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
Make H7896 their nobles H5081 like Oreb, H6159 and like Zeeb: H2062 yea, all their princes H5257 as Zebah, H2078 and as Zalmunna: H6759
And the weight H4948 of the golden H2091 earrings H5141 that he requested H7592 was a thousand H505 and seven H7651 hundred H3967 shekels of gold; H2091 beside ornaments, H7720 and collars, H5188 and purple H713 raiment H899 that was on the kings H4428 of Midian, H4080 and beside the chains H6060 that were about their camels' H1581 necks. H6677
Then he called H7121 hastily H4120 unto the young man H5288 his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 and said H559 unto him, Draw H8025 thy sword, H2719 and slay H4191 me, that men say H559 not of me, A woman H802 slew H2026 him. And his young man H5288 thrust him through, H1856 and he died. H4191
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.