Judges 6 7

Judges 6:7 kjv

And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,

Judges 6:7 nkjv

And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites,

Judges 6:7 niv

When the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian,

Judges 6:7 esv

When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites,

Judges 6:7 nlt

When they cried out to the LORD because of Midian,

Judges 6 verses

Judges 6 7 Meaning

This verse signifies a pivotal moment in the cycle of disobedience and judgment described in Judges. After enduring severe oppression, the people of Israel, in their desperation and affliction caused by the Midianites, finally acknowledged their true deliverer and cried out to the Lord God for rescue. It marks their turning point from idolatry and self-reliance to seeking divine intervention.

Judges 6 7 Context

This verse occurs after seven years of devastating oppression by the Midianites, who, along with Amalekites and other "people of the East," routinely invaded Israel, destroying their crops and livestock. The Midianites’ nomadic forces, akin to a plague of locusts, impoverished Israel to the point that the people had to hide in mountain clefts and caves for survival (Jdg 6:1-6). The cry of Judges 6:7 represents Israel reaching the absolute nadir of their suffering, driving them to forsake their idols and finally acknowledge the Lord their God. This "cry" initiates the cycle of deliverance, prompting God to raise Gideon as their deliverer. Historically, this period reflects the fragmented nature of Israel post-conquest, without a king, where each tribe did what was right in their own eyes, leading to a constant need for divine intervention.

Judges 6 7 Word analysis

• When the people of Israel cried out:
  • `vaYIZ'aQ` (וַיִּזְעֲקוּ): From the root `za'aq` (זָעַק), meaning to "cry out," "shout," or "call for help." This term signifies a loud, desperate cry born of intense distress, affliction, and helplessness. It is not a casual prayer but an urgent appeal, often in legal or military contexts, or when experiencing unbearable suffering. In the Bible, `za'aq` is associated with deep distress and petitioning God, highlighting the profound despair and urgency of Israel’s state. It recalls the `za'aq` of Israel under Egyptian slavery (Ex 2:23) or when a nation appealed to God due to oppression.
  • The people of Israel: Refers to the covenant nation chosen by God. Their identity as "Israel" is significant as they were the recipients of God's law and promises, and thus bore the responsibility of loyalty to Him. Their crying out signifies a corporate act of repentance or at least desperation, turning away from false gods back towards the one true God who alone could deliver.
• to the LORD:
  • `el YHWH` (אֶל יְהוָה): `YHWH` (rendered "LORD" in most English Bibles, using capital letters) is the covenant name of God, revealing Him as the self-existent, faithful, and redeeming God. Directing their cry "to the LORD" implies a shift from seeking help from idols or human power, which had proven useless, to acknowledging the sovereign power and covenant faithfulness of the true God. This is crucial: they cried to the covenant God of Israel, who had promised to hear their cries. It suggests a recognition that only He could provide deliverance from their plight, highlighting a turning away from the idolatry that initiated their oppression.
• on account of Midian:
  • `miPPNei MiDYan` (מִפְּנֵי מִדְיָן): Literally "from the face of Midian" or "because of Midian." This phrase unequivocally states the reason for their cry. It points to Midian not just as a casual inconvenience but as a relentless, visible, and terrifying threat that drove Israel to the brink. This specificity shows that the cause of their suffering was clearly understood, reinforcing the magnitude of the Midianite oppression which had stripped Israel of their livelihood and freedom (Jdg 6:1-6).

Words-Group analysis

• When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD: This phrase captures a moment of corporate turning. After enduring prolonged suffering due to their disobedience, the nation as a whole reached a breaking point, prompting a desperate, collective appeal to their covenant God. This collective cry underscores the national calamity and a return, even if driven by sheer distress, to the true source of help.
• cried out to the LORD on account of Midian: This segment emphasizes the direct relationship between Israel’s specific suffering (due to Midianite oppression) and their specific turning point towards God. It's not a generic prayer, but a targeted plea for deliverance from their immediate, devastating enemy, implicitly acknowledging that only God, the sovereign judge, could provide such rescue. This highlights God’s role in using suffering as a means to draw His people back to Himself.

Judges 6 7 Bonus section

• The Midianite oppression lasted seven years, precisely stated in Jdg 6:1. This extended duration indicates a long period of suffering, intensifying the desperation leading to Israel's "cry" in verse 7. This seven-year period suggests a complete or full measure of divine judgment and purification.
• Before raising Gideon (the deliverer for this period), the Lord sends a prophet in the very next verses (Jdg 6:8-10) to address Israel's sin. This sequence indicates that God not only hears their cry but also first reminds them of His previous acts of deliverance and their own covenant obligations, thus exposing the root cause of their suffering, which was their rebellion. The cry in verse 7, therefore, elicits a divine rebuke and call to true repentance, before a physical deliverance is provided.
• This pattern of sin, suffering, crying out, and deliverance (known as the Deuteronomistic cycle) throughout the book of Judges reveals God’s steadfast love and long-suffering towards His rebellious people, patiently bringing them back to Him through various trials. Their cry, though often expedient, served as the gateway for God's redemptive work.

Judges 6 7 Commentary

Judges 6:7 encapsulates the pivotal moment in Israel's darkest period under Midianite oppression. After years of devasatation, they reach an extreme point of desperation where their idols and human strength fail. This cry (za'aq) signifies a return, albeit one born out of duress, to the one true God, YHWH. It’s a desperate appeal to their covenant Lord, whose hand of judgment allowed the oppression, but whose character is to hear the cries of His people. This turning initiates God's intervention, setting the stage for Him to raise a deliverer and demonstrating His unfailing faithfulness even when His people are unfaithful, proving that He awaits their repentance to restore them.