Judges 8

1 dixeruntque ad eum viri Ephraim quid est hoc quod facere voluisti ut non nos vocares cum ad pugnam pergeres contra Madian iurgantes fortiter et prope vim inferentes

2 quibus ille respondit quid enim tale facere potui quale vos fecistis nonne melior est racemus Ephraim vindemiis Abiezer

3 in manus vestras tradidit Dominus principes Madian Oreb et Zeb quid tale facere potui quale vos fecistis quod cum locutus esset requievit spiritus eorum quo tumebant contra eum

4 cumque venisset Gedeon ad Iordanem transivit eum cum trecentis viris qui secum erant et prae lassitudine fugientes persequi non poterant

5 dixitque ad viros Soccoth date obsecro panes populo qui mecum est quia valde defecerunt ut possimus persequi Zebee et Salmana reges Madian

6 responderunt principes Soccoth forsitan palmae manuum Zebee et Salmana in manu tua sunt et idcirco postulas ut demus exercitui tuo panes

7 quibus ille ait cum ergo tradiderit Dominus Zebee et Salmana in manus meas conteram carnes vestras cum spinis tribulisque deserti

8 et inde conscendens venit in Phanuhel locutusque est ad viros eius loci similia cui et illi responderunt sicut responderant viri Soccoth

9 dixit itaque et eis cum reversus fuero victor in pace destruam turrem hanc

10 Zebee autem et Salmana requiescebant cum omni exercitu suo quindecim milia enim viri remanserant ex omnibus turmis orientalium populorum caesis centum viginti milibus bellatorum et educentium gladium

11 ascendensque Gedeon per viam eorum qui in tabernaculis morabantur ad orientalem partem Nobee et Iecbaa percussit castra hostium qui securi erant et nihil adversi suspicabantur

12 fugeruntque Zebee et Salmana quos persequens Gedeon conprehendit turbato omni exercitu eorum

13 revertensque de bello ante solis ortum

14 adprehendit puerum de viris Soccoth interrogavitque eum nomina principum et seniorum Soccoth et descripsit septuaginta septem viros

15 venitque ad Soccoth et dixit eis en Zebee et Salmana super quibus exprobrastis mihi dicentes forsitan manus Zebee et Salmana in manibus tuis sunt et idcirco postulas ut demus viris qui lassi sunt et defecerunt panes

16 tulit ergo seniores civitatis et spinas deserti ac tribulos et contrivit cum eis atque comminuit viros Soccoth

17 turrem quoque Phanuhel subvertit occisis habitatoribus civitatis

18 dixitque ad Zebee et Salmana quales fuerunt viri quos occidistis in Thabor qui responderunt similes tui et unus ex eis quasi filius regis

19 quibus ille ait fratres mei fuerunt filii matris meae vivit Dominus si servassetis eos non vos occiderem

20 dixitque Ietther primogenito suo surge et interfice eos qui non eduxit gladium timebat enim quia adhuc puer erat

21 dixeruntque Zebee et Salmana tu surge et inrue in nos quia iuxta aetatem robur est hominis surrexit Gedeon et interfecit Zebee et Salmana et tulit ornamenta ac bullas quibus colla regalium camelorum decorari solent

22 dixeruntque omnes viri Israhel ad Gedeon dominare nostri tu et filius tuus et filius filii tui quia liberasti nos de manu Madian

23 quibus ille ait non dominabor vestri nec dominabitur in vos filius meus sed dominabitur Dominus

24 dixitque ad eos unam petitionem postulo a vobis date mihi inaures ex praeda vestra inaures enim aureas Ismahelitae habere consuerant

25 qui responderunt libentissime dabimus expandentesque super terram pallium proiecerunt in eo inaures de praeda

26 et fuit pondus postulatarum inaurium mille septingenti auri sicli absque ornamentis et monilibus et veste purpurea quibus Madian reges uti soliti erant et praeter torques aureos camelorum

27 fecitque ex eo Gedeon ephod et posuit illud in civitate sua Ephra fornicatusque est omnis Israhel in eo et factum est Gedeoni et omni domui eius in ruinam

28 humiliatus est autem Madian coram filiis Israhel nec potuerunt ultra elevare cervices sed quievit terra per quadraginta annos quibus praefuit Gedeon

29 abiit itaque Hierobbaal filius Ioas et habitavit in domo sua

30 habuitque septuaginta filios qui egressi sunt de femore eius eo quod plures haberet uxores

31 concubina autem illius quam habebat in Sychem genuit ei filium nomine Abimelech

32 mortuusque est Gedeon filius Ioas in senectute bona et sepultus in sepulchro Ioas patris sui in Ephra de familia Ezri

33 postquam autem mortuus est Gedeon aversi sunt filii Israhel et fornicati cum Baalim percusseruntque cum Baal foedus ut esset eis in deum

34 nec recordati sunt Domini Dei sui qui eruit eos de manu omnium inimicorum suorum per circuitum

35 nec fecerunt misericordiam cum domo Hierobbaal Gedeon iuxta omnia bona quae fecerat Israheli

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.