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Judges 8:1-9

Listen to Judges 8:1-9

Gideon Defeats Zebah and Zalmunna

1 1Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian? ” And they accused him fiercely.
2 And he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not 2the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?
3 3God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you? ” 4Then their anger[a] against him subsided when he said this.
4 And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and 5the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing.
5 So he said to the men of 6Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian. ”
6 And the officials of Succoth said, 7“Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, 8that we should give bread to your army? ”
7 So Gideon said, “Well then, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, 9I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. ”
8 And from there he went up to 10Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.
9 And he said to the men of Penuel, 11“When I come again in peace, 12I will break down this tower. ”

Judges 8:1-9 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.

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Cross References 12

  • 1. 8:1 [ch. 12:1; 2 Sam. 19:41]
  • 2. 8:2 Isa. 24:13; Jer. 49:9; Obad. 5; Mic. 7:1
  • 3. 8:3 ch. 7:24, 25
  • 4. 8:3 [Prov. 15:1]
  • 5. 8:4 ch. 7:6
  • 6. 8:5 Gen. 33:17; Ps. 60:6
  • 7. 8:6 [1 Kgs. 20:11]
  • 8. 8:6 [1 Sam. 25:11]
  • 9. 8:7 ver. 16
  • 10. 8:8 Gen. 32:30, 31; 1 Kgs. 12:25
  • 11. 8:9 [1 Kgs. 22:27, 28]
  • 12. 8:9 ver. 17

Footnotes 1

  • [a] 8:3 Hebrew 'their spirit'
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025

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