Judges 8:1-11

Zebah and Zalmunna Routed

1 Then the men of Ephraim said to him, "¹What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they contended with him vigorously.

2 But he said to them, "What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

3 "God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?" Then their anger toward * him subsided when he said that.

4 Then Gideon and the 300 * men who were with him came ²to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing.

5 He said to the men of ³Succoth, "Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."

6 The leaders of Succoth said, "⁴Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?"

7 Gideon said, "All right, ⁵when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will thrash your bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

8 He went up from there to ⁶Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered.

9 So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, "When I return safely, ⁷I will tear down this tower."

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about 15,000 * * men, all who were left of the entire army of the sons of the east; ⁸for the fallen were 120,000 * * swordsmen * *.

11 Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the camp when the camp was unsuspecting.

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Judges 8:1-11 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

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Cross References 8

1. Judges 12:1
2. Judges 7:25
3. Genesis 33:17
4. Judges 8:15
5. Judges 7:15
6. Genesis 32:31
7. Judges 8:17
8. Judges 6:5; Judges 7:12; Isaiah 9:4

Footnotes 12

[a]. Lit "spirit"
[b]. Lit "this thing"
[c]. Lit "Is the palm"
[d]. Lit "For thus"
[e]. Or "trample"
[f]. Lit "flesh"
[g]. In Gen 32:30, "Peniel"
[h]. Or "camps"
[i]. Or "camp"
[j]. Lit "men who drew sword"
[k]. Lit "smote"
[l]. Or "secure"