Judges 6:4
New International Version
They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.

New Living Translation
camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys.

English Standard Version
They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

New King James Version
Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey.

New American Standard Bible
So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel, nor a sheep, ox, or donkey.

NASB 1995
So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.

NASB 1977
So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.

Legacy Standard Bible
So they would camp against them and ruin the produce of the earth as far as Gaza and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.

Amplified Bible
So they would camp against them and destroy the crops of the land as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.

Christian Standard Bible
They encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land, even as far as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land, even as far as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, as well as no sheep, ox or donkey.

American Standard Version
and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

English Revised Version
and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The enemy used to camp on the land and destroy the crops all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to live on-not one sheep, cow, or donkey.

Good News Translation
They would camp on the land and destroy the crops as far south as the area around Gaza. They would take all the sheep, cattle, and donkeys, and leave nothing for the Israelites to live on.

International Standard Version
They set up their military encampments to fight them, destroyed the harvest of the land as far as Gaza, and left nothing in Israel, whether harvested grain, sheep, oxen, or donkeys.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
They invaded the land and devoured its crops all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat, and they took away the sheep, oxen, and donkeys.

New Heart English Bible
And they camped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, as far as Gaza, and they left no sustenance in Israel, as well as sheep, or ox, or donkey.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou comest to Gaza; and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

World English Bible
They encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza. They left no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep, ox, or donkey.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and encamp against them, and destroy the increase of the land until your entering Gaza; and they leave no sustenance in Israel, either sheep, or ox, or donkey;

Young's Literal Translation
and encamp against them, and destroy the increase of the land till thine entering Gaza; and they leave no sustenance in Israel, either sheep, or ox, or ass;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will encamp against them, and they will destroy the produce of the land even to thy coming to Gaza; and they will not leave means of life in Israel, and sheep and ox and ass.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And pitching their tents among them, wasted all things as they were in the blade even to the entrance of Gaza: and they left nothing at all in Israel for sustenance of life, nor sheep, nor oxen, nor asses.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and pitching their tents among them, they laid waste to all that was planted, as far as the entrance to Gaza. And they left behind nothing at all to sustain life in Israel, neither sheep, nor oxen, nor donkeys.

New American Bible
encamp against them, and lay waste the produce of the land as far as the outskirts of Gaza, leaving no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep, ox, or donkey.

New Revised Standard Version
They would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the land, as far as the neighborhood of Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep or ox or donkey.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they destroyed the produce of the whole land as far as the entrance of Gaza, and left no food for Israel to raise either oxen or sheep or asses.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they were camping against them, and they were destroying all the land unto the entrance of Aza, and they were not leaving oxen and lambs and male donkeys alive for Israel
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and they encamped against them, and destroyed the produce of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they encamped against them, and destroyed their fruits until they came to Gaza; and they left not the support of life in the land of Israel, not even ox or ass among the herds.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Midian Oppresses Israel
3Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, 4encamping 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. 5For 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.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 28:33
A people you do not know will eat the produce of your land and of all your toil. All your days you will be oppressed and crushed.

Leviticus 26:16
then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.

Joel 1:4
What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten.

Jeremiah 5:17
They will devour your harvest and food; they will consume your sons and daughters; they will eat up your flocks and herds; they will feed on your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.”

Isaiah 62:8-9
The LORD has sworn by His right hand and by His mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain to your enemies for food, nor will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled. / For those who harvest grain will eat it and praise the LORD, and those who gather grapes will drink the wine in My holy courts.”

Micah 6:15
You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine.

Haggai 1:6
You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”

Deuteronomy 28:51
They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish.

Isaiah 1:7
Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you—a desolation demolished by strangers.

Hosea 2:9
Therefore I will take back My grain in its time and My new wine in its season; I will take away My wool and linen, which were given to cover her nakedness.

Malachi 3:11
I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your land, and the vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 6:19-20
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.

James 5:2-3
Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days.

Luke 12:33
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.


Treasury of Scripture

And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till you come to Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

destroyed

Leviticus 26:16
I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

Deuteronomy 28:30,33,51
Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof…

Micah 6:15
Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

till thou come.

