4 And Gideon H1439 came H935 to Jordan, H3383 and passed over, H5674 he, and the three H7969 hundred H3967 men H376 that were with him, faint, H5889 yet pursuing H7291 them.
5 And he said H559 unto the men H582 of Succoth, H5523 Give, H5414 I pray you, loaves H3603 of bread H3899 unto the people H5971 that follow H7272 me; for they be faint, H5889 and I am pursuing H7291 after H310 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna, H6759 kings H4428 of Midian. H4080
6 And the princes H8269 of Succoth H5523 said, H559 Are the hands H3709 of Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 now in thine hand, H3027 that we should give H5414 bread H3899 unto thine army? H6635
7 And Gideon H1439 said, H559 Therefore when the LORD H3068 hath delivered H5414 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 into mine hand, H3027 then I will tear H1758 your flesh H1320 with the thorns H6975 of the wilderness H4057 and with briers. H1303
8 And he went up H5927 thence to Penuel, H6439 and spake H1696 unto them likewise: H2063 and the men H582 of Penuel H6439 answered H6030 him as the men H582 of Succoth H5523 had answered H6030 him.
9 And he spake H559 also unto the men H582 of Penuel, H6439 saying, H559 When I come again H7725 in peace, H7965 I will break down H5422 this tower. H4026
10 Now Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 were in Karkor, H7174 and their hosts H4264 with them, about fifteen H2568 H6240 thousand H505 men, all that were left H3498 of all the hosts H4264 of the children H1121 of the east: H6924 for there fell H5307 an hundred H3967 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 men H376 that drew H8025 sword. H2719
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 8
Commentary on Judges 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
This chapter gives us a further account of Gideon's victory over the Midianites, with the residue of the story of his life and government.
Jdg 8:1-3
No sooner were the Midianites, the common enemy, subdued, than, through the violence of some hot spirits, the children of Israel were ready to quarrel among themselves; an unhappy spark was struck, which, if Gideon had not with a great deal of wisdom and grace extinguished immediately, might have broken out into a flame of fatal consequence. The Ephraimites, when they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon as general, instead of congratulating him upon his successes and addressing him with thanks for his great services, as they ought to have done, picked a quarrel with him and grew very hot upon it.
Now what was the issue of this controversy? The Ephraimites had chidden with him sharply (v. 1), forgetting the respect due to their general and one whom God had honoured, and giving vent to their passion in a very indecent liberty of speech, a certain sign of a weak and indefensible cause. Reason runs low when the chiding flies high. But Gideon's soft answer turned away their wrath, Prov. 15:1. Their anger was abated towards him, v. 3. It is intimated that they retained some resentment, but he prudently overlooked it and let it cool by degrees. Very great and good men must expect to have their patience tried by the unkindnesses and follies even of those they serve and must not think it strange.
Jdg 8:4-17
In these verses we have,
Jdg 8:18-21
Judgment began at the house of God, in the just correction of the men of Succoth and Penuel, who were Israelites, but it did not end there. The kings of Midian, when they had served to demonstrate Gideon's victories, and grace his triumphs, must now be reckoned with.
Jdg 8:22-28
Here is,
Jdg 8:29-35
We have here the conclusion of the story of Gideon.