Judges 6:1-6
Israel Oppressed by Midian
1 Then the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years.
2 The [powerful] hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens (hideouts) which were in the mountains, and the caves and the [mountain] strongholds.
3 For it was whenever Israel had sown [their seed] that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the people of the east and go up against them.
4 So they would camp against them and destroy the crops of the land as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.
5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, and they would come in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were innumerable. So they came into the land to devastate it.
6 So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the Israelites cried out to the Lord [for help].