMELS WERE WITHOUT NUMBER: AND THEY ENTERED INTO THE LAND TO DESTROY IT.. [Judges 6:6] AND ISRAEL WAS GREATLY IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE OF THE MIDIANITES; AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CRIED UNTO THE LORD.. [Judges 6:7] AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CRIED UNTO THE LORD BECAUSE OF THE MIDIANITES. , [Judges 6:8] THAT THE LORD SENT A PROPHET UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, WHICH SAID UNTO THEM THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, I BROUGHT YOU UP FROM EGYPT, AND BROUGHT YOU FORTH OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE; [Judges 6:9] AND I DELIVERED YOU OUT OF THE HAND OF THE EGYPTIANS, AND OUT OF THE HAND OF ALL THAT OPPRESSED YOU, AND DRAVE THEM OUT FROM BEFORE YOU, AND GAVE YOU THEIR LAND; [Judges 6:10] AND I SAID UNTO YOU, I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD; FEAR NOT THE GODS OF THE AMORITES IN WHOSE LAND YE DWELL: BUT YE HAVE NOT OBEYED MY VOICE.. [Judges 6:11] AND THERE CAME AN ANGEL OF THE LORD, AND SAT UNDER AN OAK WHICH WAS IN OPHRAH, THAT PERTAINED UNTO JOASH THE ABIEZRITE: AND HIS SON GIDEON THRESHED WHEAT BY THE WINEPRESS, TO HIDE IT FROM THE MIDIANITES. <<ABIEZRITE>>: Abi-ezri i.e. "My Father is my aid", also pronounced as "Avi-Ezri": This was one of the clans of Gilead in Manasseh (Joshua 17:2). The clan was also known as : "Ay-ezer" and written in the King James Bible as "Jeezer". "THESE ARE THE SONS OF GILEAD: OF JEEZER, THE FAMILY OF THE JEEZERITES: OF HELEK, THE FAMILY OF THE HELEKITES" [Numbers 26:30]. "Ay-ezer" could have been pronounced as "Ay(g)-ezer". They gave rise to the Agazari in southern Russia also known as the Agathyrsi. These were forerunners of the Khazars and also according to a Roman authority (Servius on Virgil) also sent a contingent to Scotland where they became known as the Picts. We believe this source to be correct. . [Judges 6:12] AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM, AND SAID UNTO HIM, THE LORD IS WITH THEE, THOU MIGHTY MAN OF VALOUR. [Judges 6:13] AND GIDEON SAID UNTO HIM, OH MY LORD, IF THE LORD BE WITH US, WHY THEN IS ALL THIS BEFALLEN US? AND WHERE BE ALL HIS MIRACLES WHICH OUR FATHERS TOLD US OF, SAYING, DID NOT THE LORD BRING US UP FROM EGYPT? BUT NOW THE LORD HATH FORSAKEN US, AND DELIVERED US INTO THE HANDS OF THE MIDIANITES.. [Judges 6:14] AND THE LORD LOOKED UPON HIM, AND SAID, GO IN THIS THY MIGHT, AND THOU SHALT SAVE ISRAEL FROM THE HAND OF THE MIDIANITES: HAVE NOT I SENT THEE? >> GO IN THIS THY MIGHT>> The Commentators explain this as being his self-identification with the Israelite people and his concern for them above all other considerations. [Judges 6:15] AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, OH MY LORD, WHEREWITH SHALL I SAVE ISRAEL? BEHOLD, MY FAMILY IS POOR IN MANASSEH, AND I AM THE LEAST IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE.. [Judges 6:16] AND THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, SURELY I WILL BE WITH THEE, AND THOU SHALT SMITE THE MIDIANITES AS ONE MAN.. [Judges 6:17] AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, IF NOW I HAVE FOUND GRACE IN THY SIGHT, THEN SHEW ME A SIGN THAT THOU TALKEST WITH ME.. [Judges 6:18] DEPART NOT HENCE, I PRAY THEE, UNTIL I COME UNTO THEE, AND BRING FORTH MY PRESENT, AND SET IT BEFORE THEE. AND HE SAID, I WILL TARRY UNTIL THOU COME AGAIN. . [Judges 6:19] AND GIDEON WENT IN, AND MADE READY A KID, AND UNLEAVENED CAKES OF AN EPHAH OF FLOUR: THE FLESH HE PUT IN A BASKET, AND HE PUT THE BROTH IN A POT, AND BROUGHT IT OUT UNTO HIM UNDER THE OAK, AND PRESENTED IT.. [Judges 6:20] AND THE ANGEL OF GOD SAID UNTO HIM, TAKE THE FLESH AND THE UNLEAVENED CAKES, AND LAY THEM UPON THIS ROCK, AND POUR OUT THE BROTH. AND HE DID SO.. [Judges 6:21] THEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD PUT FORTH THE END OF THE STAFF THAT WAS IN HIS HAND, AND TOUCHED THE FLESH AND THE UNLEAVENED CAKES; AND THERE ROSE UP FIRE OUT OF THE ROCK, AND CONSUMED THE FLESH AND THE UNLEAVENED CAKES. THEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD