Stories surrounding Daniel

Introduction:

There are three major additions of Daniel to be found within the LXX and even the revision done by Theodotion[1].  Daniel in its Greek translation is found within these two forms, with most manuscripts reflecting the Theodotion, and two others the LXX form[2].  These three stories can be considered “haggadic folktales,” more akin to the beginning six chapters of Daniel, than the latter half of the book[3].

These story have not been found in either the Dead Sea Scrolls, or even the mentioned within the Talmud[4].

Depending on whether one sees the Greek version as the original or rather a Hebrew/Aramaic as the original changes somewhat where it is assumed these additions came from,  Alexandria for the former, or Israel/Eastern Diaspora for the latter[5].  Due to the number of Semitism found within the Greek one could argue for the origin to be in Hebrew/Aramaic[6].  Yet Susanna having puns makes one think that it first appeared in Greek, while the others having more of change to appear in a semantic language[7].

The works seemed to have been written prior to the Maccabean revolt, around the mid century BCE, but the earliest would have been around the Persian era.

These various editions seemed to be independent of one another, as there is no alluding to one another between them.  Thus it seems they only became attached fully to Daniel once the book had been translated into the Greek.

The Church fathers by and large used these additions as they would any other part of the canonical Daniel, only those who had held to the Hebrew canon, regarded them as apocryphal[8].

Prayer of Azariah

In each of the Greek versions, this prayer is found between Daniel 3.23 and 3.24[9].  In some of the various Greek manuscripts this prayer is also to be found at the end of the Psalter with differing titles[10].  (The prayer is both the seventh and eight “ode” of the additional fifteen odes)[11]. Of the three additions this is only one which directly places itself within the canonical book, as mentioned within the third chapter[12].

This addition seemed to have been based primarily on existing “liturgical prayers,” and adapted to follow the flow of the story[13].  Metzger notes that their prayer is quite similar, if not based upon Psalm 148, as well as Psalm 136’s form[14].

The theology of the song is one which well reflects the period, i.e. Yahweh is God over heaven and earth, it was the nation’s sin that has caused its current problems, and the author seems to reflect that instead of animal sacrifices, penitent is the way in which things now work, (cf. 16-17)[15].  Moreover this prayer is one which finds its place well within the other Second Temple period prayers, as other works such as Tobit and Judith, exemplified[16].

The story itself takes place directly in the ends of Daniel Chapter three.  Namely that Nebuchadnezzar having built a golden statue, after the one found in his dream called all of his officials to worship it.  Daniel’s three friends however refused to do so, thus angering Nebuchadnezzar, citing of course that their worship belonged to Yahweh.  In his anger the king of Babylonian thus decides to throw them into the fierier pit and this is where their prayer opens up.

Susanna

Concerning Susanna this, like Bel and Dragon finds itself at the end of the Septuagint manuscript, although Theodotion places Susanna in the beginning as a sort of prologue while Bel remains at that end[17].  The Latin Vulgate follows the LXX in that, these additions are to be found at the end of the book of Daniel[18].  The reasoning for Susanna to have been found as a preamble of sorts is clear, since in it, Daniel is merely a youth[19].  The Theodotion’s version is longer, and more “dramatic,” of the translations, the LXX being shorter, and seems to be the abridgment[20].  Susanna has been called one the first detective story and is considered one gems of the period[21].

It should be noted that this story might not have been written originally to have include Daniel, (Daniel’s name being attached to Susanna’s rescuer later on)[22].  The story’s popularity is evident, for even outside the Church’s use it came to be used by Samaritan and Jewish writers in the middle ages[23].

The reason for Susanna seems to be to show that right actions will win (especially with Yahweh’s help) over those of wrong actions[24].  Although others seen in this story a kind of parable where the elders equate with pagans (and apostate Jews) who try to tempt righteous Jews (symbolized by Susanna) into sin[25].  Moreover it is thought that perhaps the story was a sort of treatise on the corruption in the legal system during the author’s lifetime, arguing against various abuses in the system at that point[26].

The story of Susanna depicts a beautiful girl, who decides to take a bath in private, although unknowingly is being watched by two elders.   At the peak of their lust they rush to her, and she caught in a most compromising of positions, either let the two elders have their way, or scream and bring notice to them.  Susanna screams and soon the Elders make up a charge which brings shame to her name.  Despite her innocents, it seems that she will face death, until young Daniel appears on the scene to save the day.  After questing both elders separately he finds that they’re witness reports are faulty and in this way proves the innocents of Susanna.  In it he curses the elders with a phrase something akin to this:  “‘Under a clove tree… the Lord will cleave you,’ and ‘Under a yew tree… the Lord will hew you[27].’”  In the end it proves the wisdom of Daniel even at a young age.

Bel and the Dragon

Although technically two different stories, in every Greek manuscript the tales are found together, with the second tale having been arranged to flow smoothly as the next tale[28].

In the first part we see what would be considered a “Jewish satire,” namely upon pagan worship[29].  It highlights the Jews attempt to avoid all things which might be considered idolatry, and the foolishness that considered it all[30].  All the while however, Daniel’s genius and in a way craftiness are highlighted as he shows the gods, to be anything but[31].   In the second part, we have a sort of variation upon the story told in the sixth chapter of the canonical book, but again it is another satire upon the foolishness of Idolatry[32].  Bel (more properly Marduk) was one the most admired gods within the Babylonian pantheon[33].  The snake as well has long been a part of the Near East as a “religious symbol[34].”

Habakkuk is found within this second tale, where it is implied to be the same prophet to be found in the minor prophets, with the Septuagint even prefacing the whole second story with “From the prophecy of Habakkuk, son of Jesus, of the tribe of Levi[35].”  (How he is here during the time of Cyrus however? His prophecies are during 612-597 BCE, with this story taking place around 550 BCE[36]).

In each of these tales Daniel proves to King Cyrus that the supposed gods are really nothing of the sort.  In the first story he proves that the statue of Bel does nothing, the eating is actually done by the priest and their family and the second he proves the snake ungodlike by killing it.  After which under duress the King throws Daniel into the lion’s den, where Daniel is saved by Yahweh and even fed by the prophet Habakkuk.  In the end the King sees Daniel god as the true God and the evil priest are thrown in the den to be eaten up.

Appendix A: Daniel in the Dead Sea Scrolls

There has been found within the Dead Sea Scrolls pieces of another “Daniel Cycle,” which help to show the widespread popularity of Daniel, in pre-Christian times[37].

At Qumran there has been found the “prayer of Nabonidus,” which reflects the story told of Nebuchadnezzar found in the fourth chapter of the canonical book.  In this tale Nabonidus has been afflicted by Yahweh with some sort of skin aliment, and it isn’t until God sends a “Jewish Soothsayer,” which teaches this king to confess his sins and follow Yahweh, the true god instead of the false idols that he is cured[38].  The difference between the stories besides the principal characters is also the fact that Nebuchadnezzar is healed directly by God, while Nabonidus is healed indirectly by the Soothsayer[39].

The other fragments found at Qumran are quite small indeed, most being unable to offer any significant translation[40].  Yet there Daniel is specifically mentioned three times, moreover another person appears in the text by the name of Balakros[41].

The Prayer of Nabonidus, combined with the others fragments, give testimony to the popularity of Daniel, and tales that sprung up about him, notably the three additions found within the dueterocanonical books[42].

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[1] NOAB 188

[2] Alexander A. Di Lella and Louis F. Hartman, “Daniel,” in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy (Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, 1990), 408.

[3] Di Lella, 419.

[4] NOAB 188

[5] Ibid.

[6] Di Lella, 419.

[7] Bruce M Metzger, An Introduction to the Apocrypha (New York: Oxford University Press, 1957), 100.

[8] Ibid.

[9] NOAB, 188.

[10] Metzger, 100.

[11] NOAB, 189.

[12] Metzger, 100-1.

[13] Di Lella, 412.

[14] Metzger, 103.  NOAB, 189

[15] Ibid., 104.

[16] NOAB 189

[17] Ibid., 188

[18] Metzger, 99.

[19] Ibid., 99-100.

[20] Di Lella, 419.

[21] Metzger, 108.

[22] NOAB 194

[23] Ibid.

[24] Di Lella, 419.

[25] Ibid., 419-20.

[26] Metzger, 111.

[27] Ibid., 111.

[28] Di Lella, 420.

[29] Ibid.

[30] Ibid.

[31] NOAB 198

[32] Di Lella, 420.

[33] Metzger, 116.

[34] Ibid., 119.

[35] Di Lella, 420

[36] NOAB, 198, 200.

[37] Di Lella, 419.

[38] Ibid., 413.

[39] Geza Vermes, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, 4^th ed. (New York: Penguin Books, 1995), 573.

[40] Ibid., 574.

[41] Ibid.

[42] Di Lella, 413.

Battles and More Battles: Judges 7.16-8.9

“And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing. So he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”  And the officials of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” So Gideon said, “Well then, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” And from there he went up to Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.  And he said to the men of Penuel, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”” – Judges 8.4-9

In the last section of Gideon’s narrative we saw one of the more familiar scenes of his story, namely the shrinking of his army down to three hundred.   Moreover we saw that Gideon has at last placed his trust in Yahweh, (thanks in part to a dream) and now Gideon acknowledges that God can indeed provide the victory that the Israelites need.  At last we have entered in the battles concerning Gideon, at last we are getting to Gideon doing what he has been called to do, namely deliver the Israelites from the hand of the Midianites.  Something which Gideon seems to excel at, thanks to Yahweh’s continual hand upon the whole event.  But moreover Gideon does prove to be a somewhat capable leader as his encounter with the Ephraimites show.

