Judges 8

1 The men of Efrayim said to him, Why have you served us thus, that you didn't call us, when you went to fight with Midyan? They did chide with him sharply.

2 He said to them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn't the gleaning of the grapes of Efrayim better than the vintage of Avi-Ezer?

3 God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midyan, `Orev and Ze'ev: and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

4 Gid`on came to the Yarden, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.

5 He said to the men of Sukkot, Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zevach and Tzalmunnah, the kings of Midyan.

6 The princes of Sukkot said, Are the hands of Zevach and Tzalmunnah now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?

7 Gid`on said, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zevach and Tzalmunnah into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

8 He went up there to Penu'el, and spoke to them in like manner; and the men of Penu'el answered him as the men of Sukkot had answered.

9 He spoke also to the men of Penu'el, saying, When I come again in shalom, I will break down this tower.

10 Now Zevach and Tzalmunnah were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the host of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty thousand men who drew sword.

11 Gid`on went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Novach and Yogbehah, and struck the host; for the host was secure.

12 Zevach and Tzalmunnah fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midyan, Zevach and Tzalmunnah, and confused all the host.

13 Gid`on the son of Yo'ash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.

14 He caught a young man of the men of Sukkot, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Sukkot, and the Zakenim of it, seventy-seven men.

15 He came to the men of Sukkot, and said, See Zevach and Tzalmunnah, concerning whom you did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of Zevach and Tzalmunnah now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?

16 He took the Zakenim of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Sukkot.

17 He broke down the tower of Penu'el, and killed the men of the city.

18 Then said he to Zevach and Tzalmunnah, What manner of men were they whom you killed at Tavor? They answered, As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.

19 He said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother: as the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.

20 He said to Yeter his firstborn, Up, and kill them. But the youth didn't draw his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

21 Then Zevach and Tzalmunnah said, Rise you, and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength. Gid`on arose, and killed Zevach and Tzalmunnah, and took the crescents that were on their camels' necks.

22 Then the men of Yisra'el said to Gid`on, Rule you over us, both you, and your son, and your son's son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midyan.

23 Gid`on said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

24 Gid`on said to them, I would make a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Yishme`elim.)

25 They answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil.

26 The weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midyan, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.

27 Gid`on made an efod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ofrat: and all Yisra'el played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gid`on, and to his house.

28 So Midyan was subdued before the children of Yisra'el, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gid`on.

29 Yerubba`al the son of Yo'ash went and lived in his own house.

30 Gid`on had seventy sons conceived from his body; for he had many wives.

31 His concubine who was in Shekhem, she also bore him a son, and he named him Avimelekh.

32 Gid`on the son of Yo'ash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Yo'ash his father, in Ofrat of the Abiezrites.

33 It happened, as soon as Gid`on was dead, that the children of Yisra'el turned again, and played the prostitute after the Ba`alim, and made Ba`al-Berit their god.

34 The children of Yisra'el didn't remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

35 neither shown they kindness to the house of Yerubba`al, [who is] Gid`on, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Yisra'el.

Judges 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites. (1-3) Succoth and Penuel refuse to relieve Gideon. (4-12) Succoth and Penuel punished. (13-17) Gideon avenges his brethren. (18-21) Gideon declines the government, but given occasion for idolatry. (22-28) Gideon's death, Israel's ingratitude. (29-35)

Verses 1-3 Those who will not attempt or venture any thing in the cause of God, will be the most ready to censure and quarrel with such as are of a more zealous and enterprising spirit. And those who are the most backward to difficult services, will be the most angry not to have the credit of them. Gideon stands here as a great example of self-denial; and shows us that envy is best removed by humility. The Ephraimites had given vent to their passion in very wrong freedom of speech, a certain sign of a weak cause: reason runs low when chiding flies high.

Verses 4-12 Gideon's men were faint, yet pursuing; fatigued with what they had done, yet eager to do more against their enemies. It is many a time the true Christian's case, fainting, and yet pursuing. The world knows but little of the persevering and successful struggle the real believer maintains with his sinful heart. But he betakes himself to that Divine strength, in the faith of which he began his conflict, and by the supply of which alone he can finish it in triumph.

Verses 13-17 The active servants of the Lord meet with more dangerous opposition from false professors than from open enemies; but they must not care for the behaviour of those who are Israelites in name, but Midianites in heart. They must pursue the enemies of their souls, and of the cause of God, though they are ready to faint through inward conflicts and outward hardships. And they shall be enabled to persevere. The less men help, and the more they seek to hinder, the more will the Lord assist. Gideon's warning being slighted, the punishment was just. Many are taught with the briers and thorns of affliction, who would not learn otherwise.

Verses 18-21 The kings of Midian must be reckoned with. As they confessed themselves guilty of murder, Gideon acted as the avenger of blood, being the next of kin to the persons slain. Little did they think to have heard of this so long after; but murder seldom goes unpunished in this life. Sins long forgotten by man, must be accounted for to God. What poor consolation in death from the hope of suffering less pain, and of dying with less disgrace than some others! yet many are more anxious on these accounts, than concerning the future judgment, and what will follow.

Verses 22-28 Gideon refused the government the people offered him. No good man can be pleased with any honour done to himself, which belongs only to God. Gideon thought to keep up the remembrance of this victory by an ephod, made of the choicest of the spoils. But probably this ephod had, as usual, a teraphim annexed to it, and Gideon intended this for an oracle to be consulted. Many are led into false ways by one false step of a good man. It became a snare to Gideon himself, and it proved the ruin of the family. How soon will ornaments which feed the lust of the eye, and form the pride of life, as well as tend to the indulgences of the flesh, bring shame on those who are fond of them!

Verses 29-35 As soon as Gideon was dead, who kept the people to the worship of the God of Israel, they found themselves under no restraint; then they went after Baalim, and showed no kindness to the family of Gideon. No wonder if those who forget their God, forget their friends. Yet conscious of our own ingratitude to the Lord, and observing that of mankind in general, we should learn to be patient under any unkind returns we meet with for our poor services, and resolve, after the Divine example, not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good.

Chapter Summary

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.