Focused Passage

Judges 8:18-21

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

18Next, Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?” “Men like you,” they answered, “each one resembling the son of a king.”

19“They were my brothers,” Gideon replied, “the sons of my mother! As surely as the LORD lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

20So he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them.” But the young man did not draw his sword; he was fearful because he was still a youth.

21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Get up and kill us yourself, for as the man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments from the necks of their camels.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 18

Cross-references

Judges 4:6Classic cross-references James 1:24Classic cross-references Isaiah 3:3Classic cross-references

Original words

Next, [Gideon] askedוַיֹּ֗אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413PrepositionZebahזֶ֙בַח֙H2078Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand Zalmunnaצַלְמֻנָּ֔עH6759Noun - proper - masculine singularWhat kindאֵיפֹה֙H375Interrogativeof menהָאֲנָשִׁ֔יםH582Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativedid you killהֲרַגְתֶּ֖םH2026Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralat Taborבְּתָב֑וֹרH8396Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularMen like youכָּמ֣וֹךָH3644Preposition | second person masculine singular. . .כְמוֹהֶ֔םH3644Preposition | third person masculine pluralthey answeredוַֽיֹּאמרוּ֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural[each] oneאֶחָ֕דH259Number - masculine singularresemblingכְּתֹ֖אַרH8389Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructthe sonבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructof a kingהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃H4428Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 19

Cross-references

Ruth 3:13Classic cross-references

Original words

Theyהֵ֑םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralwere my brothersאַחַ֥יH251Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularGideon repliedוַיֹּאמַ֕רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe sonsבְּנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural constructof my motherאִמִּ֖יH517Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularAs surely as the LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularlivesחַי־H2416Noun - masculine singularifל֚וּH3863Prepositionyou had let them liveהַחֲיִתֶ֣םH2421Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural-אוֹתָ֔םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralI would notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlekillהָרַ֖גְתִּיH2026Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularyouאֶתְכֶֽם׃H853Direct object marker | second person masculine plural

Verse 20

Cross-references

Joshua 10:24Classic cross-references

Original words

So he saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto Jetherלְיֶ֣תֶרH3500Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularhis firstbornבְּכוֹר֔וֹH1060Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularGet upק֖וּםH6965Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularand kill themהֲרֹ֣גH2026Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular-אוֹתָ֑םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralBut the young manהַנַּ֤עַרH5288Article | Noun - masculine singulardid notוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particledrawשָׁלַ֨ףH8025Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularhis swordחַרְבּוֹ֙H2719Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular-כִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionhe was fearfulיָרֵ֔אH3372Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionhe was stillעוֹדֶ֖נּוּH5750Adverb | third person masculine singulara youthנָֽעַר׃H5288Noun - masculine singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

Isaiah 3:18Classic cross-references Psalms 83:11Classic cross-references Judges 8:26Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Zebahזֶ֣בַחH2078Noun - proper - masculine singularand Zalmunnaוְצַלְמֻנָּ֗עH6759Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֜אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGet upק֤וּםH6965Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularand killוּפְגַע־H6293Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularusבָּ֔נוּPreposition | first person common pluralyourselfאַתָּה֙H859Pronoun - second person masculine singularforכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionas the man isכָאִ֖ישׁH376Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularso is his strengthגְּבוּרָת֑וֹH1369Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularSo Gideonגִּדְע֗וֹןH1439Noun - proper - masculine singulargot upוַיָּ֣קָםH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand killedוַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙H2026Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerZebahזֶ֣בַחH2078Noun - proper - masculine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand Zalmunnaצַלְמֻנָּ֔עH6759Noun - proper - masculine singularand he tookוַיִּקַּח֙H3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe crescent ornamentsהַשַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔יםH7720Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativefrom the necksבְּצַוְּארֵ֥יH6677Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructof their camelsגְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃H1581Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural

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