And Israel was greatly impoverished, because of the Midianites,
&c.] Were reduced very low, brought into famishing circumstances through the Midianites thus destroying the fruits of the earth year after year:
and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord;
which they should have done at first, instead of going into dens and caves; however, better late than not at all; they cried, not to the idols they had served, being sensible they could not help them, though so as to worship them; but to Jehovah the God of the whole earth, and who was in a special sense their God, though they had forsaken him.