Do to them as thou didst to Madian and to Sisara: as to Jabin at the brook of Cisson.
עֲשֵֽׂה־לָהֶ֥ם כְּמִדְיָ֑ן כְּֽסִֽיסְרָ֥א כְ֝יָבִ֗ין בְּנַ֣חַל קִישֽׁוֹן׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Just as the Midianites, along with Sisera and Jabin, who opposed Israel, faced devastation—one by the brook of Kishon and the other at Hendorf—may those who confront us with Assyria endure a similar fate. Sisera commanded the army, while Jabin ruled over Canaan, and both were routed at the Kishon River through the efforts of Barak and Deborah, the woman of Israel, as documented in the book of Judges.
Since they are opposing Your people, let us consider the psalmist's desire for their fate. "Deal with them as you did with Midian and Oreb" (Psalm 82:10). You are familiar with the account in the book of Judges. This refers to the Midianites against whom Gideon battled. "And Oreb, and Jabin." Jabin and Sisera are those whom Deborah and Barak confronted.
You shall treat them as you did Midian and Sisera, as you did with Jabin at the river of Kishon. They were annihilated at Endor. With thankfulness, they recall the past mercies, seeking similar assistance for themselves. These leaders were defeated by Barak and the prophetess Deborah. They became like refuse upon the ground, for without burial, they turned to dust, akin to refuse mixed with the soil.
Through these declarations, David condemns the aforementioned nations who were envious due to the restoration of Jerusalem, invoking a similar miraculous annihilation of the ancient peoples that opposed the Israelites. The name Midian refers to the army from Midian, which was known for its vast numbers. This formidable force was vanquished by Gideon through a small band of just three hundred men, who were unarmed save for their trumpets, lamps, and pitchers, as recorded in Judges 7. Sisera, the commander serving under Jabin, the king of Canaan, boasted a fleet of 900 iron chariots. When he fled, he was taken into the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, where she offered him milk and lulled him to sleep.
Then, seizing a hammer and a tent peg, she drove it through his temple, effectively ending his life, as described in Judges 4. Following this, Barak defeated Jabin and his entire army at the site of the battle beside the stream, known as the dry torrent of Kishon, according to the narrative found in Judges 4. Eusebius states: “Thou shalt,” instead of “thou shalt create,” alludes to the prophecy concerning the fate that awaits these nations.
The prophet deliberately selected these adversaries due to the surprising turn of events that befell them. Gideon vanquished the Midianites, filling the land with their vast numbers, unarmed, and he achieved this with just three hundred men who bore no swords, shields, helmets, or any conventional armor of warfare, relying solely on torches and trumpet-like instruments. In contrast, Sisera, the commander of the forces of Jabim, who advanced with nine hundred iron chariots, was struck with fear from God and, in his flight, was handed over to the wife of Heber the Kenite, who ended his life with a tent peg. Consequently, the prophet implores that, similar to these foes, those previously mentioned may also experience the judgment of God.
He references the streams of Kishon and Endor to highlight the location where the battle against Sisera took place. They were 'made like dung upon the ground.' Their haughtiness was utterly crushed by their defeat, to the extent that they were regarded as worthless as refuse. The prophet wisely emphasized this comparison: just as dung, though seemingly insignificant, enriches the soil, so too do the defeats and shortcomings of the proud render our souls more receptive to virtuous growth.
The Psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit through David, was entrusted to Asaph, the chief musician, to declare the prophecy contained within it regarding the anticipated suffering of the Jewish people, and particularly the trials faced by Christ’s faithful followers throughout different eras, especially during the reign of the Antichrist. In his portrayal, the prophet earnestly seeks to express the collective voice of the Holy Church, offering prayers to God amid persecution. Evil serves as a demonic allure, leading individuals towards idolatry and sin. Due to God’s enduring patience, the adversaries grew arrogant, escalating to blatant insolence. Those who rage against God’s people and His saints ultimately wage war against Him, whose servants and kin they are.
In the territories of Idumea resided the Idumeans, descendants of Esau, also known as Edom, characterized by the fiery, reddish tone of his being. The Ishmaelites, descended from Ishmael—born of Abraham and the handmaiden Hagar—also populated these regions. Moab was the lineage stemming from Moab, Lot’s son, while the Hagarites were those born of Hagar, who, after being cast out by Abraham, entered into another marriage. The Gevalites were tribes situated near Idumea. The Ammonites descended from Ammon, another son of Lot, while the Amalekites were descended from Amalek, a descendant of Esau who settled in Arabia, apart from the territory of Judah.
By listing these related tribes of iniquity, the prophet illustrates that initial adversaries often arise from within, namely from one’s own kin, as Christ also indicated in Matthew 10:36. Thus, the prophet places outsiders at the end of the enumeration.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS