Bible Commentaries
Judges 8

Introduction

Overview

Judges 8:1, Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites; Judges 8:4, Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon’s army; Judges 8:10, Zebah and Zalmunna are taken; Judges 8:13, Succoth and Penuel are destroyed; Judges 8:17, Gideon revenges his brethren’s death on Zebah and Zalmunna; Judges 8:22, He refuses government; Judges 8:24, His ephod the cause of idolatry; Judges 8:28, Midian subdued; Judges 8:29, Gideon’s children, and death; Judges 8:33, The Israelites’ idolatry and ingratitude.

Verse 1

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

Verse 2

What: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Galatians 5:14, Galatians 5:15, Philippians 2:2, Philippians 2:3, James 1:19, James 1:20, James 3:13-18

Is not the: That is, the Ephraimites have performed more important services than Gideon and his men had achieved.

Abiezer: Judges 6:11, Judges 6:34

Reciprocal: Leviticus 19:10 - glean Numbers 26:30 - Jeezer Joshua 17:2 - the children 1 Chronicles 7:18 - General Isaiah 17:6 - General

Verse 3

God: Judges 7:24, Judges 7:25, Psalms 44:3, Psalms 115:1, Psalms 118:14-16, John 4:37, Romans 12:3, Romans 12:6, Romans 15:18, Romans 15:19, Philippians 2:3

Then: Proverbs 15:1, Proverbs 16:32, Proverbs 25:11, Proverbs 25:15

anger: Heb. spirit

Reciprocal: Joshua 22:30 - it pleased them Zechariah 6:8 - quieted

Verse 4

faint: 1 Samuel 14:28, 1 Samuel 14:29, 1 Samuel 14:31, 1 Samuel 14:32, 1 Samuel 30:10, 2 Corinthians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 4:9, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 12:1-4

Reciprocal: Genesis 25:29 - and he Judges 7:25 - on the other side Judges 9:17 - fought Judges 15:18 - he was sore 2 Samuel 16:2 - that such 2 Samuel 17:29 - The people Isaiah 21:14 - brought Mark 8:3 - General Hebrews 11:34 - out of

Verse 5

Succoth: Genesis 33:17, Psalms 60:6

loaves: Genesis 14:18, Deuteronomy 23:4, 1 Samuel 25:18, 2 Samuel 17:28, 2 Samuel 17:29, 3 John 1:6-8

Reciprocal: Genesis 25:29 - and he Genesis 47:15 - Give us bread Exodus 11:8 - follow thee Joshua 13:27 - Succoth 1 Samuel 30:10 - so faint 2 Samuel 16:2 - that such Psalms 108:7 - the valley Proverbs 26:3 - General

Verse 6

Judges 5:23, Genesis 25:13, Genesis 37:25, Genesis 37:28, 1 Samuel 25:10, 1 Samuel 25:11, 1 Kings 20:11, 2 Kings 14:9, Proverbs 18:23, Philippians 2:21

Reciprocal: Joshua 13:27 - Succoth Judges 8:15 - upbraid 1 Chronicles 20:3 - with saws Psalms 108:7 - the valley

Verse 7

tear: Heb. thresh, Judges 8:16

Reciprocal: Judges 8:15 - upbraid 1 Chronicles 20:3 - with saws

Verse 8

Genesis 32:30, Genesis 32:31, 1 Kings 12:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:17 - Succoth Genesis 47:15 - Give us bread

Verse 9

I come: 1 Kings 22:27, 1 Kings 22:28

I will break: Judges 8:17

Verse 10

Karkor: If this were the name of a place, it is no where else mentioned. Some contend that karkor signifies rest; and the Vulgate renders it requiescebant, "rested". This seems the most likely; for it is said - Judges 8:11 that Gideon "smote the host: for the host was secure."

children: Judges 7:12

fell an hundred: etc. or, an hundred and twenty thousand every one drawing a sword, Judges 7:22, Judges 20:2, Judges 20:15, Judges 20:17, Judges 20:25, Judges 20:35, Judges 20:46, 2 Kings 3:26, 2 Chronicles 13:17, 2 Chronicles 28:6, 2 Chronicles 28:8, Isaiah 37:36

Reciprocal: Genesis 29:1 - came Judges 6:3 - children Judges 6:5 - as grasshoppers Judges 6:33 - children Job 1:3 - men Isaiah 9:4 - as in the day Ezekiel 25:4 - men

