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Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Green's Literal Translation

Judges 6:2

And the hand of Midian was strong against Israel. And the sons of Israel made dens for themselves before the faces of Midian, in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Cave;   Dens;   Fort;   Thompson Chain Reference - Caves;   Courage-Fear;   Dens;   Humbled, Israel;   Israel;   Israel-The Jews;   Servility;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Caves;   Fortresses;   Jews, the;   Midianites;   Mountains;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Cave;   Midianites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gideon;   Midian;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Cave;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Caves;   Gideon;   Judges, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Castle;   Judges, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Cave;   Gideon;   House;   Judges (1);   Levi;   Midian, Mtdianites;   Ophrah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Cave ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Jerubbaal;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Gideon;   Midian;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Caves;   Engedi;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Den;   Gideon;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Agriculture;   Caves in Palestine;   War;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
and they oppressed Israel. Because of Midian, the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
Hebrew Names Version
The hand of Midyan prevailed against Yisra'el; and because of Midyan the children of Yisra'el made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
King James Version
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
Lexham English Bible
The hand of the Midianites prevailed over Israel; because of the presence of the Midianites, the Israelites made for themselves hiding places that were in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
English Standard Version
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.
New Century Version
Because the Midianites were very powerful and were cruel to Israel, the Israelites made hiding places in the mountains, in caves, and in safe places.
New English Translation
The Midianites overwhelmed Israel. Because of Midian the Israelites made shelters for themselves in the hills, as well as caves and strongholds.
Amplified Bible
The [powerful] hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens (hideouts) which were in the mountains, and the caves and the [mountain] strongholds.
New American Standard Bible
The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the hand of Midian preuayled against Israel, and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them dennes in the mountaines, and caues, and strong holdes.
Legacy Standard Bible
En die Midianiete het die oorhand oor Israel gekry; vanwe die Midianiete het die kinders van Israel vir hulle die slote gemaak wat op die berge is, en die gate en die bergvestings.
Contemporary English Version
The Midianites were so cruel that many Israelites ran to the mountains and hid in caves.
Complete Jewish Bible
Midyan exercised its power harshly against Isra'el, and because of Midyan the people of Isra'el hid themselves in mountains, in caves and in other safe places.
Darby Translation
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites the children of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Midianites were very powerful and were cruel to the Israelites. So the Israelites made many hiding places in the mountains. They hid their food in caves and places that were hard to find.
George Lamsa Translation
And the hand of the Midianites prevailed against Israel, in that they fled from before the Midianites; and the children of Israel made for themselves dens in the mountains, and caves, and sheepfolds.
Good News Translation
The Midianites were stronger than Israel, and the people of Israel hid from them in caves and other safe places in the hills.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And wha the hande of the Madianites was to mightie ouer the children of Israel, the children of Israel made them clyffes in ye mountaynes, and caues and holdes, to defende them selues from ye Madianites.
American Standard Version
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
Bible in Basic English
And Midian was stronger than Israel; and because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made holes for themselves in the mountains, and hollows in the rocks, and strong places.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the hand of Madian preuayled against Israel: & because of the Madianites, ye children of Israel made them dennes in the mountaynes and caues, and strong holdes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
King James Version (1611)
And the hand of Midian preuailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dennes which are in the mountaines, and caues, & strong holds.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the hand of Madiam prevailed against Israel: and the children of Israel made for themselves because of Madiam the caves in the mountains, and the dens, and the holes in the rocks.
English Revised Version
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strong holds.
Berean Standard Bible
and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei weren oppressid of hem greetly; and `thei maden dichis, and dennes to hem silf in hillis, and strongeste places to fiyte ayen.
Young's Literal Translation
and the hand of Midian is strong against Israel, from the presence of Midian have the sons of Israel made for themselves the flowings which [are] in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
Update Bible Version
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: [and] because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which [are] in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
World English Bible
The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
New King James Version
and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains.
New Living Translation
The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
New Life Bible
Midian was stronger than Israel. Because of Midian the people of Israel made big caves in the sides of the mountains where they could live which were safe places for themselves.
New Revised Standard
The hand of Midian prevailed over Israel; and because of Midian the Israelites provided for themselves hiding places in the mountains, caves and strongholds.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, - because of Midian, did the sons of Israel prepare for themselves the hollows which were in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they were grievously oppressed by them. And they made themselves dens and caves in the mountains, and strong holds to resist.
Revised Standard Version
And the hand of Mid'ian prevailed over Israel; and because of Mid'ian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves and the strongholds.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.

