Judges 8:2-12

2 So he said to them, "What have I done now compared to you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
3 God handed over to you Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian. What was I able to do compared to you?" When he said this, their anger against him subsided.

Gideon Pursues the Kings of Midian

4 Gideon and the 300 men came to the Jordan and crossed it. They were exhausted, but still in pursuit.
5 He said to the men of Succoth, "Please give some loaves of bread to the people who are following me,[a] because they are exhausted, for I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."
6 But the princes of Succoth asked, "Are[b] Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands that we should give bread to your army?"
7 Gideon replied, "Very well, when the Lord has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will trample[c] your flesh on thorns and briers from the wilderness!"
8 He went from there to Penuel and asked the same thing from them. The men of Penuel answered just as the men of Succoth had answered.
9 He also told the men of Penuel, "When I return in peace, I will tear down this tower!"
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and with them was their army of about 15,000 men, who were all those left of the entire army of the Qedemites. Those who had been killed were 120,000 warriors.[d]
11 Gideon traveled on the caravan route,[e] east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked their army while the army was unsuspecting.
12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them. He captured these two kings of Midian and routed the entire army.

Judges 8:2-12 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 5

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