Shìshījì 8

1 Yǐfǎlián rén duì Jīdiàn shuō , nǐ qù yǔ Mǐdiàn rén zhēng zhàn , méiyǒu zhāo wǒmen tóng qù , wèishénme zhèyàng dāi wǒmen ne . tāmen jiù yǔ Jīdiàn dàdà de zhēng chǎo .

2 Jīdiàn duì tāmen shuō , wǒ suǒ xíng de qǐnéng bǐ nǐmen suǒ xíng de ne . Yǐfǎlián shí qǔ shèngxia de pútào bù qiáng guō yà bǐ Yǐxiè suǒ zhāi de pútào ma .

3 Shén yǐ jiāng Mǐdiàn rén de liǎng gè shǒulǐng éLìhé xī yī bǎi jiāo zaì nǐmen shǒu zhōng . wǒ suǒ xíng de qǐnéng bǐ nǐmen suǒ xíng de ne . Jīdiàn shuō le zhè huà , Yǐfǎlián rén de nùqì jiù xiāo le .

4 Jīdiàn hé gēnsuí tāde sān bǎi rén dào Yuēdànhé guòdù , suīrán pí fá , háishì zhuīgǎn .

5 Jīdiàn duì Shūgē rén shuō , qiú nǐmen ná bǐng lái gĕi gēnsuí wǒde rén chī , yīnwei tāmen pí fá le . wǒmen zhuīgǎn Mǐdiàn rén de liǎng gè wáng Xībā hé sǎ mù ná .

6 Shūgē rén de shǒulǐng huídá shuō , Xībā hé sǎ mù ná yǐjing zaì nǐ shǒu lǐ , nǐ shǐ wǒmen jiāng bǐng gĕi nǐde jūn bīng ma .

7 Jīdiàn shuō , Yēhéhuá jiāng Xībā hé sǎ mù ná jiāo zaì wǒ shǒu zhī hòu , wǒ jiù yòng yĕdì de jīng tiaó hé zhǐ jí dá shāng nǐmen .

8 Jīdiàn cóng nàli shàng dào Pínǔyīlè , duì nàli de rén yĕ shì zhèyàng shuō . Pínǔyīlè rén yĕ yǔ Shūgē rén huídá tāde huà yíyàng .

9 Tā xiàng Pínǔyīlè rén shuō , wǒ píng píngān ān huí lái de shíhou , wǒ bì chāihuǐ zhè lóu .

10 Nàshí Xībā hé sǎ mù ná , bìng gēnsuí tāmende jūnduì dōu zaì jiā gè , yuē yǒu yī wàn wǔ qiā rén , jiù shì dōngfāngrén quán jūn suǒ shèngxia de . yǐjing beì shā yuē yǒu shí èr wàn ná dāo de .

11 Jīdiàn jiù yóu nuó bā hé yuē bǐ hā dōngbiān , cóng zhù zhàngpéng rén de lù shàng qù , shā baì le Mǐdiàn rén de jūn bīng , yīnwei tāmen tǎnrán wú jù .

12 Xībā hé sǎ mù ná taópǎo . Jīdiàn zhuīgǎn tāmen , zhuō zhù Mǐdiàn de èr wáng Xībā hé sǎ mù ná , jīng sǎn quán jūn .

13 Yuē a shī de érzi Jīdiàn yóu xī liè sī pō cóng zhèn shàng huí lái ,

14 Zhuō zhù Shūgē de yī gè shàonián rén , wèn tā , Shūgē de shǒulǐng zhǎnglǎo shì shuí . tā jiù jiāng shǒulǐng zhǎnglǎo qī shí qī gèrén de míngzi xiĕ chūlai .

15 Jīdiàn dào le Shūgē , duì nàli de rén shuō , nǐmen cóng qián jīqiào wǒ shuō , Xībā hé sǎ mù ná yǐjing zaì nǐ shǒu lǐ , nǐ shǐ wǒmen jiāng bǐng gĕi gēnsuí nǐde pí fá rén ma . xiànzaì Xībā hé sǎ mù ná zaì zhèlǐ .

16 Yúshì zhuō zhù nà chéng neì de zhǎnglǎo , yòng yĕdì de jīng tiaó hé zhǐ jí zé dá ( yuánwén zuò zhǐjiào ) Shūgē rén .

17 Yòu chāi le Pínǔyīlè de lóu , shā le nà chéng lǐ de rén .

18 Jīdiàn wèn Xībā hé sǎ mù ná shuō , nǐmen zaì tā pō shān suǒ shā de rén shì shénmeyàng shì . huídá shuō , tāmen hǎoxiàng nǐ , gèrén dōu yǒu wáng zǐ de yàngshì .

