50 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Judges 8 In this chapter we are told how Gideon pacified the Ephraimites, who complained because they were not sent unto to fight the Midianites, Judges 8:1 how he pursued the Midianites, until he took their two kings, and on his return chastised the men of Succoth and Penuel, because they refused to relieve his men with food as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the men of Ephraim said unto him,.... To Gideon, when they brought him the heads of Oreb and Zeeb; taking this to be a proper opportunity to expostulate and chide with him, when they had done so much service: why hast thou served us thus; neglected them, overlooked them, which they took as a reproach to them, and as if he had bore them ill...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
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. I. Gideon prudently pacifies the offended Ephraimites, ver. 1-3. II. He bravely pursues the flying Midianites, ver. 4, 10-12. III. He justly chastises the insolence of the men of Succoth and Penuel, who basely...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
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. We have some friends, like these men of Ephraim, who do not like being left out of the battle for the Lord. They say, “Why are we not asked for our help? Why are we not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them,.... In a very mild and gentle manner, giving soft words, which turn away wrath: what have I done in comparison of you? he and his men, he signifies, had only blew trumpets, broke pitchers, and held torches; it was the Lord that did all, and set the Midianites one against another to slay each other; and in the pursuit as yet...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Gideon answered them very kindly and very wisely. He flattered them he attached great importance to what they had done, and took little credit to himself for his valiant service. In this he showed his self-command and his discretion. When persons chide sharply, it is a pity to chide...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 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. And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb,.... A high honour this conferred upon you, and with which you may be well contented: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? what he had done in defeating and pursuing the army of Midian, in slaying and taking any of them prisoners, was nothing in comparison of what...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over..... That river; [See comments on Judges 7:25] he and three hundred men that were with him, at the defeat of the Midianites in the valley of Jezreel; so that neither at that nor in the pursuit of them hitherto, had he lost one man: faint, yet pursuing [them]: they were faint with being up all night, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said to the men of Succoth,.... The inhabitants of that place, the principal men of it, which lay in his way as he was pursuing the Midianites in their flight to their own country; for this was a city on the other side Jordan, and in the tribe of Gad and was inhabited by Israelites, Joshua 13:27 it had its name from the booths or tents...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the princes of Succoth said,.... The chief magistrates of the place made answer, one in the name of the rest; for the word said is in the singular number: are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hands; that is, are they taken prisoners, and handcuffed, or their hands bound behind them, and put into the hands of Gideon, to do with them...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
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? As much as to say, “What have you done, after all? There are fifteen thousand men with Zebah and Zalmunna, and there are only three hundred of you. You have not even captured the leaders yet.” They forgot that Gideon’s...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Gideon said,.... In answer to the princes of Succoth: therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand; of which he made no doubt, having the promise of God that he would deliver the host of Midian into his hand, on which his faith rested; and having it in great part performed already, most firmly believed the full...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
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. Some have said that this showed resentment and harshness, but when a man is at war, he is not in the habit of sprinkling his adversaries with rosewater. War is in itself so great...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he went up thence to Penuel,.... A place not far from Succoth, and to which also Jacob gave name, from the Lord's appearing to him there face to face, Genesis 32:30 but here was nothing of God in this place now: and spoke unto them likewise; desired bread for his men, as he had of the inhabitants of Succoth: and the men of Penuel answered him...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
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. And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. They took liberty to speak rudely because theirs was a fortified city, guarded by a strong tower, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ver. 9 And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel,.... In a threatening way, as he had spoken to the men of Succoth: saying, when I come again in peace: having conquered all his enemies, and delivered Israel from their bondage, and restored peace and prosperity to them, of which he had no doubt: I will break down this tower; pointing to it and which...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor..... Jerom (u) under this word says, there was in his time a castle called Carcuria, a day's journey from Petra, which was the metropolis of Idumea; but whether the same with this is not clear: and their host with them, about fifteen thousand men; to which number Gideon and his three hundred men were very...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
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. 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwell in tents,.... That is of the Arabians and Kedarenes, who dwelt in tents for the sake of feeding their flocks, as the Targum and Jarchi; he did not pursue them in the direct road, but went a roundabout way, where these people dwelt, that he might surprise the host of the kings of Midian at an...