And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
Parallel translations
- WEB The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight: and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
- BSB Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
- NKJV Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
- NASB Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord handed them over to Midian for seven years.
- NLT The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel again does evil, so the Lord hands them over to Midian's oppression for seven years.
Overview
This verse opens the Gideon narrative with the familiar cycle of Judges: Israel sins, and God disciplines them through a foreign oppressor. Midian's seven-year domination is presented as Yahweh's righteous response to covenant unfaithfulness. The recurring pattern underscores humanity's persistent sin and the need for a deliverer who can break the cycle once for all, fulfilled in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Neh 9:26–29Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
- Judg 2:19–20And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
- Judg 2:11And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
- Num 31:1–3And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
- Judg 2:13–14And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
- Num 25:15–18And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.
- Deut 28:15–68But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
- Ps 106:34–42They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:
- Lev 26:14–46But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;
- Gen 25:2And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
- Hab 3:7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 6:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.