Judges 6 9

Judges 6:9 kjv

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 6:9 nkjv

and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land.

Judges 6:9 niv

I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land.

Judges 6:9 esv

And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land.

Judges 6:9 nlt

I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land.

Judges 6 verses

Judges 6 9 Meaning

This verse contains a divine proclamation through an unnamed prophet to the people of Israel during their oppression by Midian. It serves as a potent reminder of the Lord's unparalleled acts of salvation and provision in their past. God recounts how He miraculously delivered them from the severe bondage of Egypt, cleared their enemies from the Promised Land, and sovereignly bestowed that land upon them as an inheritance. This historical overview underscores God's unfailing faithfulness to His covenant despite Israel's subsequent rebellion, thereby laying the groundwork for a divine rebuke and implicitly calling for their return to Him.

Judges 6 9 Context

Judges chapter 6 opens with Israel's cycle of disobedience once again, described as doing "what was evil in the sight of the LORD" (Jdg 6:1). As a consequence, the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven oppressive years. The Midianites, along with Amalekites and other eastern peoples, invaded the land, destroyed Israel's produce, livestock, and impoverished them (Jdg 6:3-6). In their desperation, the Israelites "cried out to the LORD" (Jdg 6:7). Judges 6:9 is part of God's direct response to their cry, delivered through an unnamed prophet before Gideon's miraculous calling. This prophet's message (Jdg 6:8-10) is a divinely commissioned indictment, reminding Israel of God's past fidelity and their repeated failure to adhere to His commands. The verse stands as a powerful prologue to the narrative of Gideon, emphasizing that Israel's suffering is not due to God's weakness, but to their breaking the covenant, particularly their worship of other gods, specifically the Amorite gods in whose land they now dwell. It reinforces the Deuteronomistic theological perspective evident throughout Judges: Israel's welfare is directly tied to their faithfulness to the Lord.

Judges 6 9 Word analysis

• And I brought you up (וָאַעֲלֶה, va'a'aleh): The Hebrew verb root עָלָה ('alah) means "to go up" or "to bring up." The waw-consecutive perfect form emphasizes God as the singular, decisive agent of the action. It highlights a divine elevation—not merely movement, but a raising from a lower, subjugated state to a higher, liberated one. This points to the momentous and supernatural Exodus event, the foundational act of redemption for Israel.
• out of Egypt (מִמִּצְרָיִם, mimmitṣrāyim): Egypt was not merely a geographical location but a theological symbol of tyrannical oppression, spiritual darkness, and a pagan power structure. This phrase emphasizes the totality of the separation from that bondage, underscoring the completeness of God's rescue from a formidable world power.
• and brought you forth (וָאוֹצִיאָה, va'otzi'ah): From the root יָצָא (yatsa'), meaning "to go out" or "to bring out." This serves as a reinforcing parallel to "brought you up," intensifying the idea of deliverance and emphasizing the physical extraction from their previous condition. The repeated "I" (understood in the Hebrew verb forms) strongly attributes both acts to God alone, establishing His unmatched sovereignty.
• out of the house of slavery (בֵּית עֲבָדִים, beyt 'avadim): Literally, "house of servants" or "house of slaves." This vivid idiom defines their prior existence as absolute servitude and bondage. It evokes images of harsh labor, deprivation, and complete lack of autonomy, making the deliverance even more profound and emphasizing the depths from which God rescued them.
• and drove them out (וָאֲגָרֵשָׁה, va'agareishah): From the root גָּרַשׁ (garash), meaning "to drive out," "expel," or "dispossess." This signifies an aggressive, forceful action of displacement. "Them" refers to the indigenous nations inhabiting Canaan, whom God supernaturally expelled. This portrays God as the divine Warrior, fighting for Israel's inheritance and executing judgment on the Canaanite inhabitants due to their wickedness.
• from before you (מִפְּנֵיכֶם, mippneychem): Literally "from your face" or "from before your presence." This signifies that God cleared the way directly in front of them, demonstrating His power and authority openly for Israel to witness. It also implies that He removed the obstacles and enemies so Israel could safely enter and possess the land.
• and gave you (וָאֶתֵּן, va'eten): From the root נָתַן (natan), meaning "to give" or "to place." This underscores God's absolute ownership and His sovereign right to bestow the land as a gracious gift, in fulfillment of His covenant promises, particularly those made to Abraham. The land was not earned or conquered by Israel's might but was a divine endowment.
• their land (אֶת אַרְצָם, et artsam): Referring to the land previously occupied by the nations God had dispossessed. This highlights the transfer of ownership from the previous occupants to Israel, legally and divinely sanctioned by the Creator. This land was not an empty wilderness but a productive territory, already developed, provided entirely by God's provision.

• "And I brought you up out of Egypt and brought you forth out of the house of slavery": This phrase pair emphasizes the divine initiative and power in two distinct but complementary aspects of the Exodus: the act of "bringing up" (a movement of elevation and dignity) and "bringing forth" (a physical extraction from confinement). This deliberate parallelism reiterates the completeness and unassailable nature of God's foundational redemptive act, setting the stage for all subsequent blessings. It stands as a polemic against any notion that human strength or other deities were involved in Israel's liberation from Egypt.
• "and drove them out from before you and gave you their land": This second phrase pair highlights God's sovereign hand in the conquest and settlement of Canaan. "Driving them out" speaks to the divine warfare and removal of obstacles, while "gave you their land" speaks to the divine grant of inheritance. These actions are sequential and interlinked, demonstrating God's consistent covenant faithfulness, from deliverance to promised provision. This directly confronts any syncretistic belief that Baal or other Canaanite deities (gods of the land) were responsible for the land's bounty or Israel's establishment there.

Judges 6 9 Bonus section

This prophetic message is distinct from the later appearance of the "angel of the Lord" to Gideon, establishing the theological framework before the specific call to action. The prophet's anonymity focuses attention entirely on the divine message itself rather than the messenger. The detailed recall of God's deeds in Egypt and Canaan (Exodus and Conquest) represents the core of Israel's national identity and relationship with Yahweh. By reciting these foundational acts, the prophet appeals to their memory and consciousness, implicitly posing the question: "How could you abandon the God who did all this for you?" This also reveals the depth of Israel's depravity—their rebellion was not from ignorance but from active rebellion against clear, historical, and undeniable divine benevolence.

Judges 6 9 Commentary

Judges 6:9 forms a pivotal part of the unnamed prophet's stern rebuke to Israel. It functions as a concise theological summary of God's fundamental acts on behalf of His people, beginning with their defining deliverance from Egyptian bondage and culminating in their settlement in the Promised Land. This historical recapitulation serves as the bedrock upon which the subsequent indictment rests: Israel has inexplicably forgotten and rejected the very God who performed these incomparable acts of salvation and provision. The emphatic "I" embedded in the Hebrew verbs underscores God's singular, all-sufficient agency, challenging any attribution of their past success or present struggles to other gods or forces. The recounting highlights God's role as their Redeemer from slavery and their Sovereign Provider of a homeland, reminding them of the covenant's absolute demands and the tragic consequences of their apostasy. It sets a profound contrast between God's unwavering faithfulness and Israel's spiritual infidelity, paving the way for the Lord's continued, albeit disciplined, interaction with His rebellious people through Gideon.