Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 7 ERV, Ch. 8-9 NASB, Ch. 10-11 GNT

Podcast Introduction

This is History Tuesday. We’ll read Judges 7-11. I’m calling today’s episode “The First Is Not Always the Best” 

Comments on Judges 7, 9 and 11

Thoughts on Judges 7

As I read this chapter today, I wondered about the interpretation of the Midianite’s dream by his friend. 

Here are those verses again: 13Gideon came to the enemy camp, and he heard a man talking. That man was telling his friend about a dream that he had. He was saying, “I dreamed that a round loaf of bread came rolling into the camp of the Midianites. That loaf of bread hit the tent so hard that the tent turned over and fell flat.” 14The man’s friend knew the meaning of the dream. He said, “Your dream can only have one meaning. Your dream is about that man from Israel. It is about Gideon son of Joash. It means that God will let Gideon defeat the whole army of Midian.”

What explanation was there for a round loaf of bread knocking down a tent being representative of the defeat of the Midianite’s army by Israel? So I did some further reading. 

It turns out that in the original language, the round loaf of bread is a barley cake that hit the tent so hard that it turned it upside down and lay flat.

What’s the difference? It’s subtle, but I think it matters. 

Barley was thought of as the food of poor people and animals. The Midianites had long terrorized the Israelites and had most likely destroyed any of the crops that Gideon had been known to tend. So they had been reduced to having to eat barley. Also, the way in which a barley cake was probably prepared was that just a little of the barley flour was mixed with water to make the batter, and then thrown on the coals, producing a not very desirable, very humble meal. And the thought that such a humble little cake could tumble down a hill and hit a Midianite tent with such force that it could overturn and flatten it would seem unlikely and miraculous.

Makes a little more sense now, doesn’t it? 

And we know that God prefers to use the humble and unlikely to accomplish His goals. Knowing what you now know about the humble barley cake, take heart if you, dear listener, feel less than qualified to be used by God. In fact, that is right where He wants you. When He calls you, He will enable you, just as He did this tiny group of 300 men willing to follow God. 

Don’t you just love hearing the Word of God and digging just a little deeper? I know I do.  

Thoughts on Judges 9

Not a great first king for Israel, this Abimelech fellow. 

Notice that there had not been a great outcry from Israel to have a king, but Abimelech steps up and pretty much insinuates himself into the position. And remember, he is one of seventy-two sons of Gideon, otherwise known as Jerubbaal, and after taking the throne, he has seventy of his brothers murdered, with only one remaining because he hid himself. 

God had not been consulted as to whether Israel should have any other king but God, and this Abimelech fellow just steps in.

You knew this couldn’t end well, and it doesn’t. When a nation turns against God, they are in for harsh judgement. It was true for the sons of Gideon, and it is true today. America was once a nation that respected God and paid heed to His Word. Today we have shut Him out of our schools, our courtrooms, our governmental halls. Pretty much our entire culture. The consequences of our actions are bearing, even now, bitter fruit, and I fear that we have not yet come to the place of repentance. 

And America is not the only nation that has turned from God. All around the world we see how He has been pushed out and false gods have been lifted up. The world is in trouble, my friend. 

The signs we see, however, are signs that have been foretold. The books of Daniel, Isaiah, Matthew, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Revelation just to name a few, told us that when we see the signs, be ready. 

Now is the time to be ready, my friend. Are you? 

Thoughts on Judges 11

There is some controversy among scholars about the episode with Jephthah and ill-advised vow in verse 30: 30 Jephthah made this vow to the Lord: “If You will hand over the Ammonites to me, 31 whatever comes out of the doors of my house to greet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites will belong to the Lord, and I will offer it as a burnt offering.” HCSB

As you heard, it was his only child, his daughter who came out to greet him. Scholars are in disagreement as to whether he sacrificed her or not. I studied the arguments last year, and presented them last season on the show, and gave my conclusion. This episode is already longer than our average time together, so if you want to know more, you might want to listen to last year’s episode. You can find here.

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Transcript

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Judges 7-11: The First Is Not Always the Best (LSFAB S13E045)

[TEASER – 0:00]
You knew this couldn’t end well, didn’t you?

[INTRO S13E045 – 0:10]
This is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California. Here I am, and there you are. so it must be time for a new episode. Podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’ll read through the entire Bible in a year. The website is lifespringmedia.com. How are you today? This is History Tuesday. We’ll read Judges 7 through 11, and I’m calling today’s episode “The First Is Not Always the Best”. And I’ll have comments after the reading.

