Judges 6 3

Judges 6:3 kjv

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;

Judges 6:3 nkjv

So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.

Judges 6:3 niv

Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.

Judges 6:3 esv

For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.

Judges 6:3 nlt

Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,

Judges 6 verses

Judges 6 3 Meaning

Judges 6:3 describes the repeated, calculated oppression of the Israelites by the Midianites, Amalekites, and other nomadic tribes from the east. After the Israelites had invested their labor in planting crops, these hostile groups would ascend from the desert, specifically timing their incursions to destroy or seize the cultivated produce, thereby devastating Israel’s economic stability and food supply, reinforcing their subservience. This illustrates a severe consequence of Israel's disobedience, where their labor became fruitless, mirroring God's promised discipline.

Judges 6 3 Context

Judges chapter 6 introduces the fifth cycle of apostasy and oppression in the book of Judges. Following a period of forty years of peace under Deborah and Barak, Israel once again "did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judg 6:1). As a result, God delivered them into the hands of Midian for seven years. This oppression was characterized by extreme economic devastation. Verse 3 elaborates on how this oppression occurred, focusing specifically on the timing and method of the raids: after Israel had labored to plant their crops, the nomadic invaders would ascend and destroy their yield, leaving them in extreme poverty and starvation. This context reveals a deep spiritual malaise in Israel, leading to physical suffering directly linked to their covenant infidelity.

Judges 6 3 Word analysis

• For it was so: Connects this verse to the preceding one (Israel's cry due to oppression). It introduces the recurring pattern and nature of the Midianite subjugation.

• that when Israel had sown: Hebrew zara (זָרַע), meaning "to sow," "to plant." This highlights the significant labor and investment required for agricultural life. It indicates a period of peace (enough to sow) that was abruptly shattered, making the subsequent destruction particularly cruel and impactful. It underscores their vulnerability.

• that the Midianites: Hebrew Midyanim (מִדְיָנִים). Descendants of Abraham through Keturah (Gen 25:2). Initially nomadic traders (Gen 37:28), they became significant enemies of Israel after inciting them to sin with Moab in the wilderness (Num 25). They were a formidable desert power, later noted for their use of camels (Judg 6:5).

• came up: Hebrew alah (עָלָה), meaning "to go up," "to ascend." Here, it signifies a hostile incursion, an invasion from the lower-lying desert regions up into the cultivated central highlands of Israel. This verb implies military action or a surge of activity against.

• and the Amalekites: Hebrew Amaleqi (עֲמָלֵקִי). Descendants of Esau (Gen 36:12). Known as perennial, relentless enemies of Israel from their attack during the Exodus (Exod 17:8-16) to their eventual defeat. They symbolized ultimate opposition to God's people, often attacking the weak and stragglers.

• and the children of the east: Hebrew Benei-Qedem (בְּנֵי-קֶדֶם). A general term for nomadic desert tribes located east of Israel, including various Arab tribes (e.g., Job 1:3; Isa 11:14). These groups frequently formed opportunistic alliances for raiding, bolstering the Midianite and Amalekite forces and emphasizing the widespread nature of the threat.

• even they came up against them: Reinforces the combined and united nature of the invasion. The repetition of "came up" emphasizes the repeated incursions and their aggressive posture directed against Israel. The combined force signifies a severe and overwhelming threat, making resistance futile without divine intervention. This wasn't a one-off raid but a recurring economic blockade.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up": This specific timing is crucial. The enemies waited for Israel to complete the arduous task of sowing and cultivating, thus ensuring the maximum loss of effort, food, and future sustenance. This demonstrates a strategic and devastating form of economic warfare aimed at total submission rather than mere plunder. It left Israel unable to recover economically, amplifying the effectiveness of the oppression as divine judgment.
  • "the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east": The formidable alliance of these three groups indicates a broad and widespread threat from all nomadic frontiers surrounding Israel. This was not a localized problem but a multi-pronged attack that collectively brought Israel to ruin. It points to a common cause for these tribes in exploiting Israel's weakness, facilitated by Israel's own departure from God.

Judges 6 3 Bonus section

The oppressive actions described in Judges 6:3 were not just isolated acts of robbery; they were a calculated act of economic siege that aimed to dismantle Israel's agrarian society. This forced the Israelites to retreat to fortified places (Judg 6:2), further limiting their ability to cultivate their lands and creating an atmosphere of constant fear and famine. This continuous cycle of sowing only to lose their harvest reflects the curses warned about in the Mosaic Covenant for disobedience, especially the curses in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 concerning enemy invasion and wasted labor. The fact that this went on for seven years (Judg 6:1) shows the depth of their distress and the sustained nature of God's disciplinary hand, ultimately designed to compel their return to Him.

Judges 6 3 Commentary

Judges 6:3 succinctly describes the immediate, agonizing reality of Midianite oppression. It's a stark portrayal of cause and effect in the covenant relationship: Israel's sin leads to their economic ruin. The verse highlights the deliberate timing of the enemies' incursions. It was not mere random raiding but a calculated strategy to exploit Israel's vulnerability and ensure perpetual economic subservience. By waiting until "Israel had sown," the raiders maximized the impact of their plunder, transforming the Israelite fields from sources of sustenance into scenes of desolation. This rendered the Israelites incapable of self-sufficiency, forcing them to cry out to God from a position of absolute desperation (Judg 6:6). The inclusion of the "Amalekites" and "children of the east" alongside the Midianites further emphasizes the overwhelming, organized, and pervasive nature of the threat. It signifies that God used multiple instruments of judgment, making Israel's condition inescapable without divine intervention. This ongoing devastation served as a severe, repeated discipline from God, driving His unfaithful people back to Him, underscoring the spiritual truth that departure from God brings fruitlessness and insecurity.