Day 93-11

VI From the crossing into Canaan to the reign of Saul - 1422-1065 B.C. ~ cont.

C. Establishment of Judges ~ cont.

6. Reign of Abimelech (served 3 years) ends violenty (apx 28 years) - Judges 9:1-57
7. 7th Judge - Tola (served 23 years)
a. Defends dIsrael, lived in Mount Ephraim - Judges 10:1-2
b. Birth of Jesse (33rd gen)
8. 8th Judge - Jair (served 22 years) - Judges 10:3-5
9. 9th Judge - Eli (served 40 years) (1 Samuel 4:18)
a. Jephthah's youth - Judges 11:-3
b. Samson's introduction
(1) Parents - Judges 13:2-23

{pages 408-413}

Abimelech was not raised up by the Lord, he took the leadership position by killing all his brothers, except one, Jotham.  The men of Shechem made Abimelech king (Judges 9:6)

Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:  But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.  (Judges 9:16-20)

Abimelech's surviving brother utters a curse about the men of Shechem, which comes to pass:

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.  (Judges 9:56-57)

curse - H7045 - From H7043; vilification.

• H7043 - A primitive root; to be (causatively make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.).

Used 33 times in 33 verses, most always translated as curse.  Used first:

My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.  (Genesis 27:12)

Middle (or thereabouts)

As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.  (Psalm 109:17)

Last:

And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.  (Zechariah 8:13)

Judges:  Tola ~ Jair ~ Eli

Tola - H8439 - The same as H8438; worm; Tola, the name of two Israelites.

• H8438 - From H3216; a maggot (as voracious); specifically (often with ellipsis of H8144) the crimson grub, but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith.
• H3216 - A primitive root; to blurt or utter inconsiderately.

Used in Genesis 46:13, Numbers 26:23, Judges 10:1, 1 Chronicles 7:1-2.  Judges 10:1 definitely speaks of the judge Tola.  The Genesis and Numbers appear to be a forefather.  In the Chronicles I can not determine if it is the 1st or 2nd Tola's generation they are tracking.  Definitely from the tribe of Issachar, served Israel 23 years.

Jair - H2971 - From H215; enlightener; Jair, the name of four Israelites.

• H215 - A primitive root; to be (causatively make) luminous (literally and metaphorically).

Slim pickings as far as information goes for this judge and the one previous.  :-)  Ruled for 22 years, a Gileadite (I tried to track down the tribe, according to Gill part of the tribe of Manassah).  Had 30 sons who rode on  30 ass colts (?) and they had thirty cities?  Possibly each one had a city?

Eli - H5941 - From H5927; lofty; Eli, an Israelitish high priest.

• H5927 - A primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or active (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literally and figuratively.

Had 2 sons, Hophni and Phinehas - both wicked.  Noticed Hannah praying to the Lord for a child.  Received the child that Hannah bore (Samuel).  Blessed Elkanah and Hannah for the loan of their child.  Received prophecy from Samuel.  Died at 98, had served Israel for 40 years.

What type of legacy and/or reputation will we leave behind?

Samson's birth foretold...I thought it interesting that Manoah wanted to know the name of the angel of the Lord, whose response is:  "Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?"  (Judge 13:18)

I am reminded of something I recently read about a servant always pointing to the Master, versus trying to take honor and/or glory for themselves.

Lord, let all that I say and do be a reflection of You, not an attempt to elevate myself or desire to have others venerate me.  Lord, let me be found a faithful servant, bringing You honor and glory, continually pointing to You.

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:  And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.  (John 15:26-27)

Day 92-11

VI From the crossing into Canaan to the reign of Saul - 1422-1065 B.C. ~ cont.

C. Establishment of Judges ~ cont.

5. 6th Judge Gideon (served 40 years) ~ cont.

Israel is the World Power C 1200 - 750 B.C. ~ cont.

b. Gideon's fleece - Judges 6:36-40

c. Gideon's victorious army - Judges 7:1-25

d. Later events - Judges 8:1-30

e. Birth of Eli

f. Birth of Abimelech - Judges 8:31

g. Death of Gideon and 5th apostasy - Judges 8:32-35

{pages 404-408}

Gideon continued ~ also known as Jerubbaal ~

Jerubbaal - H3378 - From H7378 and H1168; Baal will contend; Jerubbaal, a symbolical name of Gideon.

• H7378 - A primitive root; properly to toss, that is, grapple; mostly figuratively to wrangle, that is, hold a controversy; (by implication) to defend.
• H1168 - The same as H1167; Baal, a Phoenician deity.

Jerubbaal used 14 times in 13 verses. Given the name by his father, Joash.  Had a son Abimelch who slew all of the other sons except Jotham.

Gideon is probably best remembered as the man who put a fleece before the Lord to seek an answer and/or guidance befor going into battle.  Interestingly God answers the 2 fleeces, and then gives Gideon one back to confirm HIS plan.

The 2 fleeces of Gideon:

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.  And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.   (Judges 6:36-40)

Gideon gathers people from Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali - a total of 32,000 people.  If I have calculated properly it appears that the Midianites had an army of 135,000.