“And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.  And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do.  When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout,  ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands.  Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow.  And they cried out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”  Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled.   When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. ” – Judges 7.16-22

Matthew’s describes this battle as “almost an afterthought,” of the preceding verses, God’s whittling down of Gideon’s troops being the more important aspect[1].  Gideon splits his troops up into traditional military style, i.e. the three companies[2].  This also appears in 1 Samuel 11.11[3]: “And the next day Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.”  One has to wonder if Gideon’s men had any other weapons, more so since they don’t seem to do any actual fighting, as the Midianites take care of themselves[4].   Moreover Gideon’s men didn’t have to do any real fighting; instead, their focus was to be on the various actions concerning the jars and shofars[5].

At night, the watch is split into three separate parts, at least according to Jubilees 49.10, 12, also Exodus 14.24 and Samuel 11.11 mention a morning watch[6].  The watches though, if split into three parts consisted of four hours per watch, the four part watch being that of later development.[7] As Mark 13.35 mentions the watches as four parts, The Rabbis themselves were split over a watch of three or four parts[8].  In any case, Gideon and his men begin their commotion around midnight, which only made it the more effective[9].  Due in part to the guards likely being changed at this point, so that the next group coming on would not have been as prepared[10].

“A Sword for Yahweh and Gideon,” here Gideon almost seems to try and share the spotlight with Yahweh and in essence the soldiers are fighting for “God and general[11].”   If this is the case then we can see Yahweh’s fears realized as Gideon has just included himself[12]. Although it should also be said that this shouts, echoes the Midianites fear of Gideon, due to the dream[13].  Moreover there is an irony here in that neither Gideon’s sword nor Yahweh’s touch the Midianites, instead they were killed by their own weapons[14].

O’Conner sums up the events rather nicely as “The Israelites stand still and make enough noise to scare the Midianites into nearly random flailing[15].”   Yahweh intervenes here again as he forces the troops to turn against one another, again showing the deity’s part throughout this battle[16].  Concerning the various places, Beth-Shittah exact location is unknown, but seems to be around the Jordan Valley, Zererah or Zarethan is in the Jordan valley, and Tabbath seems to be located in eastern Gilead[17].  In any case, the enemy seems to flee toward the Jordan River, unknowingly where another detachment of troops is waiting[18].

When the battle happens at last we see that there is really isn’t any “contest,” Gideon doesn’t primarily fight, Yahweh does, and this victory is one which should remind the reader of the Red Sea, and Yaweh’s victory of the Egyptians, and his promise in Deuteronomy, 32.36[19]:  “For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone and there is none remaining, bond or free.”

Yahweh is only one with the true power, the only reliable source to turn to in times of trouble.  Gideon and the Israelites had no real hope without Yahweh’s help and with his help everything seemed to fit nicely together.  In many ways, while we don’t and shouldn’t try physical warfare for Yahweh we do have a whole slew of spiritual battles which should remind us to put trust in God.  There is one thing which ought to avoid however, and that is when we know that God was the reason for our “victory,” over such and such and we place ourselves within the equation as Gideon sadly did.  Yahweh is aptly able to overcome anything and doesn’t need our help.

Sadly all too often however we try to show ourselves as better than we are.  Too often a testimony which should be about God’s help in our life becomes a testimony about ourselves.  These things ought not be, though sadly too often they are.  God doesn’t need and really shouldn’t share the spotlight with his creations and yet so often that is exactly what we try to do.  In the battle of the 300, Yahweh provided everything that was needed for the victory, it should have simply been Yahweh’s sword, as so often is the case in our life.  It shouldn’t be “A sword for Yahweh and your sword.”

“And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian.

Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as  Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan. And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb  at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon  across the Jordan.

Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight with Midian?” And they accused him fiercely.  And he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?  God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?”  Then their anger against him subsided when he said this.” – Judges 7.23-8.3

This brings us back to previous verse in Gideon’s narrative namely which named these tribes also, the only one missing is Zebulun[20].  “And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him.  And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.” – Judges 6.35.  The Midianites run straight into these tribes and thus are slaughtered when they meet these ready troops[21].  From 7.24 to 8.3 we see have a little bit of parenthesis that doesn’t return until 8.4, in which the story details what was going on with the tribe of Ephraim[22].

Ephraim is if anything, summoned as of late, but still they managed to accomplish a great deed, by taking the heads of the Midianite leaders[23].  Ephraim’s late participation in the battle is somewhat striking since they seemed to have control of the fords, and thus are key ally, moreover they quickly responded to Ehud’s battle cry (cf. Judg. 3.27-29).[24] The names of the princes are literally “Raven, and “Wolf[25].”  The text isn’t clear if the places where the generals died were named after them, or rather in an ironic turn of events they died places with the same name[26].  The princes’ defeat and deaths show the extent of their defeat, Yahweh had totally destroyed them[27].

Manasseh and Ephramites were considered to be the two leading tribes within this section of Israel, thus Gideon in not calling them, made them somewhat upset[28].  In Deborah’s and Barak’s narrative one could note the list of tribes which did not heed their call, now however we see two tribes openly arguing among one another[29].  Perhaps Ephraim wasn’t so accustomed to not being the leading roles in battle, (remember Joshua was an Ephraimite), and thus another reason for the strain[30].  It would seem that the Ephraimites wanted a bit of the loot which Gideon and his army undoubtedly had acquired as part of the battle[31].

Gideon’s courteous answer would have done much to pacify pride[32].  In a way Gideon is asking as Boling writes, “Is the mop-up work done by your tribe not more significant than the performance of my contingent[33]?” Gideon handles this situation rather well, especially in comparison to Jephthah’s encounter later on; we see here another link in the downward spiral that is book of Judges[34].

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is be tactful, or for the sake of peace let something be.  Gideon could have pointed out all the work that he and his tribe did to that of Ephraim, but instead backed out and even said kind words to them.  For it meant keeping peace instead of starting useless strive, especially since it would have been with his fellow Israelite.  Sometimes in the Church we allow useless fights to start, instead of allowing one the liberty they have we can claim a superior position and cause a needless friction between members.  So that while it would have indeed been better to have just ended the fight and let things be, we instead cause more fighting a bigger problems.  Perhaps we should take this lesson from Gideon of knowing when to be quiet, when to just keep our mouths shut.

“And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing. So he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”  And the officials of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” So Gideon said, “Well then, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” And from there he went up to Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.  And he said to the men of Penuel, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”” – Judges 8.4-9

This second part of the war takes place east of the first, moreover Gideon seemed quite the different person, he has a goal and he pursues this goal in such a fashion that it even wearies his troops out[35].  Although its not mention specifically, by using the same number it is assumed that this was the same group which had first helped Gideon and also explains their hungry and exhaustion[36].  The round loaves of bread here are similar to the stale loaf of bread found in the Midianite dream and moreover the hunger reminds one of the extreme thirst, that both Sisera and Samson exhibit[37].  The names of the two generals here are literally “Victim,” and “Protection refused,” and perhaps show the author’s sympathies for these two character who Gideon chases[38].

The men of Succoth seem to think Gideon unable to get the final victory as their reply to him is filled with sarcasm[39].  Gideon’s threatens to beat them with thrones and briers as one does when grain is threshed[40]. The humiliaty and caution which Gideon had just shown has now disappeared and he now uses threats, one could note interestlying enough that in all of this Yahweh is nowhere to found, and Gideon is doing all of this on his own[41].  Yes Gideon mentions Yahweh here (and also verse seventeen), but it isn’t for the right reasons[42].  At this point moreover we have no indication of why Gideon is pursuing the enemy in such pace, it isn’t until later in the narrative that we find out.  At which point we find a sad event happening as the war is longer Yahweh’s war, but that of Gideon’s for personal vengeance[43].

Gideon also goes the town of Penuel and asks the same question he asked at Succoth.  Again they are unsure of Gideon’s ability to finish of the Midianites (and perhaps being afraid of “Midianite retaliation”) refuse to help[44].

There is a sad truth that power corrupts that it can change a person.  Gideon being the sort of man he has presented himself to be thus far, well show this now.  While at first this whole war was Yahweh’s Gideon has now taken it over and seems to have made it his war.  Moreover while at first the glory was to go to Yahweh, not Gideon, he shared it and now in his race to kill these other leaders, Gideon seems to desire to have all the glory to himself.  Again, God’s chosen deliverer seems to show how human he really is and we see once more how far the downward spiral has fallen.

There’s a wrong way to do things, Gideon showed himself as doing things in the right way, in the previous set of verses, but suddenly now has done things a wrong way.  When we follow God’s plan we are following the right path, the path of Wisdom, but too often we take a sideroad onto our own path and determine where we think we ought to go, the path of Folly.  Too often we can start on the right path, doing as God wants us to do, only to suddenly take the wrong step and start doing things our way and in the end, end up  with a harder way of doing things.  Its never good to do  things in our own strength or in our way, it never works out.

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[1] Victor H. Matthews, The New Cambridge Bible Commentary: Judges & Ruth (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 93.

[2] Robert G. Boling, The Anchor Bible: Judges a New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, vol. 6a, ed. William Foxwell Albright and David Noel Freedman (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1985),  147.

[3] John J. Davis, Conquest and Crisis: Studies in Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, 3^rd ed. (Winona Lake, Indiana: BMH Books, 2008), 143.

[4] Barry G. Webb, “Judges,” in New Biblical Commentary, ed. G. J. Wenham et al. 4^th ed. (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 273.

