Judges 8:7-17

7 "Just for that," Gideon said, "when the LORD has handed over Zebah and Zalmunna to me, I'm going to beat your skin with desert thorns and briars!"
8 From there he went up to Penuel and made the same request. And the people of Penuel responded in the same way the people of Succoth had.
9 So he also told the people of Penuel, "When I return in victory, I'll break down this tower!"
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their camp, about fifteen thousand men, all the ones who were left from the easterners' entire camp. One hundred twenty thousand armed men had fallen.
11 Gideon marched up the caravan road east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the camp while it was off-guard.
12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he chased after them. He captured the two Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna and threw the entire army into panic.
13 Then Gideon, Joash's son, returned from the battle by the Heres Pass.
14 He captured a young man from the people of Succoth and interrogated him. He listed for Gideon the seventy-seven officials and elders of Succoth.
15 So Gideon went to the people of Succoth and said, "Here are Zebah and Zalmunna! You made fun of me because of them by saying, ‘Haven't you already almost gotten your hands on Zebah and Zalmunna? Why should we give food to your exhausted men now?'"
16 Then he seized the city's elders, and he beat the people of Succoth with desert thorns and briars.
17 He also broke down Penuel's tower, and killed the city's people.

Judges 8:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 8

In this chapter we are told how Gideon pacified the Ephraimites, who complained because they were not sent unto to fight the Midianites, Jud 8:1-3 how he pursued the Midianites, until he took their two kings, and on his return chastised the men of Succoth and Penuel, because they refused to relieve his men with food as they were pursuing, Jud 8:4-17 how he slew the two kings of Midian, Jud 8:18-21 and after this conquest refused to take the government of Israel when offered him, Jud 8:22,23 how he requested of the Israelites the earrings they had taken from the Midianites, with which he in weakness made an ephod, which proved a snare to his house, Jud 8:24-27 how that the people were in peace forty years during his life, and that he had a numerous issue, and died in a good old age, Jud 8:28-32 but that after his death the Israelites fell into idolatry, and were ungrateful to his family, Jud 8:33-35.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or in peace
  • [b]. Or the road of the tent dwellers
  • [c]. Cf 8:7, cf LXX; MT he taught a lesson to
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