What does Judges 6:5 mean?
"For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it." - Judges 6:5
The book of Judges in the Old Testament of the Bible is a historical book that covers the time period after the Israelites settled in the Promised Land following their exodus from Egypt. The book of Judges recounts the cycle of Israel's sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance through the leadership of judges raised up by God. The verse Judges 6:5 from the King James Version (KJV) reads:
"For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it."
In this verse, the author describes the invasion of the Midianites, Amalekites, and the "children of the east" who came into the land of Israel with their livestock and tents, as numerous as the locusts. Their purpose was to destroy and plunder the land, bringing about oppression and hardship for the people of Israel.
Contextually, this verse is part of the story of Gideon, who is later called upon by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. The narrative of Gideon begins in Judges chapter 6, wherein he is introduced as the least in his family, from the weakest clan in Manasseh. The oppression of the Israelites by the Midianites had been ongoing for seven years, leading the people of Israel to cry out to the Lord for help.
The theme of this verse is oppression and the overwhelming power of the enemy. The invasion of the Midianites and their allies represented a devastating threat to the livelihood and security of the Israelites. The imagery of the invaders being as numerous as grasshoppers and their camels without number emphasizes the sheer magnitude of the opposing force. This theme of overwhelming odds and the need for divine intervention is a recurring motif throughout the book of Judges.
Furthermore, the symbolism of the invaders coming with their cattle and tents speaks to their intention to not only plunder the land but also to settle and inhabit it as conquerors. This represents a direct threat to the God-given inheritance of the Israelites and the covenant promise of the Promised Land. The invasion of the land by these foreign peoples also symbolizes the spiritual and moral decay that had taken hold of the Israelites, leading to their vulnerability to external threats.
The verse serves to set the stage for the calling of Gideon as a deliverer and judge for the Israelites. It highlights the dire situation in which the Israelites found themselves and the need for a leader who would rally them to resist their oppressors. The subsequent narrative of Gideon's calling, his testing of God's will through signs, and the eventual victory over the Midianites underscores the overarching theme of God's faithfulness and deliverance in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.
In conclusion, Judges 6:5 from the King James Version offers a window into the historical and spiritual context of the Israelites' oppression by the Midianites and the ensuing need for divine intervention. It conveys themes of overwhelming odds, the threat to the Promised Land, and the ultimate reliance on God for deliverance. The verse sets the stage for the subsequent narrative of Gideon's calling and leadership, culminating in the defeat of the Midianites and the restoration of peace and faithfulness among the Israelites.
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Judges 6:5 - "For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it."
"For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it." - Judges 6:5
Judges 5:6 - "In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways."
1 Corinthians 6:5 - "I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?"
Judges 5:7
"In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways." - Judges 5:6
Judges 6:6 - "And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD."
Judges 10:5 - "And Jair died, and was buried in Camon."
Judges 5:5 - "The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel."
Judges 5:1 - "Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,"
Judges 2:5 - "And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD."
1 Corinthians 6:2 - "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?"
Judges 5:20 - "They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera."
Judges 3:6 - "And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods."
Judges 5:22 - "Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones."
Luke 6:37 - "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:"
Judges 6:36-40 – Gideon’s fleece test for dew.
"And Jair died, and was buried in Camon." - Judges 10:5
Judges 5:29 - "Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,"
Judges 5:10 - "Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way."
Judges 5:2 - "Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves."
Judges 1:5 - "And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites."
1 Corinthians 5:12 - "For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?"
Judges 3:5 - "¶ And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:"
Judges 6:7 - "¶ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,"
Psalms 141:6 - "When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet."
2 Chronicles 19:6 - "And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment."
Judges 5:18 - "Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field."
Judges 6:23 - "And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die."
Judges 6:40 - "And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground."