And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
6:3 the Midianites...the Amalekites. These two groups had earlier opposed Israel and had been defeated (Exodus 17:8; Numbers 31:7). By this time, however, both had again become strong enemies of Israel, and God allowed them to subjugate His people because of their latest rebellion against Him.