Judges 6:31-35

Judges 6:31

And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

 

Now Joash begins to ask the people questions which were more like he was badgering them.  He asks if they will plead for Baal?  If he is all powerful as his worshippers think, could he not defend himself?  Will ye save him?  Does a true god need to have people to save them and if they do, then the people are stronger than that god.  Joash was then basically giving them a warning that God deals with idolatry very seriously and that those who are pleading for Baal could be put to death immediately, before noon.  He then states that if Baal is a real god, let him plead for himself.  The word plead carries with it the meaning of “contend or debate.”  If Baal is a real god, then let him contend with the person that threw down his altar.  These questions and statements hopefully would have caused some to think very seriously about their idol.

 

Judges 6:32

Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

 

The name “Jerubbaal” carries with it the meaning of “he that revenges the idol or let Baal defend his cause.”  If Baal was a true god as the Midianites believed he was then he would have the power to contend with a mere mortal like Gideon.  Of course, we know that idols do not have life nor do they have the ability to contend with those who attack their worship sites as Gideon did.  Psalm 135:15-18 (KJV) The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.  {16} They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;  {17} They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.  {18} They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.  Psalm 135 15-18 gives a good understanding of the uselessness of idols.

 

Judges 6:33

Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

 

Once the word had spread that Gideon had attacked and destroyed the idol of Baal the Midianites, Amalekites, and the Arabians had gathered their forces together to attack Israel and to kill Gideon for destroying their idol and the groves.  Remember these were the same three groups who stole all the food that the Israelites had grown.  Judges 6:3 (KJV)   And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;  The valley of Jezreel was a large and fruitful plain.  It lay on the borer of Issachar and Manasseh and lay at the foot of Mount Gilboa which was about 42 miles (68 km) north from where Gideon had lived.

 

Judges 6:34

But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was gathered after him.

 

The deliverance of Israel was about to begin as Gideon must have gotten the news that there was an alliance of three nations ready to attack and attempting to destroy the Israelites.  So Gideon had blown the trumpet for the call to arms to meet this army head on.  The Abiezerites were a family in Manasseh who after seeing the fact that Gideon did not suffer any retribution for the destruction of the idols had rallied to the trumpet call of Gideon and supposed him to be a strong man of God who did not fear false gods.

 

Judges 6:35

And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

 

At this point the people of the Abiezerites were probably dispatched as messengers to the other tribes of Israel to summon them to the battle against the alliance of the three nations which have gathered themselves ready to attack.  The four named tribes had rallied to the call and gathered themselves unto Gideon.

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