Before we begin, let’s pray.

[OPENING PRAYER – 0:43]
Father, we asked today that you teach us as we read your word. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

All right, let’s begin.

[JUDGES 7 (ERV) – 0:52]
Judges, chapter 7.

(1) Early in the morning Jerub-Baal (Gideon) and all his men set up their camp at the spring of Harod. The Midianites were camped in the valley at the bottom of the hill called Moreh, north of Gideon and his men.

(2) Then the Lord said to Gideon, “I am going to help your men defeat the Midianites, but you have too many men. I don’t want the Israelites to forget me and brag that they saved themselves. (3) So make an announcement to your men. Tell them, ‘Anyone who is afraid may leave Mount Gilead and go back home.’”

At that time 22,000 men left Gideon and went back home, but 10,000 still remained.

(4) Then the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take the men down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say, ‘This man will go with you,’ he will go. But if I say, ‘That one will not go with you,’ then he will not go.”

(5) So Gideon led the men down to the water. There the Lord said to him, “Separate the men like this: Those who drink the water by using their tongue to lap it up like a dog will be in one group. And those who bend down to drink will be in the other group.”

(6) There were 300 men who used their hands to bring water to their mouth and lapped it like a dog does. All the other people bent down and drank the water. (7) The Lord said to Gideon, “I will use the 300 men who lapped the water like a dog. I will use them to save you, and I will allow you to defeat the Midianites. Let the other men go home.”

(8) So Gideon sent the other men of Israel home. He kept the 300 men with him. Those 300 men kept the supplies and the trumpets of the other men who went home.

The Midianites were camped in the valley below Gideon’s camp. (9) During the night the Lord spoke to Gideon and said, “Get up. I will let you defeat the Midianite army. Go down to their camp. (10) If you are afraid to go alone, take your servant Purah with you. Go into the camp of the Midianites. (11) Listen to what they are saying. After that you will not be afraid to attack them.”

So Gideon and his servant Purah went down to the edge of the enemy camp. (12) The Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the other people from the east were camped in that valley. There were so many people that they seemed like a swarm of locusts. It seemed like they had as many camels as there are grains of sand on the seashore.

(13) Gideon came to the enemy camp, and he heard a man talking. That man was telling his friend about a dream that he had. He was saying, “I dreamed that a round loaf of bread came rolling into the camp of the Midianites. That loaf of bread hit the tent so hard that the tent turned over and fell flat.”

(14) The man’s friend knew the meaning of the dream. He said, “Your dream can only have one meaning. Your dream is about that man from Israel. It is about Gideon son of Joash. It means that God will let Gideon defeat the whole army of Midian.”

(15) After he heard the men talking about the dream and what it meant, Gideon bowed down to God. Then Gideon went back to the camp of the Israelites and called out to the people, “Get up! The Lord will help us defeat the Midianites.” (16) Then Gideon divided the 300 men into three groups. He gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar with a burning torch inside it. (17) Then Gideon told the men, “Watch me and do what I do. Follow me to the edge of the enemy camp. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly what I do. (18) You men surround the enemy camp. I and all the men with me will blow our trumpets. When we blow our trumpets, you blow your trumpets too. Then shout these words: ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”

(19) So Gideon and the 100 men with him went to the edge of the enemy camp. They came there just after the enemy changed guards. It was during the middle watch of the night. Gideon and his men blew their trumpets and smashed their jars. (20) Then all three groups of Gideon’s men blew their trumpets and smashed their jars. The men held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands. As they blew their trumpets, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and a sword for Gideon!”

(21) Gideon’s men stayed where they were. But inside the camp, the men of Midian began shouting and running away. (22) When Gideon’s 300 men blew their trumpets, the Lord caused the men of Midian to kill each other with their swords. The enemy army ran away to the city of Beth Shittah, which is toward the city of Zererah. They ran as far as the border of the city of Abel Meholah, which is near the city of Tabbath.

(23) Then soldiers from the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and all of Manasseh were told to chase the Midianites. (24) Gideon sent messengers through all the hill country of Ephraim. The messengers said, “Come down and attack the Midianites. Take control of the river as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan River. Do this before the Midianites get there.”

