12 And when Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 fled, H5127 he pursued H7291 after H310 them, and took H3920 the two H8147 kings H4428 of Midian, H4080 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna, H6759 and discomfited H2729 all the host. H4264
13 And Gideon H1439 the son H1121 of Joash H3101 returned H7725 from battle H4421 before H4608 the sun H2775 was up,
14 And caught H3920 a young man H5288 of the men H582 of Succoth, H5523 and enquired H7592 of him: and he described H3789 unto him the princes H8269 of Succoth, H5523 and the elders H2205 thereof, even threescore and seventeen H7657 H7651 men. H376
15 And he came H935 unto the men H582 of Succoth, H5523 and said, H559 Behold Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna, H6759 with whom ye did upbraid H2778 me, saying, H559 Are the hands H3709 of Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 now in thine hand, H3027 that we should give H5414 bread H3899 unto thy men H582 that are weary? H3287
16 And he took H3947 the elders H2205 of the city, H5892 and thorns H6975 of the wilderness H4057 and briers, H1303 and with them he taught H3045 the men H582 of Succoth. H5523
17 And he beat down H5422 the tower H4026 of Penuel, H6439 and slew H2026 the men H582 of the city. H5892
18 Then said H559 he unto Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna, H6759 What H375 manner of men H582 were they whom ye slew H2026 at Tabor? H8396 And they answered, H559 As thou H3644 art, so were they; each one H259 resembled H8389 the children H1121 of a king. H4428
19 And he said, H559 They were my brethren, H251 even the sons H1121 of my mother: H517 as the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 if H3863 ye had saved them alive, H2421 I would not slay H2026 you.
20 And he said H559 unto Jether H3500 his firstborn, H1060 Up, H6965 and slay H2026 them. But the youth H5288 drew H8025 not his sword: H2719 for he feared, H3372 because he was yet a youth. H5288
21 Then Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 said, H559 Rise H6965 thou, and fall H6293 upon us: for as the man H376 is, so is his strength. H1369 And Gideon H1439 arose, H6965 and slew H2026 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna, H6759 and took away H3947 the ornaments H7720 that were on their camels' H1581 necks. H6677
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.