[5] Leslie Hoppe, Old Testament Message: Joshua, Judges, vol. 5, ed. Carroll Stuhlmueller and Martin McNamara (Wilmington: Michael Glaizer, 1982), 150.

[6] Boling, 147.

[7] J. Alberto Soggin, The Old Testament Library: Judges, tr. John Bowden (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1981), 143.

[8] Boling, 147.

[9] Davis, 144.

[10] Tammi J. Schneider, Berit Olam: Studies in Hebrew Narrative & Poetry: Judges, ed. David W. Cotter (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2000), 115.

[11] Matthews, 93.

[12] Schneider, 115.

[13] Webb, 273.

[14] Ibid.

[15] M. O’Connor, “Judges,” in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy (Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, 1990), 139.

[16] Schneider, 115.

[17] Boiling, 148.

[18] Webb, 273.

[19] Boling, 148-9.

[20] Soggin, 147.

[21] Matthews, 93.

[22] Davis, 144.

[23] Boling, 150-1.

[24] Mathews, 94.

[25] Boling, 151.

[26] Schneider, 118.

[27] Webb, 273.

[28] Webb, 273.

[29] Matthews, 94.

[30] Davis, 144.

[31] John Dominic Crossan, “Judges,” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1968), 156.

[32] Crossan, 156.

[33] Boling, 151.

[34] Matthews, 94.

[35] Webb, 273.

[36] Schneider, 119.

[37] O’Conner, 139.

[38] Boling, 155.

[39] Davis, 145.

[40] Crossan, 156.

[41] Webb, 273.

[42] Hoppe, 152.

[43] Hoppe, 153.

[44] Davis, 145.

Yahweh’s Strange Tactics in the case of Gideon’s Three Hundred: Judges 7.1-22

“And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.” And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.” So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.”” – Judges 7.4-8

As we open up once more to the Story of Gideon, we find that Gideon, called here Jerubbaal has at last formed his army.  However Gideon is the same wishy-washy sort of person that he has been since his introduction to the book of Judges.  While Barak might have balked once, Gideon continues to do so, all the while testing Yahweh.  Othniel, whom the other Judges might be contrasted with, certainly shows why he is the model Judge.  Although for all the faults that we have seen of Gideon thus far, he is still certainly not the worst of Israel’s deliverers.   In moving through Gideon’s story moreover we might want to recall what the writer of Hebrew’s said of him and perhaps reflect then on our own faith.

As we move into this portion of Gideon’s narrative we  see Yahweh now tests Gideon, and at the same time moves to prove that it is his hand and not Gideon’s that will save Israel.  Yahweh proves himself more than capable, and the only thing that is reliable within the book of Judges.  Since, it is well seen that his chosen deliverers often enough show themselves as the fallible humans that they are.

“Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.” – Judges 7.1-3

As this portion of narrative opens, here we have the continuation of the events which have thus far preceded the story[1].  Namely that Gideon is at last ready to go on with the battle with Yahweh has called him too and thus an army has at last been formed to deliverer Israel.  They come to this place called the Spring of Harod, which could also be translated as the “Spring of Trembling,” something that foreshadows the events of verse three[2].  Although in many ways this “Spring of Trembling” also reflects the leader of this whole campaign.  O’Conner makes this comment on this whole section of the narrative: “Gideon has tested Yahweh, and now Yahweh proposes tests for Gideon’s men.[3]”

As Yahweh is looking over Gideon’s army, he notes that his deliverer has developed to big an army to fight for him.  Yahweh plainly tells Gideon the reason, namely that the wrong person would be getting the credit, that the people would not acknowledge Yahweh, but Gideon and his men fighting prowess[4].  It is here that we get the only indication that Yahweh “was not pleased with Gideon’s test[5].”  This isn’t the first time that Yahweh has made strange request concerning an upcoming battle, one is reminded of Moses’ battle with the Amelekites or Joshua’s battle against Jericho (cf. Exod. 17.8-9; Josh. 6.1-21)[6].  Yet one can readily see a difference between the prior two engagements and Gideon’s, namely the quality of leaders.  It is Gideon’s “uncertainty” which seems to prompt the need for a reason to these happenings[7].

Besides Yahweh’s direct interaction upon Gideon’s army count this also harkens to another passage in the Old Testament.  One finds within Deuteronomy a reason for this first whittling down of Gideon’s troops[8]. “And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’” (Deut. 20.8)

On a side note, the numbers here might seem staggering at first, within the thousands, 32,000 to be precise for the Israelites and 135,000 for the Midianites.  Especially when it would seem to be only one tribe in view here, however the Hebrew term, for a thousand, might simply reflect a military unit[9].  I.e. as Boling translates it as “Twenty-two units went home and ten units were left[10].”  Of course this is just one answer to the number problem within the Bible.  Another suggestion is that the writer here is using the large numbers as “numerical hyperbole,” which is a practice seen in other Ancient Near Eastern Writings, where they described large numbers to make their kings seem grander[11].  The idea in Israelite’s use would be that they were making Yahweh, the King of Kings seem the grandest, that is they used a standard in their land and used it to argue for the validity of Yahweh[12].

At this first step of Yahweh’s tactical command, we also see his first test on Gideon.  God has already quite substantially shrunk the size of the army which Gideon had first presented to him.  And now he begins to force out of Gideon more faith, not by allowing Gideon to test him, but by testing Gideon.  We might be reminded here of Saint James’ words of “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (Jas. 1.3)

“And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.” And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.” So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.”” – Judges 7.4-8

We now move onto the second cut.  Throughout this entire whittling down of troops one can note a sad state of affairs, from the previous judges, notably Deborah and Barak we saw Yahweh interact through Deborah to issue the various tactics, but here, he is directly involved in all of it and in essence his level of faith in his deliverers has fallen[13].  Moreover his actions in Ehud and Othniel are even less evident, Othniel has the Spirit of Yahweh and Ehud is merely called by him (cf. 3.10; 3.15).  This second whittling involves the stranger it seems of Yahweh’s tactics.  Since excusing fearful men seems entirely reasonable (and even has a prior tradition to it).  There is none of that for seeing which men to choose based on how they drink water.  But Yahweh does have his reasons.

It is entirely uncertain though, why the men who “lapped up” the water were chosen over the other ones.  Naturally therefore there are a variety of different ideas of concerning the choice of men who lapped.  Perhaps those who “lapped up” the water are the ones who reflect a better soldiers’ attitude, for they seem to keep their weapons close to hand, while the other men have left their weapons to drink their water[14].  It has also been suggested that the three hundred weren’t the wiser ones, but instead those who shouldn’t have been in battle at all, as they were the less aware ones and thus they allow for a greater show of Yahweh’s power[15].

In either case though, Gideon army has been cut down to mere three hundred.  In so doing so Gideon is left with a mere 300, not much of an army.  However this three hundred does at least get to have extra supplies, as the men who were sent back, left their provisions and their shofars[16]. Thus as God has brought the troop count down to three hundred, he insures that the victory will be seen as his and not Gideon’s[17].

Yahweh tested Gideon a little the first time, but this one was really a hard test.  From Gideon’s huge army he is left with a mere fraction of it.  Yet in all of this, God is in control and will continue to be in control as he continues to move in this passage.  While man needs God’s help, he doesn’t need the help of man.  And so as Gideon as an example of sorts Yahweh proves this to his people.  Sadly however as one might know if they read past the story of Gideon, the people will continue to sin and continue to follow false gods, whereas Yahweh has shown himself to be all powerful.

“That same night the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand.  But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant.  And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.”  Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men who were in the camp.  And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance.  When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.”  And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.”

As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.”” – Judges 7.9-15

After Gideon is down to his small army we see a scene shift and a new part of this portion of the narrative opens up.  Once more we enter into a nightly scene and are reminded quickly of the previous events of Gideon’s narrative (cf. 6.27-32)[18].  Moreover this portion is the seventh time which Yahweh has interceded to show Gideon that the victory would be a sure thing[19].

Yahweh comes to Gideon and instructs him to go check in on the Midianites and their camp.  He even offers Gideon to allow his shield bearer to accompany him along, because of Gideon’s evident fear.    One translation of what Purah is to Gideon (besides servant) is that of “Shield bearer,” or “young man,” it would seem that his whole purpose in accompanying Gideon is merely to bear witness to what Yahweh has done[20].  Thus the Gideon is going into the camp with only his shield bearer.  We see that Gideon does indeed take Yahweh up on his offer and takes this servant, but it does unfortunately show that Gideon is still fearful[21].  Although Gideon has already seen Yahweh act constantly in his life, Yahweh’s chosen deliverer still needs more proof.

Although as Gideon enters the camp one can now readily see why when Gideon allowed his men who were afraid that to leave, that many took him up on his offer, since who wouldn’t begin to tremble upon seeing such a sizable army[22]?  This description of the camp, reminds the reader of the same description found within earlier portions of the narrative[23].  At this point the reader is reminded if they had forgotten how small the Israelite’s army really is compared to their enemy.  As Gideon comes into the camp he begins to hear some of the enemy warriors discuss a dream in which they had had the previous night.

In it Israel is represented by a barely loaf, since as noted in earlier portions of Gideon’s story, his culture was predominately that of an agricultural base[24].  The “cake of barely bread” Boling suggests that this should be translated as “moldy” or “stale” and thus this reflects the small size of Yahweh’s forces, three hundred versus the vastness of the Midianites, as numerous as the sand[25].  The Tent in itself also reflects the whole of the Israelite’s enemies.  Again as the barely loaf fit the agricultural Israelites well, so too is the Tent a fitting symbol for their enemies who were largely a nomadic people[26].

