After the deliverance of their land from the tyranny of Ja'bin, the Is'ra-el-ites lived in peace and prosperity for a long time. Forty years passed before the beginning of the next oppression. The influence of Deb'o-rah and of the thousands who had not yielded to idolatry during the latest religious decline spread throughout the land, raising the people to a higher level of religious and national patriotism. The triumph of Ba'rak over Sis'e-ra and his powerful army brought great fear to the idol-worshippers within the borders of Is'ra-el, and to the heathen nations in surrounding lands.
The death of Deb'o-rah, however, was followed by the same old story of backsliding and idolatry. Once again the children of Is'ra-el fell away from God and followed the false religions of the land. They turnt away from the superior light and privileges which Heaven had granted, disregarded the truths constantly taught by Divine revelation, forgot the experiences of God's past dealings with them, and ignored the sacred obligations of the Covenant which they had made with God.
The story of another decline in the spiritual life of the nation is followed by Divine punishments, of repentance, and of the raising up of another deliverer. This time the nation was afflicted for seven years by the roving bands of warlike Mid'ian-ites from the east. They were descendants of one of the sons of A'bra-ham and Ke-tu'rah, a wandering people who lived principally in the desert lands east of Ca'naan, and in A-ra'bi-a to the south. They had no settled national home, but roamed from place to place, and made their living by plundering and robbing the more civilized people of surrounding lands.
These theiving prowlers brought their own herds of cattle and camels into Ca'naan to eat up the pastures of the Is'ra-el-ites. They took the best of the rich crops of grain, drove the sheep and cattle of the land into their own herds, demanded heavy tribute in money, and plundered the people of all their valuable possessions.
For two hundred and sixty years the Mid'ian-ites had carried in their hearts an old grudge against Is'ra-el. This was caused by the crushing blow which Mo'ses had inflicted upon them at the LORD'S command after they had lured thousands of Is'ra-el-ites into sin. The falling away of Is'ra-el from True Religion, and the temporary withdrawal of God's protection for this reason, seemed to provide an excellent opportunity for revenge.
In their plundering of the land they were joined by hordes of Ish'ma-el-ites and Am'a-lek-ites, whose habits were much the same. They had no intention of conquering the country, or of making subjects of the inhabitants. Their sole object was robbery, and acts of violence took place only when their banditry was resisted. They would strip the entire country during the harvest season, drive off the cattle and sheep, and sell the stolen goods to caravans of traders on their return to the desert. The Is'ra-el-ites were forced to plant new crops, grow more fruit, and raise more stock; then the invaders would return the next year for similar plundering. The land was so terrorized by them that many of the people were compelled to hide their produce in caves and dens, and no one dared to make war upon the bandits.
