Focused Passage

Judges 8:13-17

Gideon's Troubled Aftermath: Pursuit, Kingship Refusal, and the Ephod Snare

The LORD-given victory over Midian is followed by tribal resentment, local refusal, Gideon's punitive retaliation, a rejected but tempting offer of dynastic rule, an ephod that becomes idolatrous, temporary rest, and Israel's rapid return to Baal after Gideon's death.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

13After this, Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle along the Ascent of Heres.

14There he captured a young man of Succoth and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven leaders and elders of Succoth.

15And Gideon went to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your weary men?’”

16Then he took the elders of the city, and using the thorns and briers of the wilderness, he disciplined the men of Succoth.

17He also pulled down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 13

Original words

After this, Gideonגִּדְע֥וֹןH1439Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Joashיוֹאָ֖שׁH3101Noun - proper - masculine singularreturnedוַיָּ֛שָׁבH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe battleהַמִּלְחָמָ֑הH4421Article | Noun - feminine singularalong the Ascent ofמִֽלְמַעֲלֵ֖הH4608Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructHeresהֶחָֽרֶס׃H2776Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 14

Original words

There he capturedוַיִּלְכָּד־H3920Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulara young manנַ֛עַרH5288Noun - masculine singular. . .מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥יH582Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural constructof Succothסֻכּ֖וֹתH5523Noun - proper - feminine singularand interrogated himוַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֑הוּH7592Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularThe young man wrote downוַיִּכְתֹּ֨בH3789Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfor himאֵלָ֜יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe names of the seventy-sevenשִׁבְעִ֥יםH7657Number - common plural. . .וְשִׁבְעָ֖הH7651Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular-אִֽישׁ׃H376Noun - masculine singularleadersשָׂרֵ֤יH8269Noun - masculine plural constructandוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markereldersזְקֵנֶ֔יהָH2205Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singularof Succothסֻכּוֹת֙H5523Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

1 Samuel 30:21Classic cross-references Judges 8:6Classic cross-references

Original words

And [Gideon] wentוַיָּבֹא֙H935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe menאַנְשֵׁ֣יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof Succothסֻכּ֔וֹתH5523Noun - proper - feminine singularand saidוַיֹּ֕אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularHereהִנֵּ֖הH2009Interjectionare Zebahזֶ֣בַחH2078Noun - proper - masculine singularand Zalmunnaוְצַלְמֻנָּ֑עH6759Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularabout whomאֲשֶׁר֩H834Pronoun - relativeyou tauntedחֵרַפְתֶּ֨םH2778Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine pluralmeאוֹתִ֜יH853Direct object marker | first person common singularsayingלֵאמֹ֗רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct[Are] the handsהֲ֠כַףH3709Article | Noun - feminine singular constructof Zebahזֶ֣בַחH2078Noun - proper - masculine singularand Zalmunnaוְצַלְמֻנָּ֤עH6759Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularalreadyעַתָּה֙H6258Adverbin your possessionבְּיָדֶ֔ךָH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularthatכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionwe should giveנִתֵּ֛ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralbreadלָֽחֶם׃H3899Noun - masculine singularto your wearyהַיְּעֵפִ֖יםH3287Article | Adjective - masculine pluralmenלַאֲנָשֶׁ֥יךָH582Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Genesis 33:17Classic cross-references Judges 8:7Classic cross-references Proverbs 10:13Classic cross-references Proverbs 19:29Classic cross-references

Original words

Then he tookוַיִּקַּח֙H3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe eldersזִקְנֵ֣יH2205Adjective - masculine plural constructof the cityהָעִ֔ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularand [using]וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerthe thornsקוֹצֵ֥יH6975Noun - masculine plural constructand briersהַֽבַּרְקֳנִ֑יםH1303Article | Noun - masculine pluralof the wildernessהַמִּדְבָּ֖רH4057Article | Noun - masculine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-בָּהֶ֔םPreposition | third person masculine plural-אֵ֖תH853Direct object markerhe disciplinedוַיֹּ֣דַעH3045Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe menאַנְשֵׁ֥יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof Succothסֻכּֽוֹת׃H5523Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

1 Kings 12:25Classic cross-references Judges 8:9Classic cross-references

Original words

-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerHe also pulled downנָתָ֑ץH5422Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe towerמִגְדַּ֥לH4026Noun - masculine singular constructof Penuelפְּנוּאֵ֖לH6439Noun - proper - feminine singularand killedוַֽיַּהֲרֹ֖גH2026Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe menאַנְשֵׁ֥יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof the cityהָעִֽיר׃H5892Article | Noun - feminine singular

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