There is an irony here in that this dream wasn’t meant for the warrior who had it, but instead it was really meant for Gideon simply to hear[27].  Sadly though one could note that these non-Israelite soldiers almost have more faith in Yahweh than Gideon does, since after all, God only seems to need to send a dream upon them and they believe, but Gideon has desired so many tests, including hearing their belief[28]!  While Gideon may have feared the Midianites, we see that this terrifying enemy due to this dream is now terrified of Gideon[29].  And in this we see yet another irony in that while Gideon keeps shaking his boots, despite having seen Yahweh intercede to prove himself, but the Midianites see just this dream, and receive the desire affect.

One writer termed Gideon as having a “bi-polar perspective,” as we so often see Gideon’s qualms and doubts within his narrative contrasted with that of Yahweh’s assurances that victory will truly come[30].  Although listening to the dream helped Gideon, it was the interpretation that cause within Gideon to realize at last it seems that Yahweh is indeed with him in the upcoming battle[31].  Even if all that Gideon has is a mere three hundred troop.

Although Yahweh had certainly reduced the count of Gideon’s army, and Gideon remained unsure of his deity’s actions, God proves himself once more.  God shows up in some of the most unusual of places, he simple calls attention to himself.  There is sad fact that Gideon kept refusing to believe in his god, yet those who weren’t even Israelites seems to show more faith in something as intangible as a dream.  (Yes dreams were important back then, but Gideon has seen in a waken state Yahweh’s actions).  In this we can however know that God moves despite our doubts and lack of faith in him.

In conclusion:

In looking at this portion of Gideon’s narrative we see that God makes preparation to show himself as the Almighty.  We can faith in Yahweh as we should readily see that he is a god who is all power, able to take a small force and defeat a larger one, before the battle had even yet to happen.  For the dream in itself had done more damage than the Israelites could have done with mere physical warfare.  Moreover as Yahweh forced Gideon’s army into the shape he wanted, he helped to mold Gideon more into the sort of leader that he wanted.

For until now Gideon seems to be merely this wishy-washy sort of guy, but now at last, after his shrunk army and after hearing the dream Gideon seems to at least really get that Yahweh was with him.  We have our own things which may struggle with, but we need to remember that it takes time, and if we truly want to get over our own personal struggles we need to work at it and with the grace of God we truly will get over that.  We may backslide at points, but if we don’t give up and keep at it, then there will come a day when we finally do get it and will no longer have that struggle.  Though of course we might just find another one.

As we reflect upon this portion of Gideon’s narrative, let us remember the power of Yahweh, that it is over all, and it is over us.  Let us remember this even when have our own crisis points, that with God’s help we can over them.

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[1] John Dominic Crossan, “Judges,” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1968), 155.

[2] Barry G. Webb, “Judges,” in New Biblical Commentary, ed. G. J. Wenham et al. 4^th ed. (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 272.

[3] M. O’Connor, “Judges,” in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy (Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, 1990), 139.

[4] Tammi J. Schneider, Berit Olam: Studies in Hebrew Narrative & Poetry: Judges, ed. David W. Cotter (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2000), 110.

[5] Schneider, 110.

[6] Victor H. Matthews, The New Cambridge Bible Commentary: Judges & Ruth (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 92.

[7]Ibid.

[8] Leslie Hoppe, Old Testament Message: Joshua, Judges, vol. 5, ed. Carroll Stuhlmueller and Martin McNamara (Wilmington: Michael Glaizer, 1982), 148.

[9] John J. Davis, Conquest and Crisis: Studies in Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, 3^rd ed. (Winona Lake, Indiana: BMH Books, 2008), 142.

[10] Robert G. Boling, The Anchor Bible: Judges a New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, vol. 6a, ed. William Foxwell Albright and David Noel Freedman (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1985), 142.

[11] D. M. Fouts, “Numbers, Large Numbers,” in The Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books, ed. Bill T. Arnold, and H. G. M. Williamson (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 753.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Schneider, 110.

[14] Crossan, 155.

[15] Davis, 143.

[16] Schneider, 111.

[17] Hoppe, 148.

[18] Webb, 273.

[19] O’Conner, 139.

[20] J. Alberto Soggin, The Old Testament Library: Judges, tr. John Bowden (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1981), 140.

[21] Ibid., 142.

[22] Davis, 142.

[23] Schneider, 113.

[24] Hoppe, 149.

[25] Boling, 146.

[26] Crossan, 155.

[27] Soggin, 141.

[28] Matthews, 92-93.

[29] Webb, 273.

[30] Matthews, 93.

[31] Schneider, 114.

Tobit’s Motto: Tobit 1.3

Often characters in our literature have some fun motto with which they stand by.  For example within the realm of comic books, we have Spider-Man’s “With great power comes great responsibility,” or Superman’s famous motto of “For Truth, Justice, and the American Way.”  And in essence when we open up the book of Tobit, we find Tobit’s motto within the very first set of verses.  That of “Truth, Righteousness and Works of Mercy.”

In Tobit 1.3 we read “I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my life on the paths of truth and righteousness.  I have preformed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my people who have been deported with me to Ninevah, in Assyria.” (NAB).

Nowell sees in this verse the three qualities that are the “key” aspects of Tobit, that of “truth and righteousness… works of mercy” (or charitable works as the NAB puts it), moreover these same qualities are also seen in that of Yahweh[1][2].  These three qualities not only reveal his life at the present, but also unto his death (14.9)[3].

These qualities of Tobit can be readily seen via verse six, where he readily follows that of the “deuternomic principals” against that of his fellow kinsmen (cf. Deut. 12.1-28)[4].  This is seen by while his fellow kinsmen have departed from Yahweh, Tobit in his righteousness goes even to Jerusalem as prescribed by the law[5].  And in a very true way, as Tobit demonstrates these qualities he shows forth the sort of emulating figure which Israel herself should be demonstrating[6].  Especially since in the within the fourth verse Tobit places these qualities against the backdrop of Israel’s deportation.  And in that sense he has just highlighted Israel’s problem namely as Sloyan puts it “schism and idolatry[7].”

Tobit thus from the outset of the story stands apart from his fellow kinsmen even in his exiled home.  For while they had abandoned Yahweh and the rules which he had set up, Tobit upholds them, even at great expense.  As seen in the latter portions of the book.  Even after losing his home, Tobit remains firm to Yahweh and firm to his motto.   Moreover within the wisdom teaching that he gives his son, these three qualities fill his words concerning how one ought to live his life wisely.

- Le Belle Inconnu

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[1] Irene Nowell, “Tobit,” in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy (Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1990), 569.

[2] For Tobit cf. 2.14;7.7;9.6;14.2; for God cf. 3.2,5;13.6

[3] Carey A. Moore, The Anchor Bible Tobit: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, vol. 40a, ed. William Foxwell Albright, and David Noel Freedman (New York: Doubleday, 1996), 106.

[4] Irene Nowell, 569.

[5] Bruce M. Metzger, An Introduction to the Apocrypha (New York: Oxford University Press, 1957), 32.

[6] John Craghan, Old Testament Message: Esther, Judith, Tobit, Jonah, Ruth, vol.16, ed. Carroll Stuhlmueller, and Martin McNamara (Wilmington: Michael Glaizer, 1982), 130.

[7] Gerard S. Sloyan, Old Testament Reading Guide: Ruth and Tobit, vol. 26, ed. William G. Heidt, Kathryn Sullivan, Carroll Suhlmueller, and Barnabas M. Ahern (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1968), 26.

Judith’s Achior

While browsing through some of my files on my hd, I found this little post I had been working on.  It seems complete for the most part, but for that matter I’m not sure in what direction I was planning on taking it or how much more if any I was going to add to it…  Anyways felt I needed to update with something so, here it is.

Judith’s Achior:

“Then Achior, the leader of all the Ammonites, said to him, “May my lord please listen to a report from the mouth of your servant, and I will tell you the truth about this people that lives in the mountain district near you. No falsehood shall come from your servant’s mouth.” – Judith 5.5 NRSV

Within the Book of Judith we find a slew of fascinating characters, from the Jael like Judith to the pagan known as Achior.  Dumm describes as playing something of the “good pagan,” Achior is the one who tells the general the ancient history of the Israelites[1] .

Concerning Achior’s name firstly one should note Moore’s words “The Original form of this name is much debated.”  Of the suggestions of how Achior’s name ought to be one is Ahihud (a name appearing in Numbers 34.27) on the basis of the LXX and assuming a confusion of רs and דs[2].  Others would render it as אחיאור, something like “Light my (divine) brother,” which could refer to the Sun God = Light and perhaps Sun God = Yahweh (see Psalm 19), still others see the name as a corrupted form of “Ahikar[3].”

The last option is particular intriguing since Ahikar also influence the book of Tobit, as Tobit is connected to the famous sage, noting Tobit 1.22 “Ahikar interceded for me, and I returned to Nineveh. Now Ahikar was chief cupbearer, keeper of the signet, and in charge of administration of the accounts under King Sennacherib of Assyria; so Esar-haddon reappointed him. He was my nephew and so a close relative.”  In Tobit the famous sage (who is not originally Jewish) becomes the nephew of the faithful Tobit.  In way it seems easy then to have Ahikar again transformed from his roots now in Judith as wise man among the the Ammonites (and who later becomes a Jew).

Of course one could point at some problems such as Ahikar’s nationally is not Achior’s, the former was a wise man, an advisor while the latter is a military general[4].  Still the possible connection is indeed intriguing (since it seems that Ahikar seemed to fascinate the Hebrew people in general), and to see another transformation of the character is always a fun little treat.

