Reading for December 15th

Read Judges 8. 22-35

In 8.22-35: Israel offers Gideon heredity rule.

In verse 23: The Lord will rule over you expresses the traditional notion that choosing human kings violates the Lord's kingship (1 Sam 8.7).

In verse 24: Ishmaelites were similar in culture to the Midianites, but these were distinct nationalities (Gen 16; 25.1-4).

In verse 27: Ephod usually describes a priestly vestment, which could be used for divination.

Perhaps this gold ephod was used to robe an idol.

In verse 31: A concubine was a subordinate wife with lower legal status.

In verse 33: Baal-berith (Baal of the Covenant; 9.4) was a god worshiped in Shechem, probably the same as El-berith (9.46).

Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 14th

Read Judges 8.4-21

In 8.4-21: Pursuit and vengeance.

In verse 5: Zebah and Zalmunna represent a different story-telling tradition from that featuring Oreb and Zeeb (7.25).

In verse 6: The hands of the enemy could be cut off to serve as evidence of their capture or death.

In verse 19: Gideon demands personal blood vengeance.

Sons of my mother indicates these were his full brothers, an important consideration in a polygamous society.

In verses 20-21: To have a mere boy kill them would be a grave insult.

Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 13th

Read Judges 7.15-8.3
In 7.15-8.3: Victory over Midian.
In verse 16: The torches remain inside the jars to preserve the element of surprise.
In verse 19: The beginning of the middle watch is a psychologically appropriate moment to attack.
In verses 21-22: The result is panic, the classic weapon of the divine warrior (4.15).
This victory became a proverbial example (Ps 83.9-11; Isa 9.4).
In 8. 1-2: The Ephraimites resent being left out of the original summons (6.35; 7.23), but Gideon responds wisely with a soothing compliment: the dregs of Ephraim are better than the very best of my clan has to offer.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 12th

Read Judges 7.1-14
In 7.1-14: preparing for battle.
In verse 2: In holy war, the Lord alone wins the victory.
In verse 3: Sending home the fearful accords with Deut 20.8.
In verses 4-6: The Hebrew text of the second test is perplexing, and the point of preferring those who lap over those who kneel (v. 5) is baffling.
Few Israelites lap water, so that only a fraction of the original ten thousand remain.
In verse 8: Those who stay take the provisions of those who are leaving.
In verse 10: That Gideon would still fear to attack after the Lord's word of assurance in v. 9 typifies his character.
In verses 13-14: Dreams were regarded as premonitions of the future.
The symbols are appropriate: a tent for Midianite nomads and barely bread for Israelite farmers.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 11th

Read Judges 6.33-40
In 6.33-40: Assembling troops and seeking a sign.
In verses 34-35: The dynamic power of the spirit of the Lord inspires an unexpected act of leadership.
Beginning with his own clan, the Abiezrites, Gideon attracts  his own tribe and three neighboring ones.
In verses 36-40: Gideon's repeated quest for certainty corresponds to his ambivalent character (6.15, 17, 27), but is not actually condemned by the narrative.
Assurance of victory was an important element in holy war tradition.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 10th

Read Judges 6.25-32

In 6.25-32: Gideon pulls down Baal's altar.

The sacred pole was a symbol of the goddess Asherah.

Using it as firewood would be a calculated desecration.

In verse 27: Gideon is an ambivalent hero (v. 15, 17); he prefers to act by night.

In verse 31: If he is a god: A god unable to defend its own interests is not really a god at all.

In verse 32: Gideon's other name, Jerubbaal ('let Baal contend"), would have been offensive to later believers.

Here is receives an orthodox interpretation as a reminder of Baal's humiliation.

Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 9th

Read Judges 6.11-24

In 6.11-24: The call of Gideon.

In verse 11: The angel of the Lord is a visible manifestation of the Lord's presence (compare v.14).

Wheat would normally be beaten or threshed on a windy hilltop, not in the confined space of a wine press.

In verse 15: Objections are a standard element of call stories (Ex 3. 10-12).

In verse 24: One purpose of this traditional story was to authenticate a local altar of sacrifice.

Comments or Questions..