Judges 8:1

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

And the men of Ephraim said unto him - What is this thing thou hast done to us, in not calling us, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him, sharply.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us, not calling us when you went to fight against the Midianites?” And they argued with him violently.

Hebrew Names Version
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.

King James Version
And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.

Lexham English Bible
The men of Ephraim said to him, "What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against the Midianites?" And they quarreled with him severely.

English Standard Version
Then the men of Ephraim said to him, "What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they accused him fiercely.

New Century Version
The men of Ephraim asked Gideon, "Why did you treat us this way? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight against Midian?" They argued angrily with Gideon.

New English Translation
The Ephraimites said to him, "Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us when you went to fight the Midianites!" They argued vehemently with him.

Amplified Bible
And the men of [the tribe of] Ephraim said to Gideon, "What is this thing that you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight with Midian?" And they quarreled with him vehemently.

New American Standard Bible
Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, "What is this thing that you have done to us, not calling upon us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they quarreled with him vehemently.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the men of Ephraim sayde vnto him, Why hast thou serued vs thus that thou calledst vs not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they chode with him sharply.

Legacy Standard Bible
Toe sê die manskappe van Efraim vir hom: Wat is dit wat u ons aangedoen het, dat u ons nie geroep het toe u weggetrek het om teen die Midianiete te veg nie? En hulle het heftig met hom getwis.

Contemporary English Version
But the men were really upset with Gideon and complained, "When you went to war with Midian, you didn't ask us to help! Why did you treat us like that?"

Complete Jewish Bible
But the men of Efrayim complained to Gid‘on, "Why didn't you call on us when you went to fight Midyan? Why did you treat us this way?" They were sharp in their criticism.

Darby Translation
And the men of Ephraim said to him, What is this thing thou hast done to us, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they disputed with him sharply.

Easy-to-Read Version
The men of Ephraim were angry with Gideon. When they found him, they asked, "Why did you treat us this way? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight against the Midianites?"

George Lamsa Translation
THEN the men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you done thus, that you never called us when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they quarreled with him violently.

Good News Translation
Then the people of Ephraim said to Gideon, "Why didn't you call us when you went to fight the Midianites? Why did you treat us like this?" They complained bitterly about it.

Literal Translation
And the men of Ephraim said to him, What is this thing you have done to us, not to call us when you went out to fight against Midian? And they contended with him sharply.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the men of Ephraim sayde vnto him: Wherfore hast thou done this vnto vs, that thou hast not called vs, wha thou wentest forth to fight agaynst ye Madianites? and they chode sore with him.

American Standard Version
And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him sharply.

Bible in Basic English
And the men of Ephraim came and said to him, Why did you not send for us when you went to war against Midian? And they said sharp and angry words to him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the men of Ephraim said vnto him: Why hast thou serued vs thus, that thou calledst vs not, when thou wentest to fyght with the Madianites? And they chode with him sharpely.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the men of Ephraim said unto him: 'Why hast thou served us thus, that thou didst not call us when thou wentest to fight with Midian?' And they did chide with him sharply.

King James Version (1611)
And the men of Ephraim said vnto him, Why hast thou serued vs thus, that thou calledst vs not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharpely.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the men of Ephraim said to Gedeon, What is this that thou hast done to us, in that thou didst not call us when thou wentest to fight with Madiam? and they chode with him sharply.

English Revised Version
And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him sharply.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, "Why have you done this to us? Why did you fail to call us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they contended with him violently.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the men of Effraym seiden to hym, What is this thing, which thou woldist do, that thou clepidist not vs, whanne thou yedist to batel ayens Madian? And thei chidden strongli, and almest diden violence.

Young's Literal Translation
And the men of Ephraim say unto him, `What [is] this thing thou hast done to us -- not to call for us when thou didst go to fight with Midian?' and they strive with him severely;

Update Bible Version
And the men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you served us thus, that you didn't call us, when you went to fight with Midian? And they chided with him sharply.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the men of Ephraim said to him, Why hast thou treated us thus, that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they chid with him sharply.

World English Bible
The men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you served us thus, that you didn't call us, when you went to fight with Midian? They did chide with him sharply.

New King James Version
Now the men of Ephraim said to him, "Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?" And they reprimanded him sharply.

New Living Translation
Then the people of Ephraim asked Gideon, "Why have you treated us this way? Why didn't you send for us when you first went out to fight the Midianites?" And they argued heatedly with Gideon.

