Judges 8

In Judges 8, Gideon continues his campaign against the Midianites. After the initial victory, he pursues the fleeing kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, while dealing with internal conflict among the Israelite tribes. The chapter highlights not only Gideon’s military prowess but also his leadership challenges, and it ends by showing the dangers of idolatry, even after a great victory. This chapter emphasizes the importance of staying true to God even in success.

Judges 8:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Now the men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?” And they reprimanded him sharply.
2 So he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
3 God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.

Gideon faces the complaint of the Ephraimites, who feel slighted for not being called earlier to fight the Midianites. His response is wise and diplomatic, giving them credit for their role in capturing the Midianite princes, Oreb and Zeeb. By praising their contribution and comparing it to a greater success, he manages to calm their anger. This shows Gideon's skill in handling potential tribal conflicts, avoiding unnecessary division among the Israelites.

Judges 8:4-5 (NKJV)
4 When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit.
5 Then he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.”

After crossing the Jordan, Gideon and his small group of 300 men are exhausted but remain determined to continue their pursuit of the Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He asks the men of Succoth for food, recognizing that his men need sustenance to continue the battle. This request highlights the physical toll of the ongoing campaign and Gideon’s need for local support to finish the mission.

Judges 8:6-9 (NKJV)
6 And the leaders of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”
7 So Gideon said, “For this cause, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!”
8 Then he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.
9 So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower!”

Both Succoth and Penuel refuse to assist Gideon, doubting his ability to capture Zebah and Zalmunna. Their lack of support reflects distrust and a fear of siding with someone who may not win. Gideon, though exhausted, is angered by their refusal and threatens future punishment once he completes his mission. His strong response reveals his determination and confidence that God will deliver the Midianite kings into his hands.

Judges 8:10-12 (NKJV)
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East; for one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword had fallen.
11 Then Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and he attacked the army while the camp felt secure.
12 When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

Zebah and Zalmunna had retreated with a small remnant of their army, but Gideon, with his few men, continued his pursuit. Despite being outnumbered, he attacked when the enemy felt secure. His persistence leads to victory, capturing the two kings and routing the remaining forces. This victory emphasizes God's hand in Gideon’s success, allowing such a small force to defeat a much larger enemy.

Judges 8:13-17 (NKJV)
13 Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, from the Ascent of Heres.
14 And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth and interrogated him, and he wrote down for him the leaders of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.
15 Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you ridiculed me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your weary men?’”
16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
17 Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

Gideon returns victorious and exacts vengeance on the men of Succoth and Penuel for their earlier refusal to help. The leaders of Succoth are punished by being humiliated and tortured with thorns, while the tower of Penuel is destroyed, and its men are killed. Gideon's harsh actions here reflect the seriousness of their betrayal in refusing to support God’s chosen leader in the time of battle.

Judges 8:18-21 (NKJV)
18 And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?”
So they answered, “As you are, so were they; each one resembled the son of a king.”
19 Then he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”
20 And he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them!” But the youth would not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.
21 So Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and kill us; for as a man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

In this passage, Gideon confronts the Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, after they confirm that they killed his brothers. Gideon, driven by personal grief, tells them that had they spared his brothers, he would not kill them—an inappropriate comment because God's command was for the Israelites to defeat the Midianites, regardless of personal circumstances. This shows Gideon’s emotional conflict, where his sense of personal justice overtakes the divine mandate.

Gideon instructs his young son, Jether, to kill the kings, but Jether is too afraid to act due to his youth. The kings challenge Gideon, and he ultimately takes it upon himself to execute them. While Gideon fulfills his personal vengeance, his earlier statement about sparing the kings reflects a moment where his personal motives were out of alignment with God’s directive to utterly destroy Israel's enemies.

Judges 8:22-23 (NKJV)
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”
23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

The people of Israel, grateful for Gideon’s victory, offer him and his descendants kingship. However, Gideon wisely refuses, acknowledging that God alone should rule over Israel. This refusal demonstrates his humility and understanding that true leadership comes from divine authority, not human ambition.

Judges 8:24-27 (NKJV)
24 Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.
25 So they answered, “We will gladly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the earrings from his plunder.
26 Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks.
27 Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

Despite his good intentions, Gideon makes an ephod from the gold collected from the plunder. However, this object becomes a stumbling block for Israel, as they begin to worship it, leading them into idolatry. Gideon’s act, though perhaps meant to honor God, inadvertently leads to spiritual downfall. This illustrates the dangers of turning religious symbols into idols.

Judges 8:28-32 (NKJV)
28 Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.
31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon's victory brings peace to Israel for forty years, marking a period of stability. He returns home and lives out his life, having many children with his wives and concubines. The mention of Abimelech, born to his concubine, foreshadows future conflict. Gideon's peaceful death marks the end of an era, though his legacy is complicated by his later choices, including the creation of the ephod.

Judges 8:33-35 (NKJV)
33 So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-Berith their god.
34 Thus the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;
35 nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.

After Gideon’s death, Israel quickly turns away from God, worshiping the Baals once again. They forget how God had delivered them from their enemies and fail to show gratitude to Gideon’s family. This reflects the cycle of apostasy that plagued Israel throughout the book of Judges, demonstrating how easily they were led astray without strong leadership.