DEPARTED OUT OF HIS SIGHT.. [Judges 6:22] AND WHEN GIDEON PERCEIVED THAT HE WAS AN ANGEL OF THE LORD, GIDEON SAID, ALAS, O LORD GOD! FOR BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN AN ANGEL OF THE LORD FACE TO FACE. [Judges 6:23] AND THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, PEACE BE UNTO THEE; FEAR NOT: THOU SHALT NOT DIE.. [Judges 6:24] THEN GIDEON BUILT AN ALTAR THERE UNTO THE LORD, AND CALLED IT JEHOVAH-SHALOM: UNTO THIS DAY IT IS YET IN OPHRAH OF THE ABIEZRITES.. <<JEHOVAH-SHALOM>> The Peace of God. [Judges 6:25] AND IT CAME TO PASS THE SAME NIGHT, THAT THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, TAKE THY FATHER'S YOUNG BULLOCK, EVEN THE SECOND BULLOCK OF SEVEN YEARS OLD, AND THROW DOWN THE ALTAR OF BAAL THAT THY FATHER HATH, AND CUT DOWN THE GROVE THAT IS BY IT.: Elchanan bin Nun in his Commentary ("Harari Oz") on the Book of Judges uses theses verses to discuss Baal-worship, and the "bull" symbol of Joseph. The topics are significant from a Brit-Am point of view. The Bull of Ephraim: When Jeroboam led the Ten Tribes to split away from Judah he set up two golden calves, in Dan and the other in the city of Bethel in the territory of Ephraim. (1-Kings 12:28-33). The one in Beth-el was the most important. Joseph was likened unto a bull: "HIS GLORY IS LIKE THE FIRSTLING OF HIS BULLOCK, AND HIS HORNS ARE LIKE THE HORNS OF UNICORNS: WITH THEM HE SHALL PUSH THEPEOPLE TOGETHER TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH: AND THEY ARE THE TEN THOUSANDS OF EPHRAIM, AND THEY ARE THE THOUSANDS OF MANASSEH" [Deuteronomy 33:17]. [Brit-Am understood this verse to be divided in its application, the bull applying to Ephraim, the unicorn to Manasseh]. The Midrash (Numbers Rabah 2;7) said that the symbol of Ephraim was a bull. The children of Israel in the Wilderness created a molten bull calf to replace Moses (whom they thought had died) and lead them onwards (Exodus 32:1). This quickly degenerated into idolatry and they were punished for it but their initial intention was not necessarily idolatrous. Nachmanides points out that in the vision of Ezekiel regarding the sacred chariot one of the beasts drawing the chariot is a bull/ "AS FOR THE LIKENESS OF THEIR FACES, THEY FOUR HAD THE FACE OF A MAN, AND THE FACE OF A LION, ON THE RIGHT SIDE: AND THEY FOUR HAD THE FACE OF A BULL [Hebrew: "Shor" = bull] ON THE LEFT SIDE; THEY FOUR ALSO HAD THE FACE OF AN EAGLE" [Ezekiel 1:10]. The chariot can be understood to symbolize how God rules the world. The figure of the bull in the chariot represents one of the aspects of the Divine Presence as experienced by mankind. Bin Nun suggests that this particular aspect of Divinity was considered by the Tribe of Ephraim to be peculiar to itself. In other words, Judah had his way of serving the Almighty and Joseph had his and the children of Joseph came to see the bull as representative of their own religious proclivity. The clan of Gideon had been fattening a bull for seven years in order to sacrifice it to Baal. Bin Nun suggests that even when worshipping the Baal "Joseph" emphasized the aspects of the bull. In Hebrew "Baal" means "master". The name is also used as a verb for the male act of conjugation and as a noun for "husband". "Baal" is probably the root of the English word "bull" cf. Middle English "bule", "bole"; Old English "bula", Old Norse "boli". [We may add to the above that Ephraim is nicknamed "Aegel" (Jeremiah 31:18); the Angles were also referred to as "Aegli" and the term "Angel" (from which we have "England" or "Angel-land") itself is a form of the word "Aegel" meaning bull-calf. "John Bull" is a nickname for Britain. The Cimbri were a people who once dwelt in Northern Germany and Jutland (Denmark). They were related to the Cymry (Welsh and Lowland Scottish) of Britain (also known as Cimbroi) and joined the Anglo-Saxons in the invasion of Britain. Roman historians reported that the Cimbri carried a metallic statue of a bull with them in their wanderings.] Baal: Regarding the worship of baal the Bible usually presents this as diametrically