Judges 6:3

1 Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,

2 and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.

Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,

4 encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys.

5 For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,
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;
WEB
So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of the east came up against them.
ASV
And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them;
DARBY
And it came to pass when Israel sowed, that Midian came up, and Amalek, and the children of the east, and came up against them.
BLB
And it came to pass, when Israel had sown, that Midian came up, and Amalek and the sons of the East, and they came up against him.
ÅB
Hver gang Israel hadde sådd, kom midianittene og amalekittene og Østens barn og dro opp mot dem;
OTB
Hver gang israelittene sådde sine avlinger, kom midjanittene, amalekittene og andre østlige folk og invaderte landet.
B1930
Hver gang Israel hadde sådd, kom midianittene og amalekittene og Østens barn og drog op mot dem;

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Judges 7:12

    Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the other people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as countless as the sand on the seashore.

    Read in context
  • Judges 6:33

    Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

    Read in context
  • Judges 3:13

    After enlisting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join forces with him, Eglon attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the City of Palms.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 29:1

    Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.

    Read in context
  • Job 1:3

    and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 65:21–22

    They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

    Read in context
  • Judges 8:10

    Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army of about fifteen thousand men—all that were left of the armies of the people of the east. A hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had already fallen.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 4:30

    Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the men of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

    Read in context