But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was gathered after him.
After seven years of Midianite oppression, Israel's distress and confession of sin led God to raise up a helper to deliver the people. The oppression reached throughout the land and forced many Israelites from their homes, and Gideon was called to lead the deliverance. The verse belongs to the repeated pattern of backsliding and chastisement followed by confession and deliverance. In that pattern deliverance lasts only while the deliverer lives and the people return to their idols when he dies, showing that God had not utterly forsaken Israel. God raised Gideon as a faithful and valiant man to put down idolatry and to lead the deliverance of Israel from its enemies.
Moved by the Spirit of the Lord, Gideon sounded the trumpet of war, marking the beginning of the call to deliver Israel from its enemies. The gathering followed Gideon's protest against Baal worship. The people of Ophrah, after abandoning violence against him, were the first to gather after him. Herald messengers then summoned Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and all answered the call.
After seven years of Midianite oppression, Israel's distress and confession of sin led God to raise up a helper to deliver the people. The oppression reached throughout the land and forced many Israelites from their homes, and Gideon was called to lead the deliverance. The verse belongs to the repeated pattern of backsliding and chastisement followed by confession and deliverance. In that pattern deliverance lasts only while the deliverer lives and the people return to their idols when he dies, showing that God had not utterly forsaken Israel. God raised Gideon as a faithful and valiant man to put down idolatry and to lead the deliverance of Israel from its enemies.
Moved by the Spirit of the Lord, Gideon sounded the trumpet of war, marking the beginning of the call to deliver Israel from its enemies. The gathering followed Gideon's protest against Baal worship. The people of Ophrah, after abandoning violence against him, were the first to gather after him. Herald messengers then summoned Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and all answered the call.