- Le Belle Inconnu

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[1] Dumm, D. R. Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1968. 626.

[2] Commentary on the Apocrypha of the Old Testament, ed. Robert Henry Charles (Bellingham, WA). 1:252.

[3] Carey A. Moore, Judith: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008). 158.

[4] Moore 162

Good thing our God is Yahweh not Ba’al: Judges 6.28-40

“Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”  And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.  Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.”  And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.” – Judges 6.36-40

Gideon within the previous part of the narrative was approached by Yahweh’s messenger and called to be a deliverer and within the same day he was also given a task, that was to destroy the altar to Baal.  Something which Gideon did in secrecy of night.  Within the next movement of the story, we find that Gideon is quickly found out and pushed closer to his task of delivering his people, from their oppressors all the while testing God again and again.  Within this portion while we may see a leader who may seem a little wishy-washy, we see a God who is has extreme power over all things, notably the dew of nature here.

So while Gideon may not still seem the perfect candidate to be a part of God’s chosen leaders, we still see that we can faith in God, though it may not seem like it.

“When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built.  And they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.”  Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.”  But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.”  Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.” – Judges 6.28-32

Despite Gideon doing all of his work in secret it doesn’t take long for him to be found out.  For we found out quickly that the men of the town woke up early, and found out the deed that had been done, and then as we see within a few sentences later, already know who has done it[1].

We see twice in this verse, the phrase “this thing”, “thing” comes from the Hebrew word dābār, which has the idea of a word to thing, including an action, thus a “deed,” it is repeated twice here, to be “emphasized”, but also for “effect[2].”  The people of the town are angry and it is because Gideon has just destroyed what to them meant hope for “prosperity and fertility[3].”  After all if one remembers they were indeed already experiencing great hardship due to their oppressors, and sadly since they had put their trust in the wrong things, which were now destroyed, their hope was failing.

As a side note, there are two idols mentioned within this passage, Baal and Asherah, both of whom were rather important gods of the Canaanite pantheon.  There has been debate over what exactly the Asherah was, it seems to be a “wooden pole,” “tree,” or “an idol,” the object, whatever it was signified the goddess.  The goddess seems to be equated the Athirat, who was consort of El, and the Mother Goddess so to speak[4].  Some wonder if at times the Israelites in their syncretism of Yahweh placed Asherah in that position.  Baal is the Storm god, and was the go to god when one needed help with their crops, he would seem to be equated with Hadad, a well known Middle Eastern Strom God, with Baal perhaps being only a title[5]. (Ba’al means lord in Hebrew).

In a way in verse thirty we see why Gideon was afraid, for the townsfolk upon seeing the destruction of their religious item, were angered enough to kill him, in a sad way it reveals how far the people have moved away from Yahweh, for they would kill Gideon, for the destruction of a false idol, instead of praising him for upholding the true God[6].

Joash refuses to allow the townspeople to bring any harm upon his son, something which shows that though the people might be bad, they aren’t as bad as the actions of another judge[7].  Joash begins to ask certain questions, to defend his son’s life, and although he may be seen as “confident [in] that Baal can take care of himself,” he does bring up a good point[8].  Joash makes a theological statement of sorts, namely, if Baal was a God, then he would be able to defend his own name, note though, Joash doesn’t say that Baal isn’t a god, but does begin to question, moreover one could note that Joash has now distanced himself from the altar, whereas in 6.25, Yahweh said it was Gideon’s “father’s” altar, here, it is Baal altar.  As one reads this, one might really ponder, why should a man defend his a god’s honor, need to save his own god, rather it would seem a good god could defend his own honor, and save himself[9].

Gideon is given another name, Jerubaal, but ironically, Gideon might have tore down an altar, but he really didn’t challenge Baal, Joash, the idol’s owner did[10].  Yet on another note it be might be stated, that Gideon has here, also ironically earned himself a name after another god, Baal, for doing the work of Yahweh.  Moreover the ironies abound in his name, for while Gideon contended more so not with Baal, but Yahweh’s angel[11].  Still, one can note, despite all this that it does bring to heart again, that Baal couldn’t defend his own name, even against Gideon, who was if anything a “timid contender,” and thus as Yahweh moves into action in the latter part of the narrative, it begs the question of why the Israelites would want to place their trust in this idol[12]?

When Gideon destroyed the altar, in a way he called Baal to action, but no action came from the idol.  So often we can put out faith into a bunch of different things.  We make our own Baals and Asherahs easily.  But the fact of the matter is that Yahweh is the only one who we out to place out faith in.  Moreover, while Baal couldn’t lift a finger to do anything, we know that Yahweh moves and does act.  He acts to the point that Jesus came to this earth as our savior.  When the things that we place our trust in, prove to be the wrong things, we can realize that we do have a real God whom we can place our trust in and in whom it will not be shattered.

“Now  all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in  the Valley of Jezreel.  But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.  And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him.  And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.” – Judges 6.33-35

Verse thirty-three begins and we once again reminded of the various oppressors which had been harming the Israelites.  There re-mention, reminds us of the predicament the Israelites were in, but also tells us of the “gravity of the situation,” which they were facing[13].  The Oppressors have taken their place in a rather strategic spot, one which is seen in other battles, one could note 1 Samuel 29, but also Yahweh makes mention in Hosea 1.5[14] that “And on that day  I will break the bow of Israel  in the Valley of Jezreel.””  Moreover the enemy isn’t just coming closer; they are within the very “heart,” of the territory of Manasseh and are a stone’s throw away from Gideon’s own city.  Things, are indeed looking grim at this point[15].

While other judges, namely Othniel, Jephthah, and Samson all have interactions with the Spirit of Yahweh, Gideon is the only one said to be “clothed,” by it.  Othniel for instances it is said in Judges 3.10 “The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.”  This clothing gives him a sort of “divine power,” and to “summon[s] him to battle… as the Commander[16].”

Like Deborah and Barak, Gideon calls up together other tribes to his in the upcoming battle, yet the tribes of different, and unlike the previous deliverers, there is no mention of any refusing Gideon’s banner[17].  Some of the tribes which Gideon call to battle would have been far away from his territory, such as Asher and Naphtali and thus one would have thought that these would be like Deborah’s and Barak’s tribe which didn’t come[18].  It should be noted that each deliverer within the book which calls a tribe to help them, doesn’t call all of the tribes, but specific ones, and its only in Deborah’s and Barak’s tale where the tribes who weren’t called or didn’t come considered to have done wrong[19].

While there has been some side story, explaining God’s chosen leader and his back story we are bought suddenly back to view of the enemy and what Yahweh has exactly called Gideon to do.  We are reminded of course of the dire situation that the people were in and the very true fact of that needed divine intervention to help bring them out of it.  Luckily their god was Yahweh and not Baal and thus were in a lot better position than they could be.

As we come into those dark times in our life, we should hopefully remember that our god is a god able to help us through those times.  Of course it might not be in the way we would want, but it will be in the way we need.  As we face those dark times, it would do us good to rely on Yahweh and not the various Baals which we were so apt to face instead.  Morever like Gideon we have God’s holy spirit within us to help us at all times.  Although unlike Gideon the Holy Spirit is with us to stay, and to be our constant helper for more thing then winning a needed battle or two.

“Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”  And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.  Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.”  And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.” – Judges 6.36-40

Right when we would have expected to see the battle, instead we see Gideon questioning God once more and showing either a timid faith or an outright lack of it[20].  And it is at this crux, of when one would have expected the battle to start, that Gideon’s disappearing conviction is all the more highlighted.  Jerubaal, after wants to be sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Yahweh will be with him in this upcoming battle.  In a way this returns to the previous portion of the narrative with Yahweh’s angel waiting for Gideon to bring the food, and we see here in a sense Yahweh waiting patiently for Gideon to trust that Yahweh really did call him[21].

Again, Gideon “tests” God, and as he does so this time, he dictates what the test will and where it will be.  Again, it’s on the threshing floor, and we see that with Gideon he does anything but thresh, upon the threshing floor.  As Schneider puts it, “Gideon did nothing in the appropriate places[22].”  Gideon who was the origination of the test, sees that his test has been completed and done as exactly as he had requested, yet he’s not pleased for some reason[23].  While Gideon should have been happy that God passed and thus go on his way, he needed more.   And so he comes to again to God, asking him not to be angry, as he tests God once more.

The reason for a double test, might perhaps be because, the first one to Gideon might not have seem something hard, after all, if the fleece was absorbent enough it could very well be wet even after the ground seem dry, (especially if it was laid on rock, which could have dried up quite quickly) but this second test would prove to be a test which couldn’t be explained away, except divine intervention[24].  Thus it would then stand to reason that the while the first test should have been enough, the second one was “the true miracle[25].”

With the second test successful completion, Gideon is at last happy to go along with God’s plan it would seem.

God proved himself to Gideon and did so in an air of patience it would seem.  Though Gideon should have gone to battle after calling together the troops, instead, he questions God.  At points in our life it seems that though we know what we ought to do, we still find the need to question God.  Of course, we can’t and really shouldn’t do the sort of things which Gideon had done for God, yet when in doubt we do have our own courses of actions which we are able to take.  For instance, we have prayer and the bible which we can look at readily.  When in doubt we have provided to us the words of God, to help guide of our decision and know what it is that God wants to do.

In Conclusion:

We have the tools which we need to go through life, even in the dark and hard parts of life.  And while things may be tough indeed, we can rely on God and know he’s there.  We have can hope in that, hope in our living acting God.  Instead of having hope in false gods, hopes in our own Baal.

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[1] 251 MH (If anyone really cares, I could eleborate and what all this stands for….

