Judges 6:4

*Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey.* (Judges 6:4)

This verse describes the oppression Israel faced under the Midianites, who spread across the land and *encamp against them*, taking not only *the produce of the earth* but also snatching away or destroying every means of livelihood. Midian’s actions left *no sustenance for Israel*, which essentially cut off their food supply and any resources necessary to survive. These raiders reached *as far as Gaza*, a region in the southwestern part of the land, near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea citeturn0file2. The text underscores that Israel’s situation was dire: their flocks, including *sheep nor ox nor donkey*, were not spared. This reveals the devastating nature of the enemy’s strategy to dominate and impoverish the Israelites through starvation, pushing them to hide their resources in caves citeturn0file2.

Historically, this event occurred during the time of the Judges, likely sometime in the 12th century BC. The Midianites were partly descended from Abraham through his later wife Keturah (Genesis 25:1-4), and they dwelled east of Canaan in the Arabian desert. By the time of Judges 6:4, the Midianites had grown strong enough to subjugate Israel with repeated raids and encampments citeturn0file2. Their oppression set the stage for God’s eventual call to Gideon (Judges 6:11-16), who would rise up as a judge and deliver Israel out of Midian’s grip.

The deeper theological thread in this narrative is that Israel’s hardship prompted them to recognize their dependency on the Lord. Israel’s cries for help would soon be answered through Gideon, illustrating yet again that the Lord sees His people’s poverty and has not forgotten His covenant. While the Midianites tried to erase Israel’s provision, God’s faithful deliverance through Gideon would show His power over any oppressive force.

Israel’s dire condition reflects a theme found elsewhere in Scripture: even when God’s people fall into dire circumstances because of their choices, the Lord hears their cry and raises up a deliverer to rescue them (Judges 6:7-10; Exodus 2:23-25). This theme repeatedly unfolds through figures like Moses and those who come in faith, ultimately pointing toward the greater redemption found in Jesus (Hebrews 11:32).

Israel’s farmland from the hills to *Gaza* in the west is the geographical detail highlighting just how wide the destruction stretched, nearly spanning the entire country. Gaza was a historically significant city at the southwestern edge of Israel’s territory near the Mediterranean Sea, and controlling that region was crucial for trade and agriculture. Because the Midianites *destroyed the produce of the earth as far as Gaza*, the people of Israel had nowhere left to grow food and raise flocks for survival citeturn0file2.

They faced utter hopelessness in the face of Midian’s predatory raids, yet the Lord was at work through this tumult, preparing a deliverer who would trust Him enough to achieve victory with only a small band of men (Judges 7:7). Gideon’s era ultimately showcases God’s faithfulness to His covenant people and His power to deliver them against all odds.

One-sentence brief: The Midianites pillaged Israel’s land and resources to the brink of starvation, setting the stage for God to deliver His people through Gideon.