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. Ver. 1. _Why hast thou served us thus?_] Nay, why have you served me thus? might Gideon for better cause have said: and... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 2. _What have I done now in comparison of you?_] By a soft answer he pacifieth their wrath. Proverbs 17:1 _; _ Pro 25:15 Milk quencheth wildfire:... [ Continue Reading ]
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 anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. Ver. 3. _And what was I able to do in comparison of you?_] He knew them to be ambitious, and therefore he doth litt... [ Continue Reading ]
And Gideon came to Jordan, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men that [were] with him, faint, yet pursuing [them]. Ver. 4. _And Gideon came to Jordan._] This was before that bickering he had with the Ephraimites, though set down after it. _ Faint, yet pursuing._] So Daniel, though sick,... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 5. _Loaves of bread._] Or, Morsels, or cakes that may be soon baked, and we not hindered in our pursuit. Thus... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 6. _And the princes of Succoth said._] They not only deny him so reasonable a request, but deride and scornfully treat him, in like sort as afterwards Nabal the... [ Continue Reading ]
And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. Ver. 7. _Then I will tear your flesh._] Heb., I will thresh your flesh with the thorns. The Chaldee hath it, upon thorns; _q.d.,... [ Continue Reading ]
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]. Ver. 8. _And the men of Penuel answered him._] Not the rulers only, as at Succoth: but the common people also.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. Ver. 9. _I will break down this tower._] Whereon you bear yourselves so bold as if there were no coming at you; as if you were out of the reach of God's rod and man's revenge.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _Were in Karkor._] A city beyond Jordan, where they thought... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 11. _And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents._] The Arabian Nomades or Scenites, who dwelt not in houses or cities, but in movable tents,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host._ Ver. 12. _He pursued after them._] Now was his time, and he took it, to complete his victory: - “ _Nil actum credens dum quid superesset agendum._ ” - _Luc... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun [was up],_ Ver. 13. _Before the sun was up._] Still he set upon them in the night, because of the weakness of his army, which by night appeared not. Julius Caesar, indeed, held the night unfit for battle, _Lucem enim pudorem oculis mi... [ Continue Reading ]
_And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, [even] threescore and seventeen men._ Ver. 14. _And he described unto him the princes._] Who had denied him refreshing in his pursuit of the enemy, and were... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 15. _Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me._] Men ma... [ Continue Reading ]
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. Ver. 16. _And he took the elders of the city, and thorns, &c._] Wherewith he tore them, as well as taught them what it was to be so barbarous, and that he had not threatened them... [ Continue Reading ]
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. Ver. 17. _And he beat down the tower of Penuel._] Which Jeroboam rebuilt and made it a garrison. 1Ki 12:25... [ Continue Reading ]
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 resembled the children of a king. Ver. 18. _Whom ye slew at Tabor._] The sword spareth neither lord nor ragamuffin. _ Each one resembled the childr... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 19. _I would not slay you._] As now I must, both as an avenger of blood Num 25:7-8 and as a magistrate; for _Bonis nocet qui malis parcit,_ to restrain ju... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 20. _And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them._] “ _Adeo a teneris assuescere magnum est._ ” Gideon would inure his son to manlike action... [ Continue Reading ]
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 ornaments that [were] on their camels' necks. Ver. 21. _Rise thou, and fall upon us._] For thou wilt quickly despatch us; and we will... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 22. _Rule thou over us,_] viz, As king of the land. A fair offer, and such as few men would have refused. But he knew that to accept o... [ Continue Reading ]
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. Ver. 23. _I will not rule over you._] Since I cannot without manifest wrong done to God. This modesty of his in refusing such an offer was very commendable; as it was afterwards in... [ Continue Reading ]
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.) Ver. 24. _For they had golden earrings._] But an obedient ear Proverbs 20:12 _; _ Pro 25:12 had been a far better or... [ Continue Reading ]
And they answered, We will willingly give [them]. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. Ver. 25. _We will willingly give them._] Giving we will give. “ _Dat bene, dat multum, qui dat cum munere vultum._ ”... [ Continue Reading ]
And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that [was] on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that [were] about their camels' necks. Ver. 26. _And collars._] Or golden cabinets;... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 27. _And Gideon made an ephod thereof._] Of a good intention likely; but without a good warrant from God. A good... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _Forty years._] Beginning the computation at those forty years mentioned in Judges 5:31 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. Ver. 29. _Went and dwelt in his own house._] As finding by experience, that high seats are never but uneasy; and that many a care attendeth greatness. Vacia, the Roman, having been praetor in the time of Tiberius, withdrew himself to h... [ Continue Reading ]
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. Ver. 30. _Of his body begotten._] Heb., Going out of his thigh, in which there are veins, say anatomists, that go along to the genitals, and convey thither the matter for the seed of generation. Hence that expressio... [ Continue Reading ]
And his concubine that [was] in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. Ver. 31. _And his concubine,_] i.e., His wife though in an inferior degree: _a_ as having been before his maid servant. Jdg 9:18 _ Whose name he called Abimelech,_] i.e., My father is king. This name,... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 32. _In a good old age._] Heb., With a good hoar head, notwithstanding his last evil act which God overlooked, though it were some spot to his white head.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 33. _As soon as Gideon was dead._] So great a mischief, many times, is the death of a good governor. _ And made Baalberith their god._] To... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 34. _Remembered not the Lord._] Their _idolamania_ had obliterated the memory of the true God, whom it is as necessary to remember, as to draw breath.... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [namely], Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. Ver. 35. _Neither showed they kindness._] No wonder that apostates from God prove unkind and unthankful to men.... [ Continue Reading ]