So they called all men from the tribe of Ephraim. They took control of the river as far as Beth Barah. (25) The men of Ephraim caught two of the Midianite leaders named Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at a place named the Rock of Oreb and Zeeb at a place named the Winepress of Zeeb. They continued chasing the Midianites, but first they cut off the heads of Oreb and Zeeb and took the heads to Gideon. Gideon was at the place where people cross the Jordan River.

[JUDGES 8 (NASB) – 6:15]
Judges, chapter 8.

(1) Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him vigorously. (2) But he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? (3) God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.

(4) Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing. (5) He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” (6) The leaders of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?” (7) Gideon said, “All right, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will thrash your bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” (8) He went up from there to Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered. (9) So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I return safely, I will tear down this tower.”

(10) Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of the entire army of the sons of the east; for the fallen were 120,000 swordsmen. (11) Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the camp when the camp was unsuspecting. (12) When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

(13) Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres. (14) And he captured a youth from Succoth and questioned him. Then the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. (15) He came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’ ” (16) He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them. (17) He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

(18) Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” And they said, “They were like you, each one resembling the son of a king.” (19) He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you.” (20) So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth. (21) Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise up yourself, and fall on us; for as the man, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks.

(22) Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” (23) But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.” (24) Yet Gideon said to them, “I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) (25) They said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil. (26) The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks. (27) Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

(28) So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon.

(29) Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. (30) Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives. (31) His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. (32) And Gideon the son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

(33) Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god. (34) Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; (35) nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.

[JUDGES 9 (NASB) – 11:17]
Judges, chapter 9.

(1) And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives, and spoke to them and to the whole clan of the household of his mother’s father, saying, (2) “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.” (3) And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem; and they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our relative.” (4) They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him. (5) Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. (6) All the men of Shechem and all Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar which was in Shechem.

(7) Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. (8) Once the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ (9) But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness with which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ (10) Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’ (11) But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?’ (12) Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ (13) But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?’ (14) Finally all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’ (15) The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

(16) “Now therefore, if you have dealt in truth and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have dealt with him as he deserved— (17) for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; (18) but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your relative— (19) if then you have dealt in truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. (20) But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the men of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from Beth-millo, and consume Abimelech.” (21) Then Jotham escaped and fled, and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.

(22) Now Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. (23) Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, (24) so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. (25) The men of Shechem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech.

(26) Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his relatives, and crossed over into Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. (27) They went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them, and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. (28) Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his lieutenant? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? (29) Would, therefore, that this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.”

(30) When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned. (31) He sent messengers to Abimelech deceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are stirring up the city against you. (32) Now therefore, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. (33) In the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall do to them whatever you can.”

(34) So Abimelech and all the people who were with him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. (35) Now Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. (36) When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” (37) Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from the highest part of the land, and one company comes by the way of the diviners’ oak.” (38) Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your boasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them!” (39) So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. (40)Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; and many fell wounded up to the entrance of the gate. (41) Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives so that they could not remain in Shechem.

(42) Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech. (43) So he took his people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field; when he looked and saw the people coming out from the city, he arose against them and slew them. (44) Then Abimelech and the company who was with him dashed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; the two other companies then dashed against all who were in the field and slew them. (45) Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he razed the city and sowed it with salt.

(46) When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith. (47) It was told Abimelech that all the leaders of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. (48) So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise.” (49) All the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech, and put them on the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.

(50) Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. (51) But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. (52) So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. (53) But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. (54) Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman slew him.’” So the young man pierced him through, and he died. (55) When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each departed to his home. (56) Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. (57) Also God returned all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came upon them.

[JUDGES 10 (GNT) – 19:39]
Judges, chapter 10.

(1) After Abimelech’s death Tola, the son of Puah and grandson of Dodo, came to free Israel. He was from the tribe of Issachar and lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. (2) He was Israel’s leader for twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir.

(3) After Tola came Jair from Gilead. He led Israel for twenty-two years. (4) He had thirty sons who rode thirty donkeys. They had thirty cities in the land of Gilead, which are still called the villages of Jair. (5) Jair died and was buried at Kamon.

(6) Once again the Israelites sinned against the Lord by worshiping the Baals and the Astartes, as well as the gods of Syria, of Sidon, of Moab, of Ammon, and of Philistia. They abandoned the Lord and stopped worshiping him. (7) So the Lord became angry with the Israelites, and let the Philistines and the Ammonites conquer them. (8) For eighteen years they oppressed and persecuted all the Israelites who lived in Amorite country east of the Jordan River in Gilead. (9) The Ammonites even crossed the Jordan to fight the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel was in great distress.