19 Jīdiàn shuō , tāmen shì wǒ tóng mǔ de dìxiōng , wǒ zhǐ zhe yǒngshēng de Yēhéhuá qǐshì , nǐmen cóng qián ruò cún liú tāmende xìngméng , wǒ rújīn jiù bù shā nǐmen le .

20 Yúshì duì tāde zhǎngzǐ yì tiĕ shuō , nǐ qǐlai shā tāmen . dàn yì tiĕ yīnwei shì tóngzǐ , haìpà , bú4 gǎn bá dāo .

21 Xībā hé sǎ mù ná shuō , nǐ zìjǐ qǐlai shā wǒmen ba . yīnwei rén rúhé , lìliang yĕ shì rúhé . Jīdiàn jiù qǐlai , shā le Xībā hé sǎ mù ná , duó huò tāmen luòtuo xiàng shàng daì de yuè yá quān .

22 Yǐsèliè rén duì Jīdiàn shuō , nǐ jì jiù wǒmen tuōlí Mǐdiàn rén de shǒu , yuàn nǐ hé nǐde ér sūn guǎnlǐ wǒmen .

23 Jīdiàn shuō , wǒ bù guǎnlǐ nǐmen , wǒde érzi yĕ bù guǎnlǐ nǐmen , wéiyǒu Yēhéhuá guǎnlǐ nǐmen .

24 Jīdiàn yòu duì tāmen shuō , wǒ yǒu yī jiàn shì qiú nǐmen , qǐng nǐmen gèrén jiāng suǒ duó de ĕr huán gĕi wǒ . yuánlái chóudí shì Yǐshímǎlì rén , dōu shì daì jīn ĕr huán de . )

25 Tāmen shuō , wǒmen qíngyuàn gĕi nǐ . jiù pū kāi yī jiàn waìyī , gèrén jiāng suǒ duó de ĕr huán diū zaì qí shàng .

26 Jīdiàn suǒ yào chūlai de jīn ĕr huán zhòng yī qiā qī bǎi Shĕkèlè jīnzi . cǐ waì hái yǒu Mǐdiàn wáng suǒ daì de yuè huán , ĕr zhuì , hé suǒ chuān de zǐse yīfu , bìng luòtuo xiàng shàng de jīn liànzi .

27 Jīdiàn yǐ cǐ zhìzào le yī gè Yǐfúdé , shèlì zaì bĕn chéng é Fú lā . hòulái Yǐsèliè rén baì nà Yǐfúdé xíng le xié yín . zhè jiù zuò le Jīdiàn hé tā quán jiā de wǎngluó .

28 Zhèyàng , Mǐdiàn rén beì Yǐsèliè rén zhìfú le , bù gǎn zaì tái tóu . Jīdiàn hái zaì de rìzi , guó zhōng taìpíng sì shí nián .

29 Yuē a shī de érzi yé lù bā lì huí qù , zhù zaì zìjǐ jiā lǐ .

30 Jīdiàn yǒu qī shí gè qīn shēng de érzi , yīnwei tā yǒu xǔduō de qī .

31 Tāde qiè zhù zaì Shìjiàn , yĕ gĕi tā shēng le yī gè érzi . Jīdiàn yǔ tā qǐmíng jiào Yàbǐmǐlè .

32 Yuē a shī de érzi Jīdiàn , niánjì lǎomaì ér sǐ , zàng zaì yà bǐ Yǐxiè zú de é Fú là , zaì tā fùqin yuē a shī de fùnmù lǐ .

33 Jīdiàn sǐ hòu , Yǐsèliè rén yòu qù suícóng zhū bā lì xíng xié yín , yǐ bā lì Bǐlì tǔ wèi tāmende shén .

34 Yǐsèliè rén bù jìniàn Yēhéhuá tāmende shén , jiù shì zhĕngjiù tāmen tuōlí sìwéi chóudí zhī shǒu de ,

35 Yĕ bú zhào zhe yé lù bā lì , jiù shì Jīdiàn xiàng tāmen suǒ shī de ēnhuì hòu dāi tāde jiā .

Shìshījì 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.