Study Desk

"The leaders led in Israel. The people were willing to help them. For this we give thanks to the Lord!

Why did you sit among the sheep, to hear the horns blow for the flocks? There was much thought among the families of Reuben.

Sisera asked for water and she gave him milk. She brought him milk in a fine pot.

She put out her hand to the big tent nail. And she put out her right hand for the servant's heavy object. Then she hit Sisera. She crushed his head. She broke and cut through the side of his head.

'Are they not finding and dividing the riches? Is there not a girl or two for every man? Is there not colored cloth for Sisera to take? Is there not colored cloth with beautiful sewing on it? Are there not two pieces of colored cloth with beautiful sewing on them for the neck of the one who takes them?'

So let all those who hate You die, O Lord. But let those who love Him be like the sun as he rises in his power." And the land had peace for forty years.

Then the people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord. And the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian for seven years.

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.

For when Israel had planted seeds, the Midianites and Amalekites and the people of the east would come and fight against them.

They would set up their tents beside them and destroy the food of the field as far as Gaza. They would leave no food for Israel, and no sheep, cattle or donkeys.

And the Lord sent a man to speak for Him to the people of Israel. The man said to them, "The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you here from Egypt. I brought you out of the house where you were made to work.

I set you free from the power of the Egyptians and from the hands of all who made it hard for you. I drove them away from in front of you and gave you their land.

But the Lord said to him, "For sure I will be with you. You will destroy Midian as one man."

So Gideon knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And he said, "I am afraid, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face."

Then the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son, so he may die. For he has torn down the altar of Baal. And he has cut down our goddess Asherah which was beside it."

But Joash said to all who were gathered against him, "Will you fight for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever will fight for him will be put to death this morning. If he is a god, let him fight for himself because someone has torn down his altar."

Then Gideon said to God, "Do not let Your anger burn against me for speaking to You once again. Let me make one more test with the wool. Let it be dry only on the wool. And let the ground be wet all around it."

God did so that night. For it was dry only on the wool. And all the ground was wet around it.

The Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands. Israel might say with pride, ‘Our own power has saved us.'

Then the Lord said to Gideon, "There are still too many people. Bring them down to the water. I will test them for you there. Whoever I say is to go with you will go. But whoever I say is not to go with you will not go."