Verse 11

Nobah: Nobah took its name from an Israelite who conquered it; and is said by Eusebius to have been, in his time, a forsaken place eight miles south from Heshbon. Jogbehah was probably near it. Numbers 32:35, Numbers 32:42

secure: Judges 18:27, 1 Samuel 15:32, 1 Samuel 30:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Reciprocal: Judges 6:33 - children Judges 8:10 - Karkor 1 Chronicles 2:23 - Kenath

Verse 12

took: Joshua 10:16-18, Joshua 10:22-25, Job 12:16-21, Job 34:19, Psalms 83:11, Amos 2:14, Revelation 6:15, Revelation 6:16, Revelation 19:19-21

discomfited: Heb. terrified

Verse 13

before: The words milmaaleh haichaires should, most probably be rendered "from the ascent of Chares;" which is the reading of the LXX Syriac, Arabic, and Houbigant. Judges 8:13

Verse 14

caught: Judges 1:24, Judges 1:25, 1 Samuel 30:11-15

described: Heb. writ

Reciprocal: Joshua 13:27 - Succoth

Verse 15

upbraid: Judges 8:6, Judges 8:7

Reciprocal: Joshua 9:25 - we are 1 Samuel 30:21 - saluted them

Verse 16

the elders: Judges 8:7, Proverbs 10:13, Proverbs 19:29, Ezra 2:6

thorns: Micah 7:4

taught: Heb. made to know, Instead of wyyoda, Houbigant, Lev. Clerc, and others read wyyadosh, "and he tore or threshed;" and this is not only agreeable to what Gideon threatened (Judges 8:7), but is supported by the LXX Vulgate, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. The Hebrew Text might easily have been corrupted simply by the change of ש, shin, into ע, ayin, letters very similar to each other.

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:17 - Succoth Exodus 3:20 - after that 1 Chronicles 20:3 - with saws

Verse 17

Judges 8:9, 1 Kings 12:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 32:30 - Peniel 1 Chronicles 20:3 - with saws

Verse 18

Tabor: Judges 4:6, Psalms 89:12

As thou art: Psalms 12:2, Jude 1:16

resembled: Heb. according to the form of, etc

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 10:3 - Tabor 1 Samuel 16:6 - Surely 2 Kings 1:7 - What manner of man was he Isaiah 3:3 - the honourable man Ezekiel 23:15 - all of Daniel 1:4 - in whom James 1:24 - what

Verse 19

Reciprocal: Ruth 3:13 - the Lord liveth 1 Kings 1:29 - As the

Verse 20

Joshua 10:24, 1 Samuel 15:33, Psalms 149:9

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 1:15 - Go near 1 Kings 2:25 - he fell

Verse 21

Rise thou: It was disgraceful to fall by the hands of a child; and death by the blows of such a person must be much more lingering and tormenting. Some have employed children to dispatch captives. Judges 9:54, 1 Samuel 31:3, 1 Samuel 31:5, Revelation 9:6

slew: Psalms 83:1

ornaments: or, ornaments like the moon, Isaiah 3:18

Reciprocal: Joshua 10:26 - Joshua Judges 6:5 - their camels Judges 8:26 - chains Judges 15:12 - fall 1 Kings 2:25 - he fell Jeremiah 49:29 - camels

Verse 22

Rule thou: Judges 9:8-15, 1 Samuel 8:5, 1 Samuel 12:12, John 6:15

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 33:5 - king 1 Samuel 8:1 - made his

Verse 23

I will: Judges 2:18, Judges 10:18, Judges 11:9-11, Luke 22:24-27, 2 Corinthians 1:24, 1 Peter 5:3

the Lord: 1 Samuel 8:6, 1 Samuel 8:7, 1 Samuel 10:19, 1 Samuel 12:12, Isaiah 33:22, Isaiah 63:19

Reciprocal: Judges 9:8 - Reign 1 Samuel 8:1 - made his

Verse 24

give me: Genesis 24:22, Genesis 24:53, Exodus 12:35, Exodus 32:3, 1 Peter 3:3-5

because: Genesis 16:10, Genesis 16:11, Genesis 25:13, Genesis 37:25, Genesis 37:28, 1 Samuel 25:11, 1 Kings 20:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 35:4 - earrings Exodus 32:2 - General Deuteronomy 7:25 - snared 2 Chronicles 20:25 - precious jewels Ezekiel 16:11 - General