[2] B 135

[3] M86

[4] IVPOTH 140, 135

[5] 136-137

[6] S 108-9

[7] S 109

[8] B135

[9] D 141

[10] S 109

[11] M 87

[12] M 87

[13] B 138

[14] M 88

[15] MH 251

[16] M 88-9

[17] M 89

[18] MH 251

[19] S 109

[20] M 89

[21] B 140

[22] S 110

[23] S 110

[24] M 89 D 142

[25] B 141

Judges 6.11-27: Calling Gideon

(Sorry to all three of you who read this ^.^ for having uploaded this one so late… should have been here a week ago… Ack!)

“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”  And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”  And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”  And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”  And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”  And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speaks with me.” – Judges 6.12-17

In the previous story we saw the Israelites were doing wrong again Yahweh’s sight.  In so doing Yahweh brought about a harsh punishment to bring them back to him.  But he also showed mercy in sending them a prophet to call the people to repentance and to return back to the god of their forefathers.  Now we come to Yahweh, again showing mercy toward his people as he calls Gideon, to be their deliverer.  In meeting Gideon we will get to meet one of the more complicated men of the book of Judges, a man who at point is worthy of emulation, but at other point is an example of what not to be.  Even still Gideon’s calling is a story which helps to highlight this very thing

With Gideon who will on one hand do what Yahweh has called him to do, but on the other hand will shrink in fear, when he ponders the wrath of his family.

“Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash  the Abiezrite, while his son  Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.  And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”  And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”” Judges 6.11-13

Gideon’s Story opens up to us and we see that, despite God sending a prophet, in the previous verses, it seems that either his message hasn’t been listened too, or that the prophet’s message helped to prepare the people for the coming of Yahweh’s new Deliverer[1].  Gideon’s call is different from the other deliverers of the book, namely in the way that we see Yahweh’s direct actions in his calling.[2] Yahweh’s angel, or messenger, comes to a place called Ophrah, which though it is uncertain where it is, it is thought to be in the Jezreel Valley, which is in the territory of Manasseh[3].  It’s been suggested that the “terebinth,” is something akin to Deborah’s palm tree in the previous narrative, however sadly here, the tree would be for Baal, and not Yahweh[4].

Gideon’s name means something like “hewer” or “hacker,” which he is aptly named, as his actions will later show[5].  At the moment however, we see that Gideon, is a man who is “living in fear,” like his fellow kinsmen, for he is hiding his activities from his oppressors[6].  It is in this time of “fear,” that Yahweh’s Messenger comes to Gideon, to deliver a message.  The Messenger appears to Gideon, at the “threshing floor,” albeit an unusual one, the threshing floor is a place of interest, one which has its importance to other biblical characters, such as Ruth and David[7].  The way that the Messenger addresses Gideon as a “mighty man of valor,” shows that there is place great confidence upon Gideon for the task that is to come, but also a sort of ironic title, as Gideon is seen hiding, playing the sort of trickster role at the moment[8].

When Gideon addresses the Angel, he does so politely, “Please sir[9].”  But even still he does ask a poignant question, if Yahweh is really with his people, why are they under so much turmoil[10]?  Moreover Gideon though he may be asking something politely, still asks a question which is in a very real sense “arrogant,” as he asks about where are the deeds of old he had been told about, and in a way he could be saying “what has God done lately for me[11].”  How ironic though, that he’s asking this question directly, so to speak, to Yahweh himself.  Gideon however has partly missed the point, he brings out the “us,” the whole of the Israelite community in this discussion, but the messenger only spoke to Gideon, when saying “Yahweh was with you.[12]”

Even when times seem the darkest, and when God doesn’t seem to be around, he is acting.  Gideon was only a few generations removed from the time of the Exodus and God’s great miracles and yet he was having doubts, doubts per say if those actions of God’s had ever occurred.  Even when times seem the darkest, and when God doesn’t seem to be around, he is acting.  Gideon may have doubted, but still God came to him.  God’s actions had occurred in the past, and we still occurring, even in the darkness that Gideon was still in.  As God’s actions are still now occurring, even though the world may seem to be in a very dark place, God still moves and still acts.  There are reasons sure, for why bad things may happen, the Israelites were the cause of their problem, but God’s controlling hand was in all of it.  And even as Gideon questioned his God, God did not back down (as seen in the following verses) and even moves to show himself, and to prove that he acts.  Therefore even now as we might question, do not think that God is backing away from us, for he proves himself even still today.

“And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”  And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”  And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”” – Judges 6.14-16

At this point, Yahweh’s messenger fades into background, as Yahweh himself enters the conversation, Gideon is now in a three party conversation, and yet doesn’t even realize it, nor does he realize yet, that he is speaking to someone more than human[13].  Yahweh then begins to challenge Gideon that perhaps it was his time for leadership, in a Mosaic sort of fashion.  Yahweh tells Gideon to go, and do that which the people wanted, namely deliverance from Midian, in Gideon’s “strength,” (something as unclear to us, as it was Gideon) and moreover he even states “Do not I send you?,” that is in a way that Gideon was to become a new messenger for Yahweh[14]?

As Gideon makes up excuses for why he cannot be a leader, (as did Moses), it seems to fall on deaf ears, for when Yahweh responses to him, he merely says “I will be with you.”  Yet these words are almost the same words he used in Exodus 3.12 when dealing with Moses[15].  “He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you:” – Exodus 3.12b  Gideon claimed that he was the least, or youngest in his family and he see this is a reason for why he shouldn’t have any sort of claim to a leadership role, but as his story goes on, we’ll find this issue raised again, but here it should be noted that Yahweh choose who he will, no matter their family ranking[16].  Despite Gideon’s protest, Yahweh merely repeats, his words and says that Gideon will defeat the Midianites[17].

God calls who he will, be they the least in their house, or someone with a lack of faith.  Moreover as God called even Gideon, he has called us too, to certain task.  Did not Jesus commission all those that believed in him to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” – Matthew 28.19-20.  It doesn’t matter who we are God can and will use us for his purposes.  Moreover as God promised Gideon that he was with him, we too have this promise, for again didn’t Jesus promise us at the end of his commission that he was with us “always?”

“And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speaks with me.  Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay till you return.”

So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them.  And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so.  Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes.  And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.  Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.”  But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.”  Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.” Judges 6.17-24

Gideon wants some sort of sign to “confirm,” what this messenger, and by extension Yahweh has been telling him[18].  He doesn’t know who the messenger is quite yet, and moreover he may not exactly trust in the power of Yahweh, as evidence by his earlier comments[19].  Gideon want to be sure, after all that Yahweh really would be with him, and that the person he was speaking too wasn’t just some nut.  And this moreover continues the similarities with Gideon’s call and that of Moses, as now signs are preformed to prove to the appointed leader, that yes Yahweh is with them[20].  And that yes, His power is sufficient, what the task which has appointed them to.

In a sense this whole bit of the story is a little comical, as Gideon gets up to leave, he in an indirect sort of way, “orders” Yahweh’s Messenger to stay put[21].  Then as Boling notes the response of “I will wait,” by the Messenger is one which is of the Messenger being “wryly” compliant[22], it almost “comical” how the Messenger, waits to show that the words of God are true to Gideon[23].  Moreover that Gideon has just given a direct command in a way to God himself.  Gideon brings to this messenger food, and at this time of force famine, this doubly valuable and thus a very precious thing that he brings to the Messenger[24].

Moreover it would almost seems that Gideon perhaps gives more so then he needed, as needed, as an ephah of flour is makes enough bread for a dinner with a bull, and Gideon only sacrificed for a goat[25].  It been noted though, that Gideon seems to go overboard on many different things.  When Gideon returns, we see that phrase of “Yahweh’s Angel” pops up back into view.  (Although the Messenger has yet to leave, it could also be noted that in the LXX the Messenger doesn’t drop out in verses 14 and 16).  In a quick movement, the Messenger burns up the food and follows that by suddenly disappearing[26].  Yahweh’s messenger sudden disappearance, is literally he “walked away from his sight,”  it is from this point that Gideon will deal directly with Yahweh, no longer his messenger, and also when he suddenly realizes who he had been speaking to[27].

At the Messenger’s disappearance, Gideon, at last fully realizes that he wasn’t talking to any normal persons, but instead to the Angel of Yahweh, and thus fears, rightly for his life[28].  Although Yahweh’s Angel might have left the scene, Yahweh himself, is still here, as he responses to Gideon, assuring him directly of his safety, it should also be noted this is the first time in the book, where a character did not realize he who he was in contact with[29].

It is now clear to Gideon that he had been called to do Yahweh’s work, and that he was not going to get off from doing it, and so Gideon acknowledges this by building an altar where he was.  Sadly, while the altar is built as a devotion tool, it will later become a tool for “idolatry and corruption[30].”  Gideon calls the Altar, Yahweh-Shalom, Yahweh is peace, and this harkens back to verse twenty-three where Yahweh calls to Gideon “peace to you[31].”  However there is a bit irony here in that while after seeing the display of Yahweh’s Messenger, and building this altar, Gideon will show fear in tearing one down in just a few sentences to come[32].

Yahweh in this whole section shows himself to be the patience God that he is, (and this is only the beginning test that Gideon gives to him).  We can from this though see that God is truly a patience person, even when he has called Gideon, he allowed him a little time to seek the truth.  While God doesn’t audible call us, or answer our questions, he had given us his words via the scriptures.  In seeking to follow him, we can turn to the scriptures and seek to know what he has in store for us, moreover we should have an ample supplies of fellow Christians to help us along the way, and older wise one to help in seeking what God’s will might really be for us.

