Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. New Living Translation The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. English Standard Version And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. Berean Standard Bible and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. King James Bible And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. New King James Version and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains. New American Standard Bible The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. NASB 1995 The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. NASB 1977 And the power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. Legacy Standard Bible And the power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. Amplified Bible The [powerful] hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens (hideouts) which were in the mountains, and the caves and the [mountain] strongholds. Christian Standard Bible and they oppressed Israel. Because of Midian, the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Holman Christian Standard Bible and they oppressed Israel. Because of Midian, the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version The Midianites were so cruel that many Israelites ran to the mountains and hid in caves. English Revised Version 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 strong holds. GOD'S WORD® Translation Midian's power was too strong for Israel. The Israelites made hiding places in the mountains, caves, and mountain strongholds [to protect themselves] from Midian. Good News Translation The Midianites were stronger than Israel, and the people of Israel hid from them in caves and other safe places in the hills. International Standard Version Midian's control predominated throughout Israel, and because of Midian the Israelis went out to find temporary hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and fortified places. Majority Standard Bible and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. NET Bible The Midianites overwhelmed Israel. Because of Midian the Israelites made shelters for themselves in the hills, as well as caves and strongholds. New Heart English Bible And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds. Webster's Bible Translation And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. World English Bible The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the mountains, the caves, and the strongholds. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand the hand of Midian is strong against Israel, [so] the sons of Israel have made for themselves the nooks which [are] in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds [to hide] from the presence of Midian. Young's Literal Translation and the hand of Midian is strong against Israel, from the presence of Midian have the sons of Israel made for themselves the flowings which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds. Smith's Literal Translation And the hand of Midian will be strong upon Israel: from the face of Midian the sons of Israel made to them clefts which are in the mountains, and caves and fastnesses. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they were grievously oppressed by them. And they made themselves dens and eaves in the mountains, and strong holds to resist. Catholic Public Domain Version And they were greatly oppressed by them. And they made for themselves hollows and caves in the mountains, and very fortified places for defense. New American Bible so that Midian held Israel subject. From fear of Midian the Israelites made dens in the mountains, the caves, and the strongholds. New Revised Standard Version The hand of Midian prevailed over Israel; and because of Midian the Israelites provided for themselves hiding places in the mountains, caves and strongholds. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the hand of the Midianites prevailed against Israel, in that they fled from before the Midianites; and the children of Israel made for themselves dens in the mountains, and caves, and sheepfolds. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the hand of the Midianites was hard on Israel and they fled from before the Midianites and the sons of Israel made houses for themselves in the mountains and caves and sheepfolds OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And 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. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the hand of Madiam prevailed against Israel: and the children of Israel made for themselves because of Madiam the caves in the mountains, and the dens, and the holes in the rocks. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Midian Oppresses Israel1Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, 2and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. 3Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,… Cross References Hebrews 11:32-34 And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. 1 Samuel 13:6 Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns. Joshua 23:13 know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you. 2 Kings 6:2 Please let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a log so we can build ourselves a place to live there.” “Go,” said Elisha. Psalm 106:42-43 Their enemies oppressed them and subdued them under their hand. / Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity. Isaiah 10:20-27 On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer depend on him who struck them, but they will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. / A remnant will return—a remnant of Jacob—to the Mighty God. / Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overflowing with righteousness. ... Nehemiah 9:27 So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. / That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Deuteronomy 28:52-57 They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you. / Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you. / The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived, ... Romans 8:35-37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? / As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” / No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Exodus 1:13-14 They worked the Israelites ruthlessly / and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh. 2 Chronicles 15:5-6 In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts. / Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God afflicted them with all kinds of adversity. Lamentations 1:3 Judah has gone into exile under affliction and harsh slavery; she dwells among the nations but finds no place to rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress. Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. / Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. / Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. Jeremiah 4:29 Every city flees at the sound of the horseman and archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left. Treasury of Scripture And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. the hand Leviticus 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. Deuteronomy 28:47,48 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; … prevailed. 