Judges 6:1
in Judges 6Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
KJV
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
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This verse in Judges 6
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Midian - See Gen 25:2 note. They were remarkable not only for the vast number of their cattle Jdg 6:5; Num 31:32-39, but also for their great wealth in gold and other metal ornaments, showing their connection with a gold country. (Compare Num 31:22, Num 31:50-54, with Jdg 8:24:26.) At this time they were allies of the Amalekites and of the Arabian tribes called collectively “the children of the East” Jdg 6:3. They seem to have extended their settlements to the east of Jordan, and to have belonged to the larger section of Arabs called Ishmaelites Jdg 8:24.
This site's exposition
into the hand of Midian
on Judges 6:1-3
This is the fifth of the seven times the book says the Israelites "did evil in the sight of the LORD". Midian descends from Abraham by Keturah at Genesis 25:2, so the raiders are distant kin. Seven years is the book's shortest servitude so far.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
The "land was at rest" as long as sin was at rest. But the land is said to be disturbed, meaning those who inhabit the land, when the souls of the people began to move and to dislocate in sin. This is why the text was written this way: "The land was at rest for forty years. And the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years. And Midian ruled over Israel."
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
4 ), a people that all men despised as uncultivated and unintelligent; hence we read not here of any king, lord, or general, that they had, but the force with which they destroyed Israel was an undisciplined mob; and, which made it the more grievous, they were a people that Israel had formerly subdued, and in a manner destroyed (see Num. xxxi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord,....
This people hath a revolting rebellious heart, not kept in awe by the terror of God's judgments, nor engaged in honour and gratitude by the great things he had done for them to keep themselves in his love. The providence of God will not change the hearts and lives of sinners.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian--Untaught by their former experiences, the Israelites again apostatized, and new sins were followed by fresh judgments.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Delivered them unto the hand of Midian - The Midianites were among the most ancient and inveterate of the enemies of Israel. They joined with the Moabites to seduce them to idolatry, and were nearly extirpated by them; Num 31:1-12. The Midianites dwelt on the eastern borders of the Dead Sea, and their capital was Arnon.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Acted wickedly. Until this period, Scripture states, "They resumed [acting wickedly]" since their iniquities accumulated. However, through this hymn. Sung by Devorah and Barak [ch.5]. they were granted forgiveness for all that they had perpetrated.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעֲשׂ֧וּ | vaiyaasu | and they did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| בְנֵי־ | venei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| הָרַ֖ע | hara' | the evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| בְּעֵינֵ֣י | beeinei | in [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיִּתְּנֵ֧ם | vaiyitenem | and he gave them | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּיַד־ | beyad- | in [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| מִדְיָ֖ן | midyan | Midian | H4080 → | 59 times |
| שֶׁ֥בַע | sheva' | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| שָׁנִֽים׃ | shanim | years | H8141 → | 877 times |
וַיַּעֲשׂ֧וּand they did
vaiyaasuH6213 →2628 times
בְנֵי־[the] people of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
הָרַ֖עthe evil
hara'H7451 →662 times
בְּעֵינֵ֣יin [the] eyes of
beeineiH5869 →887 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיִּתְּנֵ֧םand he gave them
vaiyitenemH5414 →2011 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּיַד־in [the] hand of
beyad-H3027 →1618 times
מִדְיָ֖ןMidian
midyanH4080 →59 times
שֶׁ֥בַעseven
sheva'H7651 →394 times
שָׁנִֽים׃years
shanimH8141 →877 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JUDGES 7.1.