Judges 8:10 - Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

So Gideon is looking at an army that God has shaved down (Judges 7:2-3) take away 22,000 of those that were fearful or afraid.

fearful - H3373 - From H3372; fearing; morally reverent.

• H3372 - A primitive root; to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten.

afraid  - H2730 - From H2729; fearful; also reverential.

• H2729 - A primitive root; to shudder with terror; hence to fear; also to hasten (with anxiety).

Then God weans the army down a tad more (Judges 7:4-6) take away 9,700 men who did not drink with their hand, but lappeth like a dog.  Leaving Gideon with a grand total of 300 men.  Against an army 400-450 times larger (depending upon either 120,000 or 135,000 as the total figure).

300 versus 135,000 - I would be slightly intimidated.  God knows our hearts and minds and is always timely in making sure we have confidence in Him to carry us through what He has called us to do.  We mustn't look at the dilemma, but the deliverer.

God's reassurance to Gideon:

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. But if thou fear (H3372) to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. (Judges 7:9-11)

God's fleece and/or testing to Gideon?  I had never thought of it that way before, more of God knowing that Gideon would be fearful (he just narrowed the army by 31,700 men) and God's reassurance of HIS ability to deliver.  God's reassurance verbalized:

And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.  (Judges 7:13-14)

Which gives confidence and strength to Gideon:

And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.  (Judge 7:15)

worshipped - H7812 - A primitive root; to depress, that is, prostrate (especially reflexively in homage to royalty or God).

I like Gideon's battle plan, he 'arms' each man with a trumpet and a torch, covered by a pitcher.  Really, 300 men with trumpets, pitchers, torches against 100K+ army?

My first inclination?  That each standard bearer would have a trumpet (to call the unit to action/give direction) and a light to guide the unit.  Browsed the commentaries...not much in the way of why.

Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick...tocked the clock...I have tried a variety of words in the search engine, all to no avail.  I can not find anything that gives a description of standard bearers, or why or what those 300 men holding torches covered by baskets and blowing on trumpets *could* have meant to the Midianites.

I found some interesting stuff... :-) but did not get my question answered.  :-(  So...here are a few of the sites that I found:  The Message of Judges - Part One, there is a Part II that gives more information about Gideon specifically.  Another one about Gideon - Character Studies.

Ultimately, ...the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout the host. (Judges 7:22)

If the Lord be for us, who can be against us?  (portioned paraphrase of Romans 8:31)

Day 91-11

VI From the crossing into Canaan to the reign of Saul - 1422-1065 B.C. ~ cont.

C. Establishment of Judges ~ cont.

4. 4th and 5th Judges - Deborah and Barak (served 40 years) - Judges 4:4-24

a. Their song - Judges 5:1-31

b. 4th apostasy and servitude (Midianites) - Judges 6:1-10

5. 6th Judge Gideon (served 40 years)

Israel is the World Power C 1200 - 750 B.C.

a. Early events - Judges 6:11-35

{pages 399-404}

Judges:  Deborah ~ Barak ~ Gideon

Deborah - H1683 - The same as H1682; Deborah, the name of two Hebrewesses.

• H1683 - From H1696 (in the sense of orderly motion); the bee (from its systematic instincts).
• H1696 - A primitive root; perhaps properly to arrange; but used figuratively (of words) to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue.

Prophetess, wife of Lapidoth, children of Israel came to her for judgment, called Barak to remembrance of God's command to take Tabor.  Goes to battle with Barak.  Sings with Barak.

Barak - H1301 - The same as H1300; Barak, an Israelite.

• H1300 - From H1299; lightning; by analogy a gleam; concretely a flashing sword.
• A primitive root; to lighten (lightning).

Son of Abinoam, called Zebulun and Naphtali to battle, chased Sisera, sings with Deborah, mentioned in the NT.  Land had rest 40 years.

Gideon - H1439 - From H1438; feller (that is, warrior); Gidon, an Israelite.

• H1438 - A primitive root; to fell a tree; generally to destroy anything.

Son of Joash, hid from the Midianites, questioned God, made an offering to the Lord, built an altar and called it Jehovah-shalom, feared the men of his father's household and the city, pulled down the grove, and the altar that his father had to Baal, Spirit of the Lord upon him, fleeces God - twice, uses the name of Jerubbaal, watches God take his army down to 300 men, God confirms HIS hand upon Gideon by allowing him to hear the enemy prophesy about Gideon winning, slew the princes of Oreb and Zeeb, prophesied against Succoth and Penuel, made an ephod from the gold earrings of those conquered and was a snare to the house of Israel.  Ruled for 40 years

And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.   (Judges 6:19)

The verse above reminded me of when Abram made an offering for the angelic visitors (Genesis 18).  Hospitality was a major thrust in the OT, the article linked was quite interesting comparing Israel, God, Jesus and the Church as guests and hosts.  Very thought provoking.  I thought Strategic Hospitality encouraging as well.

So to, ought we to practice hospitality:

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.  (Hebrews 13:2)