Judges 8:1-35
1 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.
2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their angera was abated toward him, when he had said that.
4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tearb your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.
9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfitedc all the host.
13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he describedd unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?
16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taughte the men of Succoth.
17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembledf the children of a king.
19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornamentsg that were on their camels' necks.
22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars,h and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he calledi Abimelech.
32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
Judges 8:16. He taught the men of Succoth. The LXX read, he threshed them. This little city of forty or fifty families was blinded, in giving this answer to Gideon. Soldiers fighting for their country have at least a right to demand bread. Now the backs of the elders must atone for the insolence of their tongues.
Judges 8:21. The ornaments on their camels' necks. They were caparisoned in the most gorgeous manner.
Judges 8:22. Rule thou over us. The Hebrew government was a theocracy, supported almost without costs; but carnal men and wicked factions are not worthy of such an order of things. As their king, God was never wanting, when they addressed him as such: the calamities which befel the nation arose from the apostasy of the people. Gideon, aware of this, declined a monarch's sceptre, and gave the glory to the Lord.
Judges 8:23. I will not rule over you. Semiramis had formed a great empire, but Gideon shunned the sceptre: he did not raise a standing army, nor put garrisons in Ishmael, Ammon, and Moab. He was content with Jehovah's presence as a wall of fire.
Judges 8:27. Gideon made an ephod. Exodus 28:6. The ephod contained the breastplate, which Abiathar was careful to take when he fled to David. Gideon with all this gold established a sort of chapel royal, that he might in case of need enquire of God; and which no priest was allowed to do without the knowledge of the king.
Judges 8:31. His concubine; a woman whose marriage was not registered; by consequence, neither she nor her children were entitled to the inheritance and wealth of their father. Such children are generally ill educated, as the sequel will prove.
REFLECTIONS.
Gideon in the full career of victory found his joys disturbed by the menaces of his brother Ephraim, and menaces of immediate death. This tribe claimed priority over Manasseh, because of Jacob's blessing, and because of its own strength. Having distinguished themselves in the pursuit and slaughter of the enemy, they became insolent with the Lord's appointed judge. How uncertain are all our earthly joys; and how calamitous is the situation of princes and rulers when surrounded by factions of proud and turbulent men. And it is no small mark of Gideon's prudence and goodness, that he pacified them by a modest answer.
The princes or elders of Succoth and Penuel being situate contiguous to the enemy's country, acted the part of selfish prudence. They did not believe in Gideon's call and mission; they knew that Zebah and Zalmunna were still in the land with an army. Hence they denied bread to the victorious, who were expelling an enemy that consumed the land. This was a foul crime; it was death by the well-known and existing covenant of the Israelites; nor was the punishment long delayed. Before the sun was up next morning, Gideon was under the wall of Succoth, with the two captive kings in whom they had trusted. How soon was their unbelief put to shame; and how soon the angry army inflicted the vengeance on their backs, which hunger had denounced the preseding day. How weak are they who put confidence in princes, not in alliance with heaven. Let us learn to be on the Lord's side, whatever adversity or clouds may for the moment surround his cause.
Zebah and Zalmunna having seen the loss of their whole army, must now in turn drink the bitter cup of death. Gideon finding that his brethren did not return to share the joys of victory, suspected them to be slain at Tabor. Hence, as they showed no mercy to their captives, they could expect no mercy from him. Oh how bitterly would they lament engaging in this invasion, which terminated in the loss of their lives: and how mysterious is the providence of God, which by the vicissitudes of war makes one wicked nation a dreadful scourge to another. Gideon having vanquished kings, and acquired salvation and glory for his country, was offered the throne of Israel as the reward of his victories. This through piety he refused; for he regarded the Lord as Israel's king; and considered the patriarchal rights, and the municipal privileges of every city as ordained of God. He therefore retired to his own paternal cottage, and refused for himself all regal and pecuniary rewards. What proofs of disinterestedness, of wisdom and heroic virtue! How marvellous that this man, so weak but a few days ago, should now be so strong. What an act of faith that God would at all times raise up for the people a military judge or deliverer, whenever the invasion or menaces of the neighbouring nations should so require. Hence he would neither take advantage of his people's good-will in the moment of popular enthusiasm, nor expose his sons to the temptations of royalty. Yet the very name that Gideon was still alive intimidated every heathen prince, who might otherwise have been disposed to molest the Hebrews. Unable at that time to remove the ark to the city, he requested the earrings in order to make an ephod, that in cases of necessity he might consult the Lord, and in all things do his will. This was contrary to the law, and yet it was in some sort sanctioned by example, for in many of the tribes an independent government prevailed, and they offered sacrifices on the high places where Abraham and Isaac and Jacob had been accustomed to worship.
Lastly, we have to blame this illustrious man for being too fond of a patriarch's fame, though he had declined the honours of a king. He multiplied his wives, and saw seventy sons rising around his various tables. This was his sin, and it caused the special favours of his family to be blasted. These sons were all slain by one that was illegitimate; for how should the righteous Judge of heaven and earth entail his blessings when men depart from his precepts? Hence, though the example of Gideon, and other judges, be set before us by St. Paul, it regards only the great acts of faith and virtue, not their failings and their sins.