1 Samuel 13:6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 1 Samuel 14:11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. Hebrews 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. Jump to Previous Caves Children Dens Hand Holds Holes Hollows Israel Israelites Midian Mid'ian Midianites Mountain Mountains Oppressive Power Prepared Presence Prevailed Rocks Shelters Strong Strongholds ThemselvesJump to Next Caves Children Dens Hand Holds Holes Hollows Israel Israelites Midian Mid'ian Midianites Mountain Mountains Oppressive Power Prepared Presence Prevailed Rocks Shelters Strong Strongholds ThemselvesJudges 6 1. The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian8. A prophet rebukes them 11. An angel sends Gideon for their deliverance 17. Gideon's present is consumed with fire 24. Gideon destroys Baal's altar; offers a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom 28. Joash defends his son, and calls him Jerubbaal 33. Gideon's army 36. Gideon's signs and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. The Midianites were descendants of Abraham through Keturah, as noted in Genesis 25:1-2. Historically, they were nomadic tribes known for their raids and conflicts with Israel. The phrase "prevailed against Israel" indicates a period of oppression and dominance, which is a recurring theme in the Book of Judges. This oppression was a consequence of Israel's disobedience to God, as they turned to idolatry and forsook the covenant. The Midianites' dominance is a fulfillment of the cyclical pattern of sin, servitude, supplication, and salvation seen throughout Judges. This period of oppression lasted seven years, emphasizing the completeness of their suffering and the need for divine intervention. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Persons / Places / Events 1. MidianA nomadic people who oppressed Israel during the time of the Judges. They were descendants of Abraham through Keturah and often in conflict with Israel. 2. Israelites The chosen people of God, who were suffering under the oppression of the Midianites due to their disobedience to God. 3. Dens, Caves, and Strongholds These were the hiding places the Israelites used to escape the oppression of the Midianites. They symbolize fear and retreat from the enemy. 4. Mountains The geographical feature where the Israelites sought refuge. Mountains often symbolize places of encounter with God, but here they are places of hiding. 5. Oppression The event of Midian's dominance over Israel, which led to the Israelites' desperate measures for survival. Teaching Points Consequences of DisobedienceThe Israelites' oppression by Midian was a direct result of their disobedience to God. This serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God's commands. Seeking Refuge in God While the Israelites sought physical refuge in caves and strongholds, believers are encouraged to seek spiritual refuge in God, who is our ultimate protector. God's Deliverance Despite their circumstances, God had a plan for deliverance through Gideon. This teaches us that God is always working for our good, even when we cannot see it. Faith Over Fear The Israelites' fear led them to hide, but God calls us to live by faith. Trusting in God's promises can help us overcome fear and oppression. Repentance and Restoration The cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance in Judges highlights the need for genuine repentance and the hope of restoration through God's mercy.(2) The hand of Midian prevailed.--See Judges 3:10. This oppression is wholly different from that with which we have been dealing in the last chapter. That was the last great attempt of the old inhabitants to recover their lost country; this is a foreign invasion. The dens which are in the mountains.--The word mineharoth, rendered dens (LXX., mandrai), occurs here only. Rashi and Kimchi render it, "caves lighted from above," deriving it from neharah, "light" (Job 3:4). They were probably thinking of the subterranean galleries like those found by Wetzstein in the Hauran (p. 45). R. Tanchum and others take it to mean fire-signals. But the more probable derivation is nahar, "a river," and then the meaning is "torrent-gullies," which they easily converted into places of concealment, since the limestone hills of Palestine abound in caves. Josephus understood it to mean mines and caverns (Antt. v. 6. ? 1). (Comp. 1Samuel 13:6 : "When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits." Hebrews 11:38 : "in dens and caves of the earth.") Three places of hiding are mentioned: (1) The mineharoth, perhaps catacombs and galleries in the rocks, which, as the article shows, were pointed out long afterwards. (2) Craggy peaks, like Rimmon, Magada, &c. (3) "Limestone caves, here first mentioned, and afterwards often used, like the Corycian cave in Greece during the Persian invasion, and the caves of the Asturias in Spain during the occupation of the Moors. It was returning to the old troglodyte habits of the Horites and Phoenicians" (Stanley, i. 340). These caves were used, long afterwards, by the brigands whom Herod and the Romans found it so hard to extirpate. Verse 2. - The dens... and caves. In the writer's time certain hiding-places called by the above names were traditionally known as the places where the Israelites took refuge during the terrible Midianite invasion. The limestone hills of Palestine abounded in such caves.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew and the handיַד־ (yaḏ-) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 3027: A hand of Midian מִדְיָ֖ן (miḏ·yān) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4080: Midian -- a son of Abraham and Keturah, also his descendants and the region where they settled prevailed וַתָּ֥עָז (wat·tā·‘āz) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 5810: To be strong against עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against Israel. יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc Because of מִפְּנֵ֨י (mip·pə·nê) Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct Strong's 6440: The face the Midianites, מִדְיָ֜ן (miḏ·yān) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4080: Midian -- a son of Abraham and Keturah, also his descendants and the region where they settled the Israelites בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son prepared עָשֽׂוּ (‘ā·śū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6213: To do, make shelters הַמִּנְהָרוֹת֙ (ham·min·hā·rō·wṯ) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 4492: A channel, fissure, a cavern for themselves לָהֶ֣ם ׀ (lā·hem) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew in the mountains, בֶּֽהָרִ֔ים (be·hā·rîm) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country caves, הַמְּעָר֖וֹת (ham·mə·‘ā·rō·wṯ) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 4631: A cavern and strongholds. הַמְּצָדֽוֹת׃ (ham·mə·ṣā·ḏō·wṯ) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 4679: Fastness, a stronghold Links Judges 6:2 NIVJudges 6:2 NLT Judges 6:2 ESV Judges 6:2 NASB Judges 6:2 KJV Judges 6:2 BibleApps.com Judges 6:2 Biblia Paralela Judges 6:2 Chinese Bible Judges 6:2 French Bible Judges 6:2 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 6:2 The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel (Jd Judg. Jdg) |
    |