This verse provides a concluding statement for the Gideon story. It does not seem to have a direct link to verses 22-27. It links back to the earlier passage dealing with Gideon’s victory over the Midianite kings and their army. Many versions start a new paragraph here (Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel: So renders the Hebrew waw conjunction. Since this verse concludes the Gideon story, other possible connectors are “So it was” and “In this way.” Midian refers to the Midianite people, or more specifically to their army, which had attacked and robbed the Israelite people in Gideon’s region. For was subdued, see verse 3.30. The phrase the people of Israel (literally “the sons/children of Israel”) is often used in the book of Judges (see comments on verse 1.1). This passive clause can be rendered as an active one by saying “So the Israelites defeated [or, took control over] the Midianites.”

And they lifted up their heads no more is a figurative way of saying that the defeat of the Midianites was complete. The pronoun they refers to the Midianites. Lifted up their heads no more means they no longer threatened Israel. Good News Translation uses nonfigurative language by saying “was no longer a threat,” as also Contemporary English Version: “were no longer strong enough to attack Israel.” However, New American Bible thinks this expression refers to the dignity of a person, so it renders the whole clause as “no longer did they hold their heads high,” which means they were a humiliated people. Translators can render the expression literally if it is understood, or choose an interpretation and render it in a natural way in their language.

And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon: This is the standard ending to each judge’s cycle (see verse 3.11, verse 30; verse 5.31). Here it means the suffering inflicted by the Midianites (verse 6.1-5) had come to an end. And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, which may also be translated “So” (New Revised Standard Version) or “Then” in this context. For the land had rest forty years, see the comments on verse 3.11. Significantly, within this book this is the last time the land is said to have rest. In the days of Gideon means until the death of Gideon. New Jerusalem Bible says “as long as Gideon lived.” This phrase may be placed at the beginning of the sentence, for example, “During the remaining forty years of Gideon’s life, there was peace in the land.” This sentence ties the story of Gideon to the other judges’ stories. It is therefore important to use the same vocabulary here as is used in those related passages. As a concluding statement, its tone is solemn.

Translation models for this verse are:

• In this way the Israelites defeated the Midianites and those enemies never threatened Israel again. During the remaining forty years of Gideon’s life, the country had peace.

• So it was that the Midianites were humiliated and defeated by Israel. So there was peace in the land for forty years, until Gideon died.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .