Judges 8:1

Judges 8:1-3. Gideon appeases the men of Ephraim

1 .the men of Ephraim … did chide with him sharply A similar outburst of jealousy is recorded in Judges 12:1 f., and in much the same language; but it need not follow that the one passage is merely a reproduction of the other; probably there were plenty of tales about the notorious temper of the great tribe. Thus early in the history Ephraim begins to assert itself. The want of unity among the tribes at this period is evident.