Judges 8:1

1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, "Why hast thou served us thus, that thou called us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?" And they chided him sharply.

Judges 8:1 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 8:1

And the men of Ephraim said unto him
To Gideon, when they brought him the heads of Oreb and Zeeb; taking this to be a proper opportunity to expostulate and chide with him, when they had done so much service:

why hast thou served us thus;
neglected them, overlooked them, which they took as a reproach to them, and as if he had bore them ill will:

that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to fight with the
Midianites?
that he did not call them first, when he called other tribes, as Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, when they were as near or nearer, and more nearly allied, being both the descendants of Joseph; and were the tribe that Jacob had given the preference to; and being of proud spirits they envied the glory that Gideon, who was of the tribe of Manasseh, had got; and by which they were jealous he would advance that tribe above theirs:

and they did chide with him sharply;
used rough words and ill language, and threw out many keen and biting expressions, which discovered great anger and wrath, envy and ill will.

Judges 8:1 In-Context

1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, "Why hast thou served us thus, that thou called us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?" And they chided him sharply.

2 And he said unto 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 hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?" Then their anger was abated toward him when he had said that.

4 And Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, "Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian."