Judg 8 | TSK | STEP | Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites. Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon's army. Zebah and Zalmunna are taken. Succoth and Penuel are destroyed. Gideon revenges his brethren's death on Zebah and Zalmunna. He refuses government. His ephod the cause of idolatry. Midian subdued. Gideon's children, and death. The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude. the men. Why, etc. Heb. What thing is this thou hast done unto us?sharply. Heb. strongly.

Karkor.If this were the name of a place, it is no where else mentioned. Some contend that {karkor} signifies rest; and the Vulgate renders it {requiescebant,} "rested". This seems the most likely; for it is said (ver. 11) that Gideon "smote the host: for the host was secure."

children.

7:12

fell an hundred, etc. or, an hundred and twenty thousand,every one drawing a sword

7:22; 20:2,15,17,25,35,46; 2Ki 3:26; 2Ch 13:17; 28:6,8; Isa 37:36

Nobah.Nobah took its name from an Israelite who conquered it; and is said by Eusebius to have been, in his time, a forsaken place eight miles south from Heshbon. Jogbehah was probably near it.

Nu 32:35,42

secure.

18:27; 1Sa 15:32; 30:16; 1Th 5:3

took.

Jos 10:16-18,22-25; Job 12:16-21; 34:19; Ps 83:11; Am 2:14

Re 6:15,16; 19:19-21

discomfited. Heb. terrified.

before.The words {milmäâleh haichaires} should, most probably be rendered "from the ascent of Chares;" which is the reading of the LXX. Syriac, Arabic, and Houbigant.

caught.

1:24,25; 1Sa 30:11-15

described. Heb. writ.

upbraid.

6,7

the elders.

7; Pr 10:13; 19:29; Ezr 2:6

thorns.

Mic 7:4

taught. Heb. made to know.Instead of {wyyodâ,} Houbigant, Le Clerc, and others read {wyyadosh,} "and he tore or threshed;" and this is not only agreeable to what Gideon threatened (ver. 7), but is supported by the LXX. Vulgate, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. The Hebrew text might easily have been corrupted simply by the change of [Shîyn,] {shin,} into ['Ayin,] {ayin,} letters very similar to each other.

9; 1Ki 12:25

Tabor.

4:6; Ps 89:12

As thou art.

Ps 12:2; Jude 1:16

resembled. Heb. according to the form of, etc.

Jos 10:24; 1Sa 15:33; Ps 149:9

Rise thou.It was disgraceful to fall by the hands of a child; and death by the blows of such a person must be much more lingering and tormenting. Some have employed children to dispatch captives.

9:54; 1Sa 31:3,5; Re 9:6

slew.

Ps 83:1

ornaments. or, ornaments like the moon.

Isa 3:18

Rule thou.

9:8-15; 1Sa 8:5; 12:12; Joh 6:15

I will.

2:18; 10:18; 11:9-11; Lu 22:24-27; 2Co 1:24; 1Pe 5:3

the Lord.

1Sa 8:6,7; 10:19; 12:12; Isa 33:22; 63:19

give me.

Ge 24:22,53; Ex 12:35; 32:3; 1Pe 3:3-5

because.

Ge 16:10,11; 25:13; 37:25,28; 1Sa 25:11; 1Ki 20:11

a thousand.Taking the shekel at half an ounce, the sum of the gold ear-rings was 73 lbs. 4oz. and worth about £3,300 sterling.

collars. or, sweet jewels. purple.

Es 8:15; Jer 10:9; Eze 27:7; Lu 16:19; Joh 19:2,5; Re 17:4

Re 18:12,16

chains.

an ephod.

17:5; 18:14,17; Ex 28:6-12; 1Sa 23:9,10; Isa 8:20

Ophrah.

32; 6:11,24; De 12:5

a whoring.

Ex 23:33; Ps 73:27; 106:39; Ho 2:2; 4:12-14

a snare.

33; De 7:16

was Midian.

Ps 83:9-12; Isa 9:4; 10:26

forty years.

3:11,30; 5:31

Jerubbaal.

6:32; 1Sa 12:11

in his own house.

Ne 5:14,15

threescore.

9:2,5; 10:4; 12:9,14; Ge 46:26; Ex 1:5; 2Ki 10:1

of his body begotten. Heb. going out of his thigh. manywives.

Ge 2:24; 7:7; De 17:17; 2Sa 3:2-5; 5:13-16; 1Ki 11:3; Mal 2:15

Mt 19:5-8; Eph 5:31-33

concubine.

9:1-5; Ge 16:15; 22:24

called. Heb. set. Abimelech.

9:18; Ge 20:2

died in.

Ge 15:15; 25:8; Jos 24:29,30; Job 5:26; 42:17

Ophrah.

27; 6:24

as soon.

2:7-10,17,19; Jos 24:31; 2Ki 12:2; 2Ch 24:17,18

went.

27; 2:17; Ex 34:15,16; Jer 3:9

Baal-berith.Literally, "the lord of the covenant."

9:4,46

remembered.

Ps 78:11,42; 106:18,21; Ec 12:1; Jer 2:32

shewed.

9:5,16-19; Ec 9:14,15

Jerubbaal.Rather, Jerubbaal Gideon; as we say, Simon Peter; or call a person by his Christian and surname. Gideon was a mighty man of valour, a true patriot, evidently disinterested and void of ambition. He loved his country, and hazarded his life for it; but refused the kingdom, when offered to him and his heirs. The act of making the ephod was totally wrong; yet, probably it was done with no reprehensible design.