After Deborah the prophetess passed away, the Hebrews returned to their evil ways. This,
predictably, provoked the Maker’s ire. And so, He emboldened the Jews’ adversaries: “And the
hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the Children of Israel made
them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.” For Abravanel,
Judges 6 offers a close glimpse into just how wretched life had become for the backsliding
Hebrews. Unbearable.
“And the Children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; and
the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.”
“And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the
children of the east; they came up against them; and they encamped against them, and
destroyed the produce of the earth, till you come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel,
neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.” Midian and company either consumed Israeli produce or
rendered it inedible. Jewish livestock, too, fared no better, as hordes of enemies brought their
domesticated animals to participate in the bloodbath. “For they came up with their cattle and
their tents, and they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without
number; and they came into the land to destroy it.”
Abravanel leads with something positive, citing the Jewish sages. “And the Children of Israel did
that which was evil…” The verse does not say, “And the Children of Israel added to their evil.”
There is an important lesson. Namely, all prior ill-conduct had been forgiven. What curried
Heaven’s pardon? It was on the merit of Deborah’s song. After that high-water religious
outpouring, the slate had been cleared.
Sadly, though, the Jews lapsed, doing “evil in the sight of the LORD.” Fast and furious, Midian
moved in for the kill. For the Hebrews, life went underground. Literally. “The Children of Israel
made…dens in the mountains, and the caves…” This refers to subterranean hideouts, with
hardly any fresh air or sunlight.
Ever so discretely, Jewish farmers planted crops. To no avail. At first sight of plant growth,
enemies swooped down “and destroyed the produce of the earth.” Nothing remained. That
was only the half of it. Midian and its allies attacked the Hebrews’ livestock, leaving “neither
sheep, nor ox, nor ass.” Either the marauders ran off with the animals or killed them.
In a word, the Jews were humbled, broken. Abravanel paints more of the savage scenes.
Midian’s troops arrived on fleet-footed horses, accompanied by a bevy of animals, including
“their camels…and they came into the land to destroy it.” Mercilessly, Midianites and
Amalekites systematically starved Jews.
“And Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the Children of Israel cried unto the
LORD.” Sincere tears; heartfelt contrition. God heeded their wailing. In response “the LORD sent
a prophet unto the Children of Israel; and he said unto them: Thus says the LORD, the God of
Israel: I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage.”
With this prophetic opening message, God dispatched a seer to tap the man, who would judge
the nation and deliver them from their plight, from their hell. Gideon son of Joash, also called
Jerubbaal, an unlikely choice to turn the tide against his brethren’s enemies, did just that, as
this and the ensuing chapters teach.