Judges 6 6

Judges 6:6 kjv

And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

Judges 6:6 nkjv

So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.

Judges 6:6 niv

Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.

Judges 6:6 esv

And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the LORD.

Judges 6:6 nlt

So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help.

Judges 6 verses

Judges 6 6 Meaning

Judges 6:6 depicts the severe and pervasive impoverishment Israel endured due to the ruthless oppression by the Midianites. This deep affliction, a consequence of their unfaithfulness to God, drove the people of Israel to a state of extreme destitution. In this desperate condition, they finally abandoned their self-reliance and idolatry, turning in anguish to Yahweh, their covenant God, crying out for deliverance from their suffering. This cry signifies a critical turning point in their recurring cycle of sin and divine discipline, prompting God's merciful intervention.

Judges 6 6 Context

Judges chapter 6 falls within the cyclical narrative pattern of the Book of Judges: Israel disobeys God, God hands them over to oppressors, Israel cries out, God raises a deliverer, and the land enjoys rest. Following the period of rest under Deborah and Barak, the Israelites "did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judg 6:1), specifically turning to the worship of Baal and Asherah (Judg 6:25). As a result, God allowed the Midianites, aided by the Amalekites and "people of the East," to oppress Israel severely for seven years (Judg 6:1-2). This oppression was devastating; the Midianites repeatedly raided their land, destroying crops and livestock, driving the Israelites to hide in dens and caves (Judg 6:2-5). Verse 6 describes the culmination of this prolonged suffering, illustrating the people's dire condition of extreme destitution and prompting their desperate plea to the Lord. This plea then sets the stage for the calling of Gideon as Israel's next judge and deliverer.

Judges 6 6 Word analysis

• So (וַיִּדַּל֙, vayyidal): The Hebrew particle vav (and) is a sequential connective here, indicating a direct consequence or result of the preceding verses (Midianite oppression). The verb dalal (דלל), from which vayyidal is derived, means to be low, be brought low, languish, become thin or weak. It signifies a profound state of being humbled or reduced, encompassing not just financial destitution but also a complete loss of strength, hope, and status. It is an active consequence of their situation.
• Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל֙, Yisrael): Refers to the collective people, the covenant community. Despite their disobedience, they retain their identity as God's chosen, whose covenant relationship with Yahweh is central. This emphasis underscores that it is God's people who are suffering.
• was greatly impoverished (מְאֹד֙, mə’ōḏ - greatly, intensely): The adverb mə’ōḏ modifies the verb dalal, emphasizing the extreme degree of their impoverishment. It implies utter destitution, not merely lack of resources but a state of being completely brought low and made weak. This comprehensive impoverishment resulted from the Midianites destroying all their produce and livestock (Judg 6:4), leaving them with absolutely nothing to sustain themselves. It highlights the divine judgment at its peak, leading to severe suffering.
• because of the Midianites (מִפְּנֵ֖י מִדְיָ֑ן, mippnê Midyān): Literally "from the face of Midian" or "on account of Midian." This phrase identifies the direct agent and instrument of Israel's suffering. The Midianites, historically nomadic traders and occasional adversaries (Num 25), are here presented as a scourging force used by God to discipline His unfaithful people. This highlights God's sovereign control even over hostile nations, using them to achieve His purposes in a polemic against the notion that pagan gods protect or that military strength alone dictates outcome.
• and the people of Israel (וַיִּזְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙, vayyizʿaqu bənê Yisra’el - and cried out sons of Israel): Bənê Yisra’el, "sons of Israel," reaffirms their identity as God's covenant people.
• cried out (וַיִּזְעֲקוּ, vayyizʿaqu): From the root zaʿaq (זעק), meaning to cry aloud, call for help, wail, or lament. This is a fervent, desperate, and urgent cry, not a gentle prayer. It signals acute distress, helplessness, and a desperate plea for immediate intervention. In the book of Judges, this verb consistently marks the moment when Israel, having reached the nadir of suffering, turns back to God.
• to the LORD (אֶל־יְהוָֽה, ʾel Yahweh): This is a direct appeal to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. Crucially, they did not cry out to Baal or any other foreign gods whom they had previously served, indicating a realization of the futility of idolatry and a desperate turning back to the true God who alone could deliver them. This acknowledges His power, authority, and their foundational relationship with Him.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites": This phrase summarizes the tragic consequence of Israel's unfaithfulness. The extreme impoverishment (vayyidal me'od) highlights the severity of God's disciplinary hand, executed through the Midianites (mippnê Midyān). It indicates total depletion, hitting Israel at the core of its sustenance and economy, exposing their vulnerability without divine protection.
• "and the people of Israel cried out to the LORD": This section signifies the pivotal turning point in the cycle of sin-judgment-repentance. The desperate, collective cry (vayyiz'aqu) of the "sons of Israel" (benei Yisrael) directed specifically "to Yahweh" (el Yahweh) demonstrates their complete surrender and realization that only their covenant God could provide salvation. It is an acknowledgement of Yahweh's sovereignty and a move from spiritual apathy to desperate spiritual longing.

Judges 6 6 Bonus section

• The depth of the Midianite oppression detailed in Judges 6:2-5 – driving Israelites into dens and caves, destroying all produce and livestock – vividly explains the phrase "greatly impoverished." This was not just a minor economic downturn but an existential threat, where basic survival was challenged, thereby forcing Israel to desperate measures.
• The repeated phrase "cried out to the LORD" acts as a structural marker throughout the Book of Judges (e.g., Judg 3:9, 15; 4:3; 10:10). It emphasizes God's consistent willingness to hear His people's pleas once they acknowledge their helplessness and turn to Him, highlighting His enduring patience and grace in the covenant relationship despite repeated cycles of sin.
• The return to crying "to the LORD" specifically demonstrates a fundamental shift from their previous apostasy towards Baal, revealing that hardship can restore correct theological understanding of who the true source of blessing and deliverance is.

Judges 6 6 Commentary

Judges 6:6 profoundly illustrates the grim consequences of spiritual declension and the turning point back to divine mercy. Israel's extreme impoverishment under the Midianite yoke was not merely an economic hardship but a tangible manifestation of God's disciplinary hand, designed to awaken them from their idolatrous slumber. Reduced to a state of utter destitution and humiliation, they were stripped of any material or spiritual reliance on false gods, which supposedly offered prosperity. Their subsequent desperate cry to Yahweh was a reluctant but genuine recognition of His sole power to deliver, signalling a breaking of their rebellion and a return to the one true God. This verse encapsulates the theological truth that sometimes, deep affliction serves as a divine instrument to humble a proud people, leading them to repentance and renewed dependence on God, prompting His faithfulness to rescue them despite their failings.