(10) Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord and said, “We have sinned against you, for we left you, our God, and worshiped the Baals.”

(11) The Lord gave them this answer: “The Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, (12) the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you in the past, and you cried out to me. Did I not save you from them? (13) But you still left me and worshiped other gods, so I am not going to rescue you again. (14) Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them rescue you when you get in trouble.”

(15) But the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do whatever you like, but please, save us today.” (16) So they got rid of their foreign gods and worshiped the Lord; and he became troubled over Israel’s distress.

(17) Then the Ammonite army prepared for battle and camped in Gilead. The people of Israel came together and camped at Mizpah in Gilead. (18) There the people and the leaders of the Israelite tribes asked one another, “Who will lead the fight against the Ammonites? Whoever does will be the leader of everyone in Gilead.”

[JUDGES 11 (GNT) – 21:55]
Judges, chapter 11.

(1) Jephthah, a brave soldier from Gilead, was the son of a prostitute. His father Gilead (2) had other sons by his wife, and when they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home. They told him, “You will not inherit anything from our father; you are the son of another woman.” (3) Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. There he attracted a group of worthless men, and they went around with him.

(4) It was some time later that the Ammonites went to war against Israel. (5) When this happened, the leaders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob. (6) They told him, “Come and lead us, so that we can fight the Ammonites.”

(7) But Jephthah answered, “You hated me so much that you forced me to leave my father’s house. Why come to me now that you’re in trouble?”

(8) They said to Jephthah, “We are turning to you now because we want you to go with us and fight the Ammonites and lead all the people of Gilead.”

(9) Jephthah said to them, “If you take me back home to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives me victory, I will be your ruler.”

(10) They replied, “We agree. The Lord is our witness.” (11) So Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead, and the people made him their ruler and leader. Jephthah stated his terms at Mizpah in the presence of the Lord.

(12) Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of Ammon to say, “What is your quarrel with us? Why have you invaded our country?”

(13) The king of Ammon answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and the Jordan River. Now you must give it back peacefully.”

(14) Jephthah sent messengers back to the king of Ammon (15) with this answer: “It is not true that Israel took away the land of Moab or the land of Ammon. (16) This is what happened: when the Israelites left Egypt, they went through the desert to the Gulf of Aqaba and came to Kadesh. (17) Then they sent messengers to the king of Edom to ask permission to go through his land. But the king of Edom would not let them. They also asked the king of Moab, but neither would he let them go through his land. So the Israelites stayed at Kadesh. (18) Then they went on through the desert, going around the land of Edom and the land of Moab until they came to the east side of Moab, on the other side of the Arnon River. They camped there, but they did not cross the Arnon because it was the boundary of Moab. (19) Then the Israelites sent messengers to Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon, and asked him for permission to go through his country to their own land. (20) But Sihon would not let Israel do it. He brought his whole army together, camped at Jahaz, and attacked Israel. (21) But the Lord, the God of Israel, gave the Israelites victory over Sihon and his army. So the Israelites took possession of all the territory of the Amorites who lived in that country. (22) They occupied all the Amorite territory from the Arnon in the south to the Jabbok in the north and from the desert on the east to the Jordan on the west. (23) So it was the Lord, the God of Israel, who drove out the Amorites for his people, the Israelites. (24) Are you going to try to take it back? You can keep whatever your god Chemosh has given you. But we are going to keep everything that the Lord, our God, has taken for us. (25) Do you think you are any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? He never challenged Israel, did he? Did he ever go to war against us? (26) For three hundred years Israel has occupied Heshbon and Aroer, and the towns around them, and all the cities on the banks of the Arnon River. Why haven’t you taken them back in all this time? (27) No, I have not done you any wrong. You are doing wrong by making war on me. The Lord is the judge. He will decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.” (28) But the king of Ammon paid no attention to this message from Jephthah.

(29) Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. He went through Gilead and Manasseh and returned to Mizpah in Gilead and went on to Ammon. (30) Jephthah promised the Lord: “If you will give me victory over the Ammonites, (31) I will burn as an offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I come back from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice.”

(32) Jephthah crossed the river to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him victory. (33) He struck at them from Aroer to the area around Minnith, twenty cities in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. There was a great slaughter, and the Ammonites were defeated by Israel.