opposed to the worship of the Almighty. In the minds of many of the common people however the distinctions may not have been so clear. Bin Nun says that they worshipped "baal" in order to reach the Almighty; they considered "baal" an intermediary since they thought they were too unworthy for the Almighty directly. Their intentions were not entirely negative merely mistaken. You should remember that this series is intended to impart an over-view of what Scripture says with an especial emphasis on the Brit-Am aspects of the Bible rather than an all-encompassing commentary. [Judges 6:26] AND BUILD AN ALTAR UNTO THE LORD THY GOD UPON THE TOP OF THIS ROCK, IN THE ORDERED PLACE, AND TAKE THE SECOND BULLOCK, AND OFFER A BURNT SACRIFICE WITH THE WOOD OF THE GROVE WHICH THOU SHALT CUT DOWN. [Judges 6:27] THEN GIDEON TOOK TEN MEN OF HIS SERVANTS, AND DID AS THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO HIM: AND SO IT WAS, BECAUSE HE FEARED HIS FATHER'S HOUSEHOLD, AND THE MEN OF THE CITY, THAT HE COULD NOT DO IT BY DAY, THAT HE DID IT BY NIGHT.. [Judges 6:28] AND WHEN THE MEN OF THE CITY AROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING, BEHOLD, THE ALTAR OF BAAL WAS CAST DOWN, AND THE GROVE WAS CUT DOWN THAT WAS BY IT, AND THE SECOND BULLOCK WAS OFFERED UPON THE ALTAR THAT WAS BUILT.. . . [Judges 6:29] AND THEY SAID ONE TO ANOTHER, WHO HATH DONE THIS THING? AND WHEN THEY ENQUIRED AND ASKED, THEY SAID, GIDEON THE SON OF JOASH HATH DONE THIS THING.. [Judges 6:30] THEN THE MEN OF THE CITY SAID UNTO JOASH, BRING OUT THY SON, THAT HE MAY DIE: BECAUSE HE HATH CAST DOWN THE ALTAR OF BAAL, AND BECAUSE HE HATH CUT DOWN THE GROVE THAT WAS BY IT.. [Judges 6:31] AND JOASH SAID UNTO ALL THAT STOOD AGAINST HIM, WILL YE PLEAD FOR BAAL? WILL YE SAVE HIM? HE THAT WILL PLEAD FOR HIM, LET HIM BE PUT TO DEATH WHILST IT IS YET MORNING: IF HE BE A GOD, LET HIM PLEAD FOR HIMSELF, BECAUSE ONE HATH CAST DOWN HIS ALTAR. [Judges 6:32] THEREFORE ON THAT DAY HE CALLED HIM JERUBBAAL, SAYING, LET BAAL PLEAD AGAINST HIM, BECAUSE HE HATH THROWN DOWN HIS ALTAR.. [Judges 6:33] THEN ALL THE MIDIANITES AND THE AMALEKITES AND THE CHILDREN OF THE EAST WERE GATHERED TOGETHER, AND WENT OVER, AND PITCHED IN THE VALLEY OF JEZREEL.. The sages said that these events took place at the time of Pesach (Passover) in the Spring at the beginning of harvest time and Bin Nun suggests they had gathered together to take the seasonal produce and reduce the Children of Israel through starvation. [Judges 6:34] BUT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME UPON GIDEON, AND HE BLEW A TRUMPET; AND ABIEZER WAS GATHERED AFTER HIM.. [Judges 6:35] AND HE SENT MESSENGERS THROUGHOUT ALL MANASSEH; WHO ALSO WAS GATHERED AFTER HIM: AND HE SENT MESSENGERS UNTO ASHER, AND UNTO ZEBULUN, AND UNTO NAPHTALI; AND THEY CAME UP TO MEET THEM. [Judges 6:36] AND GIDEON SAID UNTO GOD, IF THOU WILT SAVE ISRAEL BY MINE HAND, AS THOU HAST SAID, [Judges 6:37] BEHOLD, I WILL PUT A FLEECE OF WOOL IN THE FLOOR; AND IF THE DEW BE ON THE FLEECEONLY, AND IT BE DRY UPON ALL THE EARTH BESIDE, THEN SHALL I KNOW THAT THOU WILT SAVE ISRAEL BY MINE HAND, AS THOU HAST SAID. . [Judges 6:38] AND IT WAS SO: FOR HE ROSE UP EARLY ON THE MORROW, AND THRUST THE FLEECE TOGETHER, AND WRINGED THE DEW OUT OF THE FLEECE, A BOWL FULL OF WATER. [Judges 6:39] AND GIDEON SAID UNTO GOD, LET NOT THINE ANGER BE HOT AGAINST ME, AND I WILL SPEAK BUT THIS ONCE: LET ME PROVE, I PRAY THEE, BUT THIS ONCE WITH THE FLEECE; LET IT NOW BE DRY ONLY UPON THE FLEECE, AND UPON ALL THE GROUND LET THERE BE DEW.. [Judges 6:40] AND GOD DID SO THAT NIGHT: FOR IT WAS DRY UPON THE FLEECE ONLY, AND THERE WAS DEW ON ALL THE GROUND.. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: May last For a Limited Time Only Spreading the Brit-Am message is our task. 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The prices include postage by air-mail. Send a personal check to the address below: Yair Davidiy POB 595 Jerusalem 91004 Israel http://www.britam.org http://www.geocities.com/hiberi "And I will bless them that bless you" (Genesis 12:15). Judges index |