“That night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down  the Asherah that is beside it and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the  stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.”  So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.” – Judges 6.25-27

The same night that God calls Gideon, he also give him a task, one which also confirms the actual sin of the people, idolatry (again), that task is simple, to tear down the altar meant for Baal[33].  It is also suddenly brings to light the fact that Gideon’s family might not be as low, as Gideon had said before, for they not only own the altar to Baal, but also have an Asherah beside it!  Gideon does the action, but his response of it “seems mixed,” after all though he does the deed, he does so with the help of ten servants,(again his having ten servants showed his family was not so lowly as he had made it out) and he does so also by night hidden from his village, instead of broad daylight[34].

Gideon has done the deed, as he has been called too, but we see at the end of this section also a sort of comment on his leadership.  While yes he did the deed that was Yahweh asked of him, but because of fear, he did it by night, in the beginning of the book of Judges, the deliverers did their job because of a commitment to Yahweh and right actions, but by Gideon, he does his job only after being called by Yahweh himself, and still only at night[35].

In Conclusion:

At looking at the story of Gideon we can something very true about the character of God and that is namely that even when it seems that he isn’t active within our lives he is, and moreover that he may present himself in ways we may not even realize.  Times were dark for Israelites when Yahweh called Gideon, to the point when Gideon even questioned the validity of the claims concerning Yahweh and God showed up and showed that he was able to do those claims.  Even now when things may seem dark, and God nowhere near is he there.

Moreover, God can and will use who he will, as evidenced by Gideon, who seems anything but the best choice for God’s deliverer.  Yet, even still as will be seen later on Gideon does what needs to be done and proves again that God’s controlling hand is in all.

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[1] Schneider 103

[2] Matthews 83

[3] S 103

[4] S 103

[5] Boling 130

[6] Davis 139

[7] M 83

[8] M 84

[9] Boling 131

[10] Davis 140

[11] S 104

[12] B 130-1

[13] B131

[14] S 104-5

[15] S 105

[16] S 105

[17] S 105

[18] B 132

[19] S 104

[20] M84

[21] S105

[22] B 132

[23] M 84

[24] D 140

[25] B 133

[26] S106

[27] B 133

[28] D140

[29] S 107

[30] M85

[31] B 134

[32] S 107

[33] S 107

[34] S 107-8

[35] S 108

Origen and Ehud

“Let’s observe how Ehud, whose name means “praise,” discharged his leadership.  History teaches us, in its writings about King Eglon, how this most wise Ehud with particular skill and, if I may say, cunning but praiseworthy deception, would kill the tyrant Eglon, whose name means “round” or “circular.”  It was necessary, then, to have the quality of judges of our people as was this Ehud, whose name means “praise,” so to cut through all his rolling motion and circuit of evil ways and to destroy the king of the Moabites  But Moabite is translated as “flow” or “effusion.”  Who can the ruler or leader of this flowing and dissolute people be seen or understood to be, therefore, other than the word of that philosophy which adjudges pleasure to be the highest good, a philosophy which the word of the gospel, which has been compared to a sword[1], killed and destroyed?  And this prophetic word would become enclosed within their belly and lowest stomach by means of the “ambidextrous” judge’s arguments, to extinguish the Moabites by assertion of the truth, enclosing also every sense of perverse doctrine and dull understanding “which extols itself and rises against the spiritual knowledge of Christ,”[2] so that by acting thus and by doing battle with the word of God, each judge of the church may also become a praising Ehud, about whom the Lord would say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few, so I will set you over many.”[3] – Origen, Homilies on Judges 4.1[4]

The idea of Origen’s that as the ACCS puts it “Ehud’s slaying of Eglon symbolizes how the sword of the gospel destroys hedonistic philosophy,”[5] is a rather intriguing one.

It is of course only one man’s homiletical approach to the story, but one that I found interesting.  Aside from Origen’s odd answer for what the names of these Characters means, (perhaps he’s guessing from Greek or Latin and not Hebrew?).  Eglon means likely something like “young bull” or “fat calf,” while Ehud’s name is less certain, although it is similar to the Hebrew word eḥad, “one” and could possible mean loner[6].

One could note that in the LXX, that Eglon is not described as fat, but handsome[7], but I would suppose that either could fit well into the case that Eglon fit the mantra of “Eat, Drink, be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Since after all Eglon did happen to be very fat.  But if one takes a look at Eglon’s name meaning fat calf, then one might also take a look at Ehud’s dagger as being something of a “sacrificial dagger” for the “sacrificial calf,” and see the story as a bit of irony there[8].

As for Ehud, he is presented for the most part as a decent guy, no Othniel, but what Benjaminite would be?  He’s a trickster here, whereas Othniel isn’t, (to be fair, his deed is shown in a good light, as Origen notes)[9].  Ehud’s hand is described literally in the Hebrew as his being restricted in the right hand[10], while once again (as we’re dealing with Church Fathers) one should point out that the LXX has it as an ambidextrous[11].”  One could even look at the various problems he had just because of his family association, if one were to look at it in that light[12].  One could just point at Ehud and see nothing but underdog about the guy.  Origen notes that Ehud is a praising Judge, of course his only real praise of sorts is his battle cry found in Judges 3.28.  Although Ehud would indeed have much to praise Yahweh for after the sort of victory he has.

In looking at the Ehud and Eglon one story, one sees a story of irony, in which the underdog wins, the weaker hero versus the power villain of sorts.  In it one sees that God’s agent is the one who will gain the victory, while those who oppose God and by extension his people will be brought down in some fashion, not that anyone should be going around assassinating in the name of God today, although one should probably be going around doing right actions in God’s name.

- Le Belle Inconnu

 

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[1] Ephesians 6.17; Hebrews 4.12

[2] See 2 Corinthians 10.5

[3] See Matthew 25.21ff

[4] Found in Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, Volume 4 of Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture

[5] ACCS p. 112

[6] See Boling p. 85, also Hamlin pp. 70, 73

[7] As noted by Schneider p.49, “And he presented the gifts to King Eglom of Moab.  And Eglom was a very handsome man.” Judges 3.17 NETS

[8] Brettler as pointed out by Matthews 61

[9] Matthews 60

[10] Schneider 49

[11] “And the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up a for them a deliverer, Aod son of Gera son of Iemeni, an ambidextrous man. And the sons of Israel sent gifts to King Eglom of Moab by his hand.” Judges 3.12 NETS

[12] Refer particularly to Schneider pp.47-8

Repeated Mistakes and Forgotten Pasts: Judges 6.7-10

(Sorry the formatting is little odd on this one, going from windows to linux and back again messed up  a few things and why I’m just posting this until now, sorry).

“When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord on account of the Midianites, the Lord sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage. And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. And I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.”” – Judges 6.7-10

The book of Judges focuses upon a time in Israelite history where they namely had no king, but Yahweh. Moreover the author of the book, in many way discusses the need of this king, as the end of the book notes, that beside the people doing what was right in their own eyes, the true fact that Israel had no central king. Instead of having kings however, the tribes were ruled by a group of people known as the Judges or the deliverers. Moreover while the book of Judges doesn’t start out on the highest note, it is still nonetheless a higher point then the end of the book.

The first deliverer is Othniel, who is related to Caleb and by extension also to the tribe of Judah. For the most part Othniel is the model Judge, he is called by Yahweh play the role of deliverer and judge and does so well. By him all the other characters of the book may be reflected upon. After him comes Ehud ben Gera, who seems anything but Othniel, remains one of the best deliverers of the book. After him comes Deborah and Barak, and here we begin to see the decline of the people, in the character of Barak, whose glory goes to a woman, but even though Barak may show a little lack of faith, there are lower levels for that the heroes of this time will fall too.

After these major Judges however, comes the deliverer Gideon. Gideon is perhaps one of most well known characters of the Old Testament, including the story of Yahweh whittling down his army. But Gideon also comes at a sort crossing points for the book of Judges. While at first he appears to be one the more nobler Judges in the end he still fails (as evidenced by his golden ephod). Before Gideon came as a deliverer, God however sent an unnamed prophet to his people.

“The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.” – Judges 6.1-2

We come again to phrase that is so often seen within this book, the people of Israel have done evil in the sight of Yahweh, they have forsaken him with other gods. The previous Judges so far, Othniel, Ehud, and Deborah and Barak’s story all begin with this same idea, the people were doing wrong in Yahweh’s sight.

What this evil was, isn’t specified directly here, but based on what has happened within the previous narratives and what is described within this one, we get the idea that the Israelites were once again intermarrying with the foreign people and worshiping the other deities of the landⁱ. One could ponder the question of if the sin was indeed intermarriage, how much of this invasion was purely the fault of Israelites themselvesⁱⁱ.

The oppressors this time send the Israelites into caverns to hide away. The dens are probably something that were caused by river erosions into the mountains, but that as Boling notes would make “excellent hiding placesⁱⁱⁱ.” But while these may indeed be excellent hiding places, they didn’t help in providing the food which they would need as evidenced shortly.

This time Israel’s oppressor is that of the Midian. Midian was the name of a “desert confederation,” one which had a history with Israel beginning really with Moses, in saving the daughters of Jethro (Exodus 12.15-4.31), and the wars which took place in years of wandering (Numbers 25 and 31)^iv. One could note that earlier in the book of Judges the Midianites in a sense help bring deliverance through Jael, and yet here they are now the oppressors that Yahweh has sent^v.