Genesis 10:19
And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

Genesis 13:10
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

left no

Proverbs 28:3
A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

Jeremiah 49:9,10
If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough…

Obadiah 1:5
If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?

sheep or goat

Jump to Previous
Army Ass Asses Camp Camped Cattle Crops Destroy Destroyed Donkey Donkeys Earth Either Encamp Encamped Entering Increase Israel Leave Neighborhood Ox Oxen Position Produce Ruined Sheep Spare Sustenance Way
Jump to Next
Army Ass Asses Camp Camped Cattle Crops Destroy Destroyed Donkey Donkeys Earth Either Encamp Encamped Entering Increase Israel Leave Neighborhood Ox Oxen Position Produce Ruined Sheep Spare Sustenance Way
Judges 6
1. The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian
8. A prophet rebukes them
11. An angel sends Gideon for their deliverance
17. Gideon's present is consumed with fire
24. Gideon destroys Baal's altar; offers a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom
28. Joash defends his son, and calls him Jerubbaal
33. Gideon's army
36. Gideon's signs














encamped against them
The Hebrew root for "encamped" is "חָנָה" (chanah), which means to pitch a tent or settle down. This term is often used in military contexts, indicating a strategic positioning of forces. The Midianites, along with the Amalekites and other eastern peoples, were not merely passing through; they were intentionally setting up a prolonged presence to oppress Israel. This reflects a calculated effort to dominate and subdue the Israelites, highlighting the severity of Israel's plight during this period of the Judges.

destroyed the produce of the land
The word "destroyed" comes from the Hebrew "שָׁחַת" (shachat), meaning to ruin or corrupt. The Midianites' actions were not just about taking resources but annihilating the means of Israel's sustenance. This destruction of produce symbolizes a deeper spiritual desolation, as Israel's disobedience to God led to physical and spiritual barrenness. The land, which was supposed to be a blessing, became a source of hardship due to their turning away from God.

as far as Gaza
Gaza, located in the southwestern part of Israel, was a significant Philistine city. The mention of Gaza indicates the extensive reach of the Midianite oppression, spanning a vast area of the Promised Land. This geographical reference underscores the totality of the devastation and the helplessness of Israel, as their enemies controlled the land from the east to the west.

they left no sustenance in Israel
"Sustenance" in Hebrew is "מִחְיָה" (michyah), which refers to food or means of life. The Midianites' actions left Israel without the basic necessities for survival. This phrase highlights the dire situation faced by the Israelites, who were left in a state of desperation and dependency. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's provision and protection.

neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys
The specific mention of "sheep," "cattle," and "donkeys" emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the Midianite plundering. These animals were crucial for agriculture, transportation, and daily life. The loss of livestock not only affected Israel's economy but also their ability to recover and sustain themselves. This detail illustrates the thoroughness of the enemy's oppression and the depth of Israel's suffering, pointing to the need for divine intervention and deliverance.

(4) They encamped against them.--It is not implied that there were any battles. The Israelites were too wretched and helpless to offer any resistance. These Arabs would swarm over the Jordan, at the fords of Bethshean, about harvest-time, and would sweep away the produce of the rich plain of Jezreel and the whole Shephelah, even as far south as Gaza. (Comp. the Scythian invasion, alluded to in Zephaniah 2:5-6.)

Destroyed the increase of the earth.--"Ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it" (Leviticus 26:16). (Comp. Deuteronomy 28:30; Deuteronomy 28:51; Micah 6:15.) . . .

Verse 4. - Left no sustenance, etc., i.e. neither grass, nor corn, nor fruit. It is added, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. These all either died for want of food or were seized by the Midianites. The next verse explains that the enormous multitudes of their cattle and camels consumed the whole produce of the ground.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
encamping
וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ (way·ya·ḥă·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2583: To incline, to decline, to pitch a, tent, gen, to encamp

against them
עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם (‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

as far as
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

Gaza
עַזָּ֑ה (‘az·zāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5804: A Philistine city

and destroying
וַיַּשְׁחִ֙יתוּ֙ (way·yaš·ḥî·ṯū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7843: Perhaps to go to ruin

the produce
יְב֣וּל (yə·ḇūl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2981: Produce, a crop, wealth

of the land.
הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

They left
יַשְׁאִ֤ירוּ (yaš·’î·rū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7604: To swell up, be, redundant

Israel
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (bə·yiś·rā·’êl)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

with no
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

sustenance,
מִֽחְיָה֙ (miḥ·yāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4241: Preservation of life, sustenance, the live flesh, the quick

neither sheep
וְשֶׂ֥ה (wə·śeh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7716: A member of a, flock, a sheep, goat

nor oxen
וָשׁ֖וֹר (wā·šō·wr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7794: A head of cattle (bullock, ox, etcetera)

nor donkeys.
וַחֲמֽוֹר׃ (wa·ḥă·mō·wr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2543: A male ass


Links
Judges 6:4 NIV
Judges 6:4 NLT
Judges 6:4 ESV
Judges 6:4 NASB
Judges 6:4 KJV

Judges 6:4 BibleApps.com
Judges 6:4 Biblia Paralela
Judges 6:4 Chinese Bible
Judges 6:4 French Bible
Judges 6:4 Catholic Bible

OT History: Judges 6:4 And they encamped against them and destroyed (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 6:3
Top of Page
Top of Page