Page 6 - Pemahaman teks Hakim-hakim 6-8

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Remember Me?

The Gideon story starts off like all the other Judges narratives, with
Israel doing what is wrong in the eyes of YHWH and God giving them
into the hand of the enemy. But in the introduction of this drama, the
affliction described is much harsher than in the other Judges narratives.
Also breaking the pattern of the other stories is the fact that God is not
raising up a judge, but first sends a prophet (6:8).16 The prophet is a
representative of God. In relation to this, Terence Fretheim has argued
that that there is ambiguity surrounding the identity of the messenger.
In 6:14, 15 it is said that God speaks to Gideon, while 6:20-21 reverts
back to the messenger. Moreover, it is reported how Gideon fears death
as he has seen the messenger face to face (6:22-23). According to
Fretheim, this is language ordinarily used to describe seeing God. 17 This
ambiguity adds to the impression that the prophet serves as God's
representative and, moreover, conveys God's viewpoint. In my opinion,
the message from God sets the scene for understanding the rest of the
narrative.
The prophet's message states that Israel does not recognize God any-
more, thus attributing to their disloyalty. In 6: 1 it is noted that Israel did
evil in the eyes of YHWH; later on this is clarified by saying that Israel
served other gods (6: 25). 18 Through the message of the prophet, God
reintroduces Godself. In words reminiscent of the introduction of the
Decalogue (Exod 20: 1), God declares:

?6Webb, Judges, 145; Olson, "Judges," 795-796. Webb argues that the prophet's
purpose is to tell Israel that they have forfeited the right to deliverance. I disagree with this
and would argue that his words, "but they did not listen to my voice," are merely stating
God's perception of the matter. Olson notes that there is a narrative pause here, and the
reader wonder whether God has reached the limits of divine patience. But then in the next
scene, God sends a messenger to call God's intermediary. Furthermore, Olson argues that
in the bigger context of the book of Judges, the appearance of the prophet marks a second
major transitional stage in the whole sequence of the judges. The third and most negative
stage is initiated in 10:11-16.
17 Terence Erling Fretheim, The Suffering of God: An Old Testament Perspective
(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984), 93-94.
18Cf.. also Jdg 2:11-13 and 10:6, where the evil Israel does is described in terms of .
idolatry.