(34) When Jephthah went back home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him, dancing and playing the tambourine. She was his only child. (35) When he saw her, he tore his clothes in sorrow and said, “Oh, my daughter! You are breaking my heart! Why must it be you that causes me pain? I have made a solemn promise to the Lord, and I cannot take it back!”

(36) She told him, “If you have made a promise to the Lord, do what you said you would do to me, since the Lord has given you revenge on your enemies, the Ammonites.” (37) But she asked her father, “Do this one thing for me. Leave me alone for two months, so that I can go with my friends to wander in the mountains and grieve that I must die a virgin.” (38) He told her to go and sent her away for two months. She and her friends went up into the mountains and grieved because she was going to die unmarried and childless. (39) After two months she came back to her father. He did what he had promised the Lord, and she died still a virgin.

This was the origin of the custom in Israel (40) that the Israelite women would go out for four days every year to grieve for the daughter of Jephthah of Gilead.

[COMMENTARY – 27:38]
I’ve got comments today on Judges 7, 9, and 11. Let’s start with Judges 7. As I read chapter 7, today, I wondered about the interpretation of the Midianite’s dream by his friend.

Here are those verses again: “(13) Gideon came to the enemy camp, and he heard a man talking. That man was telling his friend about a dream that he had. He was saying, ‘I dreamed that a round loaf of bread came rolling into the camp of the Midianites. That loaf of bread hit the tent so hard that the tent turned over and fell flat.’ (14) The man’s friend knew the meaning of the dream. He said, ‘Your dream can only have one meaning. Your dream is about that man from Israel. It is about Gideon son of Joash. It means that God will let Gideon defeat the whole army of Midian.’”

Well, I wondered what explanation was there for a round loaf of bread knocking down a tent being representative of the defeat of the Midianites army by Israel. So I did some further reading.

It turns out that in the original language, the round loaf of bread is a barley cake that hit the tent so hard that it turned upside down and lay flat.

So what’s the difference? It’s subtle, but I think it matters.

Barley was thought of as the food of poor people and animals. The Midianites had long terrorized the Israelites and had most likely destroyed any of the crops that Gideon had been known to tend. So they had been reduced to having to eat barley. Also, the way in which a barley cake was probably prepared was that just a little of the barley flour was mixed with water to make the batter and then the batter was thrown on the coals producing a not-very desirable, very humble meal. And the thought that such a humble little cake could tumble down a hill and hit a Midianite tent with such force that it could overturn and flatten it would seem unlikely and miraculous.

So that makes a little more sense now, doesn’t it?

And we do know that God prefers to use the humble and unlikely to accomplish his goals. So knowing what you know now about that humble barley cake, take heart if you, Beloved, feel less than qualified to be used by God. In fact, that’s right where he wants you. When he calls you he will enable you just as he did this tiny group of 300 men willing to follow God.

Don’t you just love hearing the Word of God and digging just a little bit deeper? I know I do.

So now let’s talk about Judges 9. This Abimelech fellow was not a great first king for Israel, was he?

Notice that there had not been a great outcry from Israel to have a king. But Abimelech steps up and pretty much insinuates himself into the position. And remember, he is one of 72 sons of Gideon otherwise known as Jerubbaal. And after taking the throne, he has 70 of his brothers murdered with only one remaining because he hid himself.

God had not even been consulted as to whether or not Israel should have any other king but God, and this Abimelech fellow just stepped in.

You knew this couldn’t end well, didn’t you? And it doesn’t. Listen, when a nation turns against God, they are in for harsh judgment. It was true for the sons of Gideon, and it’s true today. America was once a nation that respected God and paid heed to his word. But today we’ve shut him out of our schools, our courtrooms, our governmental halls, pretty much our entire culture. The consequences of our actions are bearing, even now, bitter fruit. And I fear that we have not yet come to the place of repentance.

And America is not the only nation that is turned from God. All around the world, we see how he’s been pushed out, and false gods have been lifted up. The world is in trouble, Beloved.

The signs we see, however, are signs that have been foretold. The books of Daniel, Isaiah, Matthew, First and Second Thessalonians, Revelation – just to name a few – told us that when we see the signs that we should be ready. Beloved, now is the time to be ready. Are you ready?

Now on Judges 11. There is some controversy among scholars about the episode with Jephthah and his ill-advised vow in verse 30. Here it is again: “(30) Jephthah made this vow to the Lord: ‘If You will hand over the Ammonites to me, (31) whatever comes out of the doors of my house to greet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites will belong to the Lord, and I will offer it as a burnt offering.’”

