When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites,
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to read this as just stating why they cried out – because of the Midianites. But notice the nuance: they cried "on account of the Midianites," which carries a subtle sense of being overwhelmed and oppressed by them, rather than just a simple cause-and-effect. This framing hints at the depth of their suffering and their desperation leading them to God.
When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Israel had fallen into deep sin and idolatry, leading God to deliver them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years, who oppressed them severely. In their desperation and suffering, the people finally cried out to the Lord for help. This cry marks the beginning of God's response, which first comes in the form of a prophet rebuking them for their rebellion before a deliverer is sent.
Why do people cry out to God in times of trouble? Sometimes it's a sign of genuine repentance, but other times, it's a cry born purely from suffering.
This verse captures a pivotal moment for Israel: they cry out to the Lord because of the Midianites. This wasn't a cry rooted in a deep spiritual longing for God, but a desperate plea stemming from intense oppression.
A Desperate Plea
The Midianites had been relentlessly plaguing Israel, raiding their crops and livestock, leaving them with "no sustenance" (as noted in the commentary). This wasn't just an inconvenience; it was a life-threatening crisis that drove them to desperation.
The Nature of Their Cry
While their cry reached God, the context suggests it was more about escaping their immediate suffering than a heartfelt turning back to God's ways. They were at their lowest point, like a child crying out to a parent when hurt, but not necessarily understanding why they were hurt in the first place. God, in His mercy, hears this cry, not just for their pain, but to begin a process of bringing them to true repentance.
Does God only hear prayers that are perfectly formed and full of spiritual insight? This passage reveals His compassionate response even to a cry born of suffering.
Even though Israel's cry was born out of hardship and not necessarily deep spiritual conviction, God doesn't ignore them. He hears their desperate pleas and immediately sets in motion a plan for their deliverance.
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More Than Just a Cry
God's response is immediate: 'And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites...' This isn't just about their sound; it's about their condition. God sees their suffering and their turning toward Him, however imperfectly.
A Path to Repentance
God's immediate action is to send a prophet. This shows that His response isn't just to rescue them from the Midianites, but to address the root cause of their ongoing cycles of oppression – their sin and disobedience. He uses their suffering as a catalyst for deeper spiritual work.
c. 1200 BC
Midianite Oppression Begins
Following the period of Judges, the Midianites, along with Amalekites and other eastern peoples, began devastating raids into Israelite territory.
c. 1193 BC— this verse
Seven Years of Devastation
The Midianite oppression intensified, lasting for seven years, during which they plundered Israel's crops, livestock, and homes, leaving the people in extreme poverty and fear.
c. 1193 BC
Israel Cries Out to the LORD
In their desperation, the Israelites cried out to the LORD for deliverance from the oppressive Midianites.
c. 1193 BC
A Prophet Confronts Israel
In response to their cries, God sent an unnamed prophet to remind Israel of their disobedience and God's past faithfulness.
c. 1193 BC
Gideon is Called
God then called Gideon, a man from a struggling family, to be the deliverer of Israel from Midianite oppression.
This passage mirrors the cry of Israel in Judges 6, showing a recurring pattern where oppression and suffering lead God's people to cry out to Him for deliverance.
Deuteronomy 31:10-13This passage emphasizes God's desire for His people to hear and obey His Law, highlighting the root cause of Israel's suffering in Judges 6: their turning away from God's commands.
1 Samuel 12:8-11Similar to Judges 6, this passage shows a prophet reminding Israel of their past deliverance from Egypt and their subsequent disobedience, which led to hardship and the need for deliverance.
Psalm 106:43-45This psalm recounts instances of God's deliverance of Israel from their enemies, explicitly mentioning that they cried out to Him and that He heard their plea and pitied them, directly reflecting the situation in Judges 6.
jfbJudges 6:7-10: "And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,"
Jud 6:7-10. A Prophet Rebukes Them.
gillJudges 6:7: "And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,"
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, because of the Midianites. Because of their oppressions and ill usage of them, and not because of their sins, which had brought those evils on them, of which, at present, they seemed not to be sensible; and yet such was the goodness and compassion of God to them, that having a mind to deliver them, he immediately, on…
It's easy to read this as just stating why they cried out – because of the Midianites. But notice the nuance: they cried "on account of the Midianites," which carries a subtle sense of being overwhelmed and oppressed by them, rather than just a simple cause-and-effect. This framing hints at the depth of their suffering and their desperation leading them to God.
Israel had fallen into deep sin and idolatry, leading God to deliver them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years, who oppressed them severely. In their desperation and suffering, the people finally cried out to the Lord for help. This cry marks the beginning of God's response, which first comes in the form of a prophet rebuking them for their rebellion before a deliverer is sent.
Israel had fallen into deep sin and idolatry, leading God to deliver them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years, who oppressed them severely. In their desperation and suffering, the people finally cried out to the Lord for help. This cry marks the beginning of God's response, which first comes in the form of a prophet rebuking them for their rebellion before a deliverer is sent.
"When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites," — It's easy to read this as just stating why they cried out – because of the Midianites. But notice the nuance: they cried "on account of the Midianites," which carries a subtle sense of being over…
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Last reviewed October 2026