Judges 6:13 - Gideon said to him, “Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Didn’t Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
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What does "Judges 6:13" mean?
This verse, Judges 6:13, is a lament and a challenge directed toward a divine being (who turns out to be an angel of Yahweh). It reveals Gideon's profound sense of despair, confusion, and frustration in the face of the suffering experienced by the Israelites. Let's break it down:
"Gideon said to him, “Oh, my lord...": Gideon addresses the angel with respect, initially acknowledging him as a person of authority ("my lord").
"...if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us?": This is the core of Gideon's complaint. It's a theological question about the presence and power of God. If Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, is truly with them, why are they experiencing such hardship and oppression at the hands of the Midianites? This assumes the belief that God's presence should result in blessings and protection, and conversely, suffering indicates God's absence or displeasure.
"Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Didn’t Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?'": Gideon is referencing the foundational event in Israel's history: the Exodus. The Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt through a series of miraculous events, demonstrating Yahweh's power and commitment to his people. Gideon is asking where that same power and deliverance are now. Why aren't they seeing similar displays of God's might in their current situation? He's essentially saying, "We were told stories of a powerful God who saved us. Where is that God now?"
"But now Yahweh has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”: This is the heart of Gideon's accusatory tone. He believes that God has abandoned them and actively delivered them into the power of their enemies. This statement is based on their current reality. They are being oppressed by the Midianites, so Gideon reasons that this must be because God has turned away from them.
In Summary:
Gideon's words in Judges 6:13 express a deep sense of crisis:
Doubt and Despair: He questions God's presence and power in the face of suffering.
Historical Memory vs. Present Reality: He contrasts the glorious stories of the Exodus with their current predicament.
Accusation of Abandonment: He believes God has turned away from them and caused their suffering.
It's important to note that Gideon's perspective is limited. The narrative will go on to show that Yahweh is with them, and he is choosing Gideon, despite his doubt and fear, to deliver Israel from the Midianites. However, Gideon's initial reaction reflects the very real human struggle of reconciling faith in a powerful God with the experience of suffering and oppression. It is a common human reaction to assume suffering is a sign of divine disfavor, even though the Bible presents a more complex understanding of the relationship between God, suffering, and faithfulness.
Judges 6:13 - Gideon said to him, “Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Didn’t Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
What does "Judges 6:13" mean?
This verse, Judges 6:13, is a lament and a challenge directed toward a divine being (who turns out to be an angel of Yahweh). It reveals Gideon's profound sense of despair, confusion, and frustration in the face of the suffering experienced by the Israelites. Let's break it down:
"Gideon said to him, “Oh, my lord...": Gideon addresses the angel with respect, initially acknowledging him as a person of authority ("my lord").
"...if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us?": This is the core of Gideon's complaint. It's a theological question about the presence and power of God. If Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, is truly with them, why are they experiencing such hardship and oppression at the hands of the Midianites? This assumes the belief that God's presence should result in blessings and protection, and conversely, suffering indicates God's absence or displeasure.
"Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Didn’t Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?'": Gideon is referencing the foundational event in Israel's history: the Exodus. The Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt through a series of miraculous events, demonstrating Yahweh's power and commitment to his people. Gideon is asking where that same power and deliverance are now. Why aren't they seeing similar displays of God's might in their current situation? He's essentially saying, "We were told stories of a powerful God who saved us. Where is that God now?"
"But now Yahweh has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”: This is the heart of Gideon's accusatory tone. He believes that God has abandoned them and actively delivered them into the power of their enemies. This statement is based on their current reality. They are being oppressed by the Midianites, so Gideon reasons that this must be because God has turned away from them.
In Summary:
Gideon's words in Judges 6:13 express a deep sense of crisis:
Doubt and Despair: He questions God's presence and power in the face of suffering.
Historical Memory vs. Present Reality: He contrasts the glorious stories of the Exodus with their current predicament.
Accusation of Abandonment: He believes God has turned away from them and caused their suffering.
It's important to note that Gideon's perspective is limited. The narrative will go on to show that Yahweh is with them, and he is choosing Gideon, despite his doubt and fear, to deliver Israel from the Midianites. However, Gideon's initial reaction reflects the very real human struggle of reconciling faith in a powerful God with the experience of suffering and oppression. It is a common human reaction to assume suffering is a sign of divine disfavor, even though the Bible presents a more complex understanding of the relationship between God, suffering, and faithfulness.