Well, as you heard, as we read, it was his only child, his daughter who came out to greet him. And scholars are in disagreement as to whether he sacrificed her or not. I studied the arguments in some detail for last season’s reading of this chapter. And I presented them on the show, and I gave my conclusion. This episode is already longer than our average time together. So if you want to know more, you might want to listen to last year’s episode, you can find it at lifespringmedia.com/s12e050, and I’ll have a link to it on today’s show notes page at lifespringmedia.com/s13e045.

[LIFESPRING FAMILY HOTLINE – 32:51]
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511. If you’re outside the US remember to put a +1 at the beginning of the number. You can also comment at comment.lifespringmedia.com, or you can email me at st***@*************ia.com. I’ll read your comment or play your voicemail on the show.

Tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday. We’ll read Psalms 18 through 20.

And remember that we do prayer requests and praises on Wednesdays and if there’s something God is doing in your life and will encourage the Lifespring family let me know so I can share it on the show. Or if you want the Lifespring family to pray with you about something please tell me about that as well. Go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com.

[VALUE-FOR-VALUE – 33:41]
Lifespring Family Audio Bible is a value-for-value podcast. That means that if you find value in the show, I would greatly appreciate it if you would return some of that value to me.

And today Howie sent in $50. Thank you so much, Howie. I appreciate you, Brother. God bless you.

Beloved, if you’d like to support the show, please go to lifespringmedia.com/support.

[LIFESPRING WHY CHRISTMAS – 34:05]
Lifespring Media, bringing the message of hope, love, and good news since 2004.

And here’s a reminder that I’ll be rerunning the 2009 edition of the Lifespring WhyChristmas Show beginning on December 1.

LIFESPRING WHYCHRISTMAS SHOW PROMO – 34:19]
[STEVE WEBB:]
“Hi, there. This is Steve Webb…

[JAMES COOPER:]
…with James Cooper. And we’re here to invite you to listen to the Lifespring WhyChristmas show beginning on December 1…

[STEVE WEBB:]
…and continuing with a show a day right up to Christmas day.

[JAMES COOPER:]
That’s right. For a fourth year in a row, we’re bringing you a fun series of shows in which we’ll share some fun Christmas facts.

[STEVE WEBB:]
Like why we celebrate on December 25, how Christmas card giving began, some corny Christmas jokes…

[JAMES COOPER:]
Yes. And how to say Merry Christmas in different languages, why mistletoe is part of our Christmas customs…

[STEVE WEBB:]
That’s one of my favorite things about Christmas.

[JAMES COOPER:]
Yeah, it would be wouldn’t it? And we share some of the true meaning of Christmas.

[STEVE WEBB:]
And this year we’re having a contest.

[JAMES COOPER:]
Yes, some lucky listener will win a signed copy of Bryan Duncan’s great Christmas CD “A NehoSoul Christmas”.

[STEVE WEBB:]
So be sure to get over to Lifespring.WhyChristmas.com and subscribe to the show or search for Lifespring WhyChristmas in the iTunes store so you won’t miss a single episode.

[STEVE WEBB AND JAMES COOPER:]
Merry Christmas.”
[END OF THE PROMO]

If you’ve got a question about anything Christmas, send it to me right away. James will be providing the answer for us. And I’ve already listened to his answers to the first two questions I received from Sister Denise and he’s done a great job with them. James is the Christmas expert, after all, so don’t be shy. You can ask him anything you want to know about Christmas traditions: carols, gift-giving, lights, trees, or whatever. How about this? Let’s see if we can stump him. Email me at st***@*************ia.com and use the subject line “Christmas question”. I’d love to be able to make this a December 1 through December 25 feature on the show, but that part is up to you, so send in your question.

OUTRO S13E045 – 36:01
As always, I have to thank Sister Kirsty, Brother Sean of San Pedro, and Sister Denise. Please do comment on the show by calling the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 or by going to comment.lifespringmedia.com or just send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. Let me hear from you. Thanks to Howie who helped to make this show possible. The continued survival of this show depends on you. Go to lifespringmedia.com/support

And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. Thank you for inviting me into your day. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.

[JAMES COOPER – 36:40]
All the programs in the Lifespring Media family are made possible by the generous gifts of people like you.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Transcript corrected by Denise