And those in Ephraim’s contingent said to him, “Why did you do that to us—not calling us when you went to fight the Midianites?” And they rebuked him severely.
God has delivered the Midianite generals Oreb and Zeeb into your hands, and what was I able to do compared to you?” And when he spoke in this fashion, their anger against him abated.
He said to the people of Succoth,apeople of Succoth I.e., its leaders, on the town’s behalf; cf. v. 6. So also in vv. 8, 14, 15, 16. “Please give some loaves of bread to the troops who are right behind me, for they are famished, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
לאנשי
391
סכות
486
תנונא
507
ככרות
646
לחם
78
לעם
140
אשר
501
ברגלי
245
כיעיפים
240
הם
45
ואנכי
87
רדף
284
אחרי
219
זבח
17
וצלמנע
286
מלכי
100
מדין
104
Judges 8:6
Gematria: 2923
ויאמרשריסכותהכףזבחוצלמנעעתהבידךכינתןלצבאךלחם
But the officials of Succoth replied, “Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands,bAre Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands Lit. “Is the palm of Zebah and Zalmunna in your hand.” that we should give bread to your army?”
“I swear,” declared Gideon, “when GOD delivers Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I’ll threshcthresh I.e., throw them naked in a bed of thorns and trample them; but exact meaning uncertain. your bodies upon desert thorns and briers!”
From there he went up to Penuel and made the same request of them; but the people of Penueldpeople of Penuel Cf. note at v. 5. gave him the same reply as the people of Succoth.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויעל
116
משם
380
פנואל
167
וידבר
222
אליהם
86
כזאת
428
ויענו
142
אותו
413
אנשי
361
פנואל
167
כאשר
521
ענו
126
אנשי
361
סכות
486
Judges 8:9
Gematria: 2898
ויאמרגםלאנשיפנואללאמרבשוביבשלוםאתץאתהמגדלהזהפ
So he also threatened the people of Penuel: “When I come back safe, I’ll tear down this tower!”
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor with their army of about 15,000; these were all that remained of the entire host of the Kedemites, for the slain numbered 120,000 fighters.efighters Lit. “drawers of a sword.”
Zebah and Zalmunna took to flight, with GideonfGideon Heb. “him.” in pursuit. He captured Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, and threw the whole army into panic.
Word-by-Word Analysis
וינסו
132
זבח
17
וצלמנע
286
וירדף
300
אחריהם
264
וילכד
70
אתשני
761
מלכי
100
מדין
104
אתזבח
418
ואתצלמנע
687
וכלהמחנה
164
החריד
227
Judges 8:13
Gematria: 1526
וישבגדעוןבןיואשמןהמלחמהמלמעלההחרס
On his way back from the battle at the Ascent of Heres, Gideon son of Joash
captured a young man from among the people of Succoth and interrogated him. The latter drew up for him a list of the officials and elders of Succoth, seventy-seven in number.
Then he came to the people of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you mocked me, saying, ‘Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands,gAre Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands See note at v. 6. that we should give your famished men bread?’”
And he took the elders of the city and, [bringing] desert thorns and briers, he punishedhpunished Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “threshed”; cf. v. 7. the people of Succoth with them.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויקח
124
אתזקני
568
העיר
285
ואתקוצי
613
המדבר
251
ואתהברקנים
814
וידע
90
בהם
47
את
401
אנשי
361
סכות
486
Judges 8:17
Gematria: 2462
ואתמגדלפנואלנתץויהרגאתאנשיהעיר
As for Penuel, he tore down its tower and killed the townspeople.
Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “Those men you killed at Tabor, what were they like?”iwhat were they like In contrast to others “Where are they?” “They looked just like you,” they replied, “like sons of a king.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
אלזבח
48
ואלצלמנע
317
איפה
96
האנשים
406
אשר
501
הרגתם
648
בתבור
610
ויאמרו
263
כמוך
86
כמוהם
111
אחד
13
כתאר
621
בני
62
המלך
95
Judges 8:19
Gematria: 2534
ויאמראחיבניאמיהםחייהוהלוהחיתםאותםלאהרגתיאתכם
“They were my brothers,” he declared, “the sons of my mother. As GOD lives, if you had spared them, I would not kill you.”
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come, you slay us; for strength comes with manhood.”jstrength comes with manhood Or “the outcome depends upon who’s involved.” So Gideon went over and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescents that were on the necks of their camels.
Then those [who fought] on Israel’s side said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson as well; for you have saved us from the Midianites.”
And Gideon said to them, “I have a request to make of you: Each of you give me the earring you received as booty.” (The MidianiteskThe Midianites Heb. “They.” The author explains that the Midianites wore earrings like the Ishmaelites, who were better known to his contemporaries. had golden earrings, for they were Ishmaelites.)
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
אלהם
76
גדעון
133
אשאלה
337
מכם
100
שאלה
336
ותנולי
502
איש
311
נזם
97
שללו
366
כינזמי
137
זהב
14
להם
75
כי
30
ישמעאלים
501
הם
45
Judges 8:25
Gematria: 4153
ויאמרונתוןנתןויפרשואתהשמלהוישליכושמהאישנזםשללו
“Certainly!” they replied. And they spread out a cloth, and everyone threw onto it the earring he had received as booty.
The weight of the golden earrings that he had requested came to 1,700 shekels of gold; this was in addition to the crescents and the pendants and the purple robes worn by the kings of Midian and in addition to the collars on the necks of their camels.
Gideon made an ephod of this goldlthis gold Heb. “it.” and set it up in his own town of Ophrah. There all Israel went astray after it, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.