Judges 6:3

*For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them.* (v.3) This verse unfolds during a time when the Israelites, having settled in the Promised Land, found themselves frequently oppressed by enemy nations. The “Midianites” trace back to Abraham’s son Midian (Genesis 25:2), a tribe dwelling east of Canaan in the Arabian desert, while the “Amalekites” stem from Amalek, a descendant of Esau (Genesis 36:12). These two peoples, along with the “sons of the east,” likely various Eastern nomadic groups, would invade Israel’s territory whenever crops were planted, raiding the land’s produce (Judges 6:3 citeturn0file4 citeturn0file1). Their repeated onslaught perpetuated a cycle of destitution among the Israelites, who were forced to hide their scant provisions in caves and dens to survive (Judges 6:2 citeturn0file3).

The verse emphasizes the hopelessness Israel experienced as these adversaries “would come up” whenever they had sown—shattering any hope of agricultural prosperity. God had delivered His people into Midian’s hand because Israel had forsaken His covenant, and this desolation extended to burning or seizing livestock and grain (Judges 6:4-5). Historically, the Midianites entered into other biblical narratives, such as when Joseph’s brothers sold him to Midianite traders (Genesis 37:28), and when Moses found refuge and took a Midianite wife (Exodus 2:15-21). In the time of the Judges, however, the Midianites became a scourge upon Israel, joining with the Amalekites in swift, destructive raids (Judges 6:5 citeturn0file4).

Through this verse, we not only see the tangible consequences of Israel’s departure from the Lord’s commandments, but also the beginning of God’s redemptive work through a judge named Gideon (Judges 6:6, 6:11-16). These raiding forces appear unstoppable amid the Israelites’ weakness and fear, yet God repeatedly uses the least likely champions to deliver His people (Judges 6:11-16, 7:7 citeturn0file14). In doing so, He demonstrates His power and faithfulness even when circumstances seem grim.

This verse shows that repeated invasions by Midian and other nomads devastated Israel’s crops and shaped the backdrop for God’s deliverance through Gideon.