Contextual Overview

1 And the sons of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian was strong against Israel. And the sons of Israel made dens for themselves before the faces of Midian, in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds. 3 And it happened after Israel had sown crops , Midian, and Amalek, and the sons of the east came; and they came against them, 4 and camped against them, and destroyed the produce of the land until you enter Gaza. And they left no food in Israel, either sheep, or ox, or ass. 5 For they came up with their livestock, and with their tents. They came in like locusts for number, and there was no number to them, to their camels. And they came into the land to destroy it. 6 And Israel was brought very low before Midian. And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the hand: Leviticus 26:17, Deuteronomy 28:47, Deuteronomy 28:48

prevailed: Heb. was strong

dens: Dr. Shaw says, that a great way on each side Joppa, on the sea coast, there is a range of mountains and precipices; and in these high situations are generally found the dens, holes, or caves, which are so frequently mentioned in Scripture; and which were formerly the lonesome retreats of the distressed Israelites. 1 Samuel 13:6, 1 Samuel 14:11, Hebrews 11:38, Revelation 6:15

Reciprocal: Numbers 31:7 - the males Joshua 10:16 - in a cave 1 Samuel 31:7 - they forsook the cities 2 Samuel 7:10 - as beforetime 1 Kings 8:33 - because they have 1 Chronicles 10:7 - then they Job 30:6 - dwell Isaiah 2:10 - Enter Jeremiah 41:9 - because of Gedaliah Jeremiah 48:28 - leave Jeremiah 49:8 - dwell Ezekiel 33:27 - in the caves

Cross-References

Genesis 3:6
And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise. And she took of its fruit andate; and she also gave to her husband with her,and he ate.
Genesis 4:26
And a son was also born to Seth, and he called his name, Enos. Then it was begun to call on the name of Jehovah.
Genesis 6:1
And it came about that men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them.
Genesis 6:2
The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were good, and they took wives for themselves from all those whom they chose.
Genesis 6:3
And Jehovah said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man; in their erring he is flesh. And his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.
Genesis 6:4
The giants were in the earth in those days, and even afterwards when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore to them; they were heroes which existed from ancient time, the men of name.
Genesis 6:6
And Jehovah repented that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved to His heart.
Genesis 6:7
And Jehovah said, I will wipe off man whom I have created from the face of the earth, from man to beast, to the creeping thing and to the birds of the heavens; for I repent that I made them.
Genesis 6:8
And Noah found grace in the eyes of Jehovah.
Genesis 6:12
And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupted. For all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel,.... They were too strong for them, and overcame them, and brought them into subjection to them, and no wonder, when the Lord delivered them into their hand:

and because of the Midianites; because of their usage of them, their manner of coming upon them yearly, and pillaging and plundering their substance, as after related:

the children of Israel made them dens which are in the mountains; the word for "dens" has the signification of light in it, and are so called either by an antiphrasis, because they were dark, or, as Kimchi thinks, because they had a window at the top of them, which let in the light a but Ben Gersom conjectures they were torches, which gave a great light, and when they that held them saw from the mountains the Midianites, by these torches they made a signal to the Israelites to take care and hide themselves and their substance:

and caves, and strong holds; the caves were for the poorer sort, and the strong holds for the richer to retire to with their goods; though, according to Jarchi, the latter were no other than fences they made in woods, by cutting down trees, and setting them round about them, perhaps much the same as the thickets, 1 Samuel 13:6.

a So David de Pomis Lexic. fol. 90. 3. or "because men flowed and flocked to them for safety"; so Buxtorf.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The word rendered “dens” is only found in this passage. It is best explained of ravines hollowed out by torrents, which the Israelites made into hiding-places.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 6:2. Made them the dens which are in the mountains — Nothing can give a more distressing description of the state of the Israelites than what is here related. They durst not reside in the plain country, but were obliged to betake themselves to dens and caves of the mountains, and live like wild beasts, and were hunted like them by their adversaries.


 
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