Gideon Called. Alas, that in the history of God's chosen people the sorrowful story of apostasy and its punishment must be so oft repeated! Forty years of peace elapsed after the destruction of Sisera and his host, and again "the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years." Heretofore the hand of the oppressor had fallen but lightly on the tribes dwelling east of the Jordan, but in the present calamities they were the chief sufferers.

Desværre gentager sorgfulde historie for Guds udvalgte folk sig med frafald og dens afstraffelse gentages så ofte. Der gik fyrre år i fred efter Sisera og hans hær var udslettet og atter ”da israelitterne gjorde, hvad der var ondt i Herrens øjne, gav han dem syv år i Midjans hånd.” Tidligere var undertrykkerne faldet let over stammerne der boede øst for Jorden, men i nuværende undertrykkelse var de de hovedmændende.