New Life Bible
Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, "What is this you have done to us? Why did you not call us when you went to fight against Midian?" They were angry when they argued with him.

New Revised Standard
Then the Ephraimites said to him, "What have you done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against the Midianites?" And they upbraided him violently.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the men of Ephraim said to him: What is this that thou meanest to do, that thou wouldst not call us, when thou wentest to fight against Madian? And they chid him sharply, and almost offered violence.

Revised Standard Version
And the men of E'phraim said to him, "What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight with Mid'ian?" And they upbraided him violently.

THE MESSAGE
Then the Ephraimites said to Gideon, "Why did you leave us out of this, not calling us when you went to fight Midian?" They were indignant and let him know it.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the men of Ephraim said to him, "What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they contended with him vigorously.

Contextual Overview

¹ And the men of Ephraim said unto him - What is this thing thou hast done to us, in not calling us, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him, sharply. ² And he said unto them, What have I done, now, in comparison with you? Is not the grape-gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? ³ Into your hand, hath God delivered the princes of Midian - Oreb and Zeeb, what then had I been able to do in comparison with you? Then, was their spirit softened toward him, when he had spoken this word.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the men: Judges 12:1-6, 2 Samuel 19:41, Job 5:2, Ecclesiastes 4:4, James 4:5, James 4:6

Why: etc. Heb. What thing is this thou hast done unto us, sharply. Heb. strongly.

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 24:14 - a flea 2 Samuel 19:43 - the words Proverbs 13:10 - with Proverbs 15:1 - soft Proverbs 15:18 - he Proverbs 17:14 - leave

Cross-References

Genesis 8:7
and sent forth a raven, - and it kept going forth and returning, until the drying up of the waters from off the earth.

Genesis 8:9
but the dove found no resting-place for the sole of her foot so she returned unto him into the ark, for, waters, were on the face of all the earth; and he put forth his hand and took her, and brought her in unto him, into the ark.

Genesis 8:20
And Noah builded an altar to Yahweh, - and took of all the clean beasts and of all the clean birds, and caused ascending Sacrifices to go up on the altar.

Genesis 8:22
During all the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.

Genesis 19:29
And it came to pass when God destroyed the cities of the circuit, that God remembered Abraham, and sent forth Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities wherein Lot had dwelt.

Genesis 30:22
Then God remembered Rachel, - and God hearkened unto her, and granted her to bear.

Exodus 2:24
And God heard their groaning, - and God remembered his covenant, with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob;

Exodus 14:21
And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and Yahweh carried away the sea by a mighty east wind all the night, and turned the sea into dry land, - and the waters were cloven asunder.

Numbers 22:32
And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass, these three times? Lo! I, myself, am come forth to withstand thee, because headlong was thy way before me.

1 Samuel 1:19
And they rose up early in the morning, and worshipped before Yahweh, and returned, and entered their own house, in Ramah, - and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The success of Gideon’s enterprise mortified the pride of Ephraim, as the chief tribe, seeing that they had played a subordinate part. Compare Judges 12:1.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER VIII

The Ephraimites are angry with Gideon because he did not call

them particularly to his assistance; he pacifies them, 1-3.

Gideon and his three hundred men pass over Jordan, pursuing the

Midianites; and, being faint, ask victuals from the princes of

Succoth, but are refused, 4-7.

They make the like application to the people of Penuel, and are

also refused, 8, 9.

Gideon defeats Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, and

takes them prisoners, 10-12.

He chastises the men of Succoth and Penuel, 13-17.

He slays Zebah and Zalumunna, who had killed his brethren,

18-21.

The Israelites offer him the kingdom, which he refuses, 22, 23.

He requires from them the gold rings which they had taken from

the Ishmaelites, and makes an ephod, which he sets up at

Ophrah; and it became an instrument of idolatry, 24-27.

The land enjoys peace forty years; Gideon dies, having

seventy-one sons, 28-32.

The Israelites fall into idolatry, and forget their

obligations to Gideon's family, 33-35.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII

Verse Judges 8:1. The men of Ephraim said — This account is no doubt displaced; for what is mentioned here could not have taken place till the return of Gideon from the pursuit of the Midianites; for he had not yet passed Jordan, Judges 8:4. And it was when he was beyond that river that the Ephraimites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to him, Judges 7:25.