Now this might sound a bit confusing and off so as an explanation: In Judges 4.11 we read that: “Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.” However in other biblical passages point out that Moses’ father-in-law was a Midianite noting Exodus 3.1 “Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.” And Numbers 10.29a “And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,” Moses’s father-in-law is a man with many names, however concering Hobab, one could follow the LXX that Hobab in Judges 4.11 is really meant to say Son-in-law following and/or that the Kinites are also a part of a “Midianite league^vi.” Hence also Midian.

While one may note the similarity in the opening of this narrative, one also has to note the differences, namely that Israelites have yet to call out Yahweh (not until verse six) and that Yahweh has yet to make note of a coming deliverer^vii.

The people of Israel found themselves in sin yet again, and like each time prior to this instance Yahweh brings judgment to them because of their sin. Moreover Yahweh shows his sovereignty in that while prior to this episode he used foreigner to help his people, here he has used them to oppress his people. The Israelites however sadly must go through a period of harsh trials before they turned back to the Yahweh.

Failure to keep God’s laws is not something to be taken lightly, and we must remember that while yes Yahweh is a god mercy and long-suffering, he is also a just god. The people of Israel refused to heed him, and he was soon forced to bring an a foreign oppressor, the Midianites to turn them back to him. When we turn away from Yahweh we must realized that at times he may be forced to bring in our own Midianites.

“For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in. And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the Lord.” – Judges 6.3-6

The territory which this story takes place in, that of Manasseh was one the richest territories of the Israel, it’s farmlands were quite fertile, it was located in the prime spot for trade routes and so their oppressor’s were hitting them quite hard indeed^viii. Moreover the Midianites would come by just when the people had finish planting and would leave them with nothing, and while the Israelites had no livestock that of the Midianites were so numerous it couldn’t be counted^ix!

We see here that the people are the Midianites, the Amalekites and the people of the East. As the narration goes on we begin to find more details and oppressor is “amplified” into these three peoples^x. All of whom were nomadic people and who came general from the same area, (making a generally easy group to alliance together). We’ve already made several notes on the Midianites above.

The Amalekites are a people who have long been an enemy associated with Israel, having a hated even before the time of Moses.

The people of the East, or the Kedemites are like the other two primarily a nomadic people and as assumed they came from the east. Perhaps they were from the Syrian Desert, but being desert people would indeed fit why they would have camels instead of horses in dealing with military needs^xi.

It is after everything has been taken away from them, their livelihoods and their home, that they at last turn back to Yahweh and call out to him^xii. It could be noted as Crossan puts it this verse “is the standard deueronomic phrase for repentance^xiii.” After seven years of pure starvation more or less, the Israelites at last turn to Yahweh for an answer^xiv.

So often, it is when everything has fallen apart that we finally come to back to God. It is after we have found that going against God has done nothing to help, that we find going along with him, gives us what we need. The people of Israel refused to listen to God until, they were at the point of starvation, and yet they could have turned back to him at any point within those seven years. Some times the only thing Yahweh can do to bring his people back is harsh series of trials, a period of time where we must realize that to follow God and his commands means a better life. (Not necessarily an easier life, but one more fulfilling).

“When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord on account of the Midianites, the Lord sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage. And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. And I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.”” – Judges 6.7-10

God sends a prophet and in the period of the Judges this, is a rare happening, (one could note of course Deborah as a prophetess, but also perhaps one could note Samuel who was indeed both prophet and judge)^xv. For the other episodes which concerning the Deliverers of Israel, there isn’t any prophet who proceeds the coming a deliverer, (even in the case of Deborah, her role of prophetess and judge are mention in the same breath, and her role of deliverance with Barak plays the more important role).

One can note even as Yahweh’s judgment is quick and harsh, his love and more importantly his mercy as in this particular case he sent not only a deliverer, but prophet also^xvi.

The words of this Prophet are in many ways generic, reminding the people who Yahweh is and what he has done, and they hark readily toward Exodus 20.2-3^xvii. ““I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” Moreover as the Prophet reminds them of their past history with Yahweh, of what he has done, and still rebukes their sin “you have not followed me,” but he doesn’t abandon his people as shortly is seen^xviii. The people should of course had known all that God had done for them in the past, thus their abandonment for Amorite gods, who had done nothing, makes little sense^xix.

God tells them to not be afraid of the Amorites, but might be better to translate this as Westerns (which would them contrast the people’s land to the Eastern invaders^xx. Moreover referring to it as “don’t fear the gods of the Westerns,” Yahweh is reminding them of all that the people aren’t supposed to intermingling with the gods from this land, but instead are supposed to be focused solely upon Yahweh^xxi.

In a way the Israelites here most likely referring to those west of the Jordon are following their gods instead of Yahweh, and so Yahweh sends in an enemy not from that land, but from the east to contend with them. The sad thing would appear that though Yahweh did indeed send a prophet, his message of repentance was not heard.

Yahweh sent a prophet to his people to tell them to remember the past, and namely to do as all prophets do, to tell them to repent. This unnamed prophet, told the people what they should have already known and though his message might not seem unique its words were still important. For, after all they reminded the people what Yahweh had done in the past and what he asked of them. This prophet though unnamed gave an important message to those people. Follow Yahweh, not these false gods of the land, and remember the things that he has done in the past and lean on those for strength.

In many ways we too need to remember to follow Yahweh, and we don’t need some prophet, as we have God’s complete word. Moreover we need to remember to follow the true God, not various idols which may creep up in our lives. After at times it seems so easy to suddenly find ourselves spending more time in other things, and making idols of them, instead of taking time, true time out for God.

Conclusion

Looking at the prologue to Gideon we come to find several different things which take place which seem all too familiar to the reader of Judges, namely that Yahweh’s covenant people have sinned and secondly that he has sent an oppressor to turn them back to them, thirdly when they have cried out to him, God has indeed heard their prayer. But interestingly enough we find that God once again shows that he isn’t bound by any sort of box and instead of sending the normal deliverer he has instead sent a prophet to the people. Calling them to return to him, yet while God can be unpredictable, it seems the people of Israel are not and we see them as is the norm, not heeding the words of the prophet who has been sent to them.

As we reflect on this prologue we might want to remember the truth of the passage that no matter how far we try to run from God he’s still there. That his mercy runs deep and for that matter we see here in very real sense how Yahweh and Jesus are same God. Moreover though we remember that Yahweh is just god, who should be feared, wisdom does begin there. So that while we may try to run away and he will forgive us, we may not like the way in which God tries to bring us back to him. Finally we need to remember that God has given us his word through his book now and his words found in the Bible are our prophets which he sends, what we should heed.

Endnotes:

i Schneider 100 (From Schneider, Tammi J. Judges Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry (Berit Olam Series). New York: Liturgical, 2000. Print.)

ii Schneider 101

iii Boling 122

iv Boling 122 (From Boling, Robert G. Judges (Anchor Bible). New York: Anchor Bible, 1974. Print.)

v Schneider 100-1

vi Schneider 72-73

vii Boling 123

viii Matthews 81 (From Matthews, Victor H. Judges and Ruth (New Cambridge Bible Commentary). New York: Cambridge UP, 2004. Print.)

ix Schneider 101

x Crossan 155

xi Davis 139

xii Matthews 81-2

xiii Crossan 155 (From JBC “Judges”)

xiv Davis 139

xv Boling 125

xvi Davis 139

xvii Matthews 82

xviii Matthews 82

xix Schneider 102

xx Boling 127

xxi Schneider 102

The Book of Judges Bibliography

Here’s a Bibliography that I mentioned I would do on the Tobit one, I’m much more interested in expanded this one.  All the works here are free and/or Public Domain and most (if not all at the moment) of them predate the 1930s and thus reflect the scholarship at that time.   These were found via Googlebooks, and Webachieve.  Again if anyone would like to suggest a book which should be added please, comment.

Burney, C. F.

1918 The Book of Judges with Introduction and Notes. London: Rivingtons.

Cassel, Paulus.

1872 The Book of Judges. Lang’s Commentary Series.  New York: C. Scribner & co. 4:189-261

Cooke, G.A.

1892 The History and Song of Deborah. Oxford: Clarendon Press Depot.

Curtis, Edward Lewis

1913 The Book of Judges. New York: The Macmillan Company.

Driver, S. R.

1888–89 “The Origin and Structure of the Book of Judges.” JQR 1: 258-270.

Drum, Walter

1907–14 “Judges.” The Catholic Encyclopedia, 15 vols. New York: Appleton. 8: ?

Hervey, A.C.

1888 The Book of Judges.  The Speaker’s Commentary, ed. F.C. Cook, 2: 115–240. New York: Scribner, Armstrong & co.

Keil,C. F.

1887 Judges.  Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament.  Tr. Martin, James. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. 4:237-464.

König, Eduard

1898–1904a “Judges, Book of .” HDB, 5 vols. Edinburgh: Clark. 2: 809–20.

Lias, John James

1896 The Book of Judges: With Map, Notes, and Introduction.  Cambridge: University Press.

Moore, George F.

1901 A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Judges. International Critical Commentary, New York: Scribner’s.

1899-1907 ‘Judges.’ in Encyclopaedia Biblica, 4 vols.   London: A and C Black. 2:775-9

Paterson, J.A.

1910 “Judges, the Book of.” 355-9 in The Temple Dictionary of the Bible.  New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.  355-9

Ryssel, Victor

1903 Judges, Book of. JE, ed. Isidore Singer, 12 vols. New York: Funk and Wagnalls. ?: 377–81.

Thackeray, Henry St. John

1921 The Septuagint and Jewish Worship. London: H. Milford.

Vernon, Ambrose W.

1908 “The Religious Value of the Figure Samson.”  Biblical World 34. 33-8