Verse 26

a thousand: Taking the shekel at half an ounce, the sum of the gold ear-rings was 73 lbs. 4 oz. and worth about,300 sterling.

collars: or, sweet jewels

purple: Esther 8:15, Jeremiah 10:9, Ezekiel 27:7, Luke 16:19, John 19:2, John 19:5, Revelation 17:4, Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:16

chains: Judges 8:21

Reciprocal: Psalms 73:6 - as a chain Jeremiah 49:29 - camels Daniel 3:1 - made

Verse 27

an ephod: Judges 17:5, Judges 18:14, Judges 18:17, Exodus 28:6-12, 1 Samuel 23:9, 1 Samuel 23:10, Isaiah 8:20

Ophrah: Judges 8:32, Judges 6:11, Judges 6:24, Deuteronomy 12:5

a whoring: Exodus 23:33, Psalms 73:27, Psalms 106:39, Hosea 2:2, Hosea 4:12-14

a snare: Judges 8:33, Deuteronomy 7:16

Reciprocal: Exodus 34:12 - lest 1 Chronicles 5:25 - a whoring Daniel 3:1 - made Hosea 3:4 - ephod

Verse 28

was Midian: Psalms 83:9-12, Isaiah 9:4, Isaiah 10:26

forty years: Judges 3:11, Judges 3:30, Judges 5:31

Reciprocal: Joshua 14:15 - And the land Judges 11:26 - three hundred

Verse 29

Jerubbaal: Judges 6:32, 1 Samuel 12:11

in his own house: Nehemiah 5:14, Nehemiah 5:15

Verse 30

threescore: Judges 9:2, Judges 9:5, Judges 10:4, Judges 12:9, Judges 12:14, Genesis 46:26, Exodus 1:5, 2 Kings 10:1

of his body begotten: Heb. going out of his thigh

many wives: Genesis 2:24, Genesis 7:7, Deuteronomy 17:17, 2 Samuel 3:2-5, 2 Samuel 5:13-16, 1 Kings 11:3, Malachi 2:15, Matthew 19:5-8, Ephesians 5:31-33

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 1:2 - two 2 Chronicles 11:21 - eighteen wives 2 Chronicles 13:21 - begat

Verse 31

concubine: Judges 9:1-5, Genesis 16:15, Genesis 22:24

called: Heb. set

Abimelech: Judges 9:18, Genesis 20:2

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 11:3 - seven hundred 2 Chronicles 13:21 - begat

Verse 32

died in: Genesis 15:15, Genesis 25:8, Joshua 24:29, Joshua 24:30, Job 5:26, Job 42:17

Ophrah: Judges 8:27, Judges 6:24

Verse 33

as soon: Judges 2:7-10, Judges 2:17, Judges 2:19, Joshua 24:31, 2 Kings 12:2, 2 Chronicles 24:17, 2 Chronicles 24:18

went: Judges 8:27, Judges 2:17, Exodus 34:15, Exodus 34:16, Jeremiah 3:9

Baalberith: Literally, "the lord of the covenant." Judges 9:4, Judges 9:46

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 5:25 - and went 2 Chronicles 17:3 - sought Jeremiah 23:27 - as

Verse 34

remembered: Psalms 78:11, Psalms 78:42, Psalms 106:18, Psalms 106:21, Ecclesiastes 12:1, Jeremiah 2:32

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 23:27 - as

Verse 35

showed: Judges 9:5, Judges 9:16-19, Ecclesiastes 9:14, Ecclesiastes 9:15

Jerubbaal: Rather, Jerubbaal Gideon; as we say, Simon Peter; or call a person by his Christian and surname. Gideon was a mighty man of valour, a true patriot, evidently disinterested and void of ambition. He loved his country, and hazarded his life for it; but refused the kingdom, when offered to him and his heirs. The act of making the ephod was totally wrong; yet, probably it was done with no reprehensible design.

Reciprocal: Genesis 25:2 - Midian Judges 9:18 - are risen 1 Samuel 12:11 - Jerubbaal 1 Kings 12:16 - So Israel 2 Chronicles 10:16 - So all Israel Hebrews 11:32 - Gedeon