Focused Passage

Judges 8:4-9

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

4Then Gideon and his three hundred men came to the Jordan and crossed it, exhausted yet still in pursuit.

5So Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give my troops some bread, for they are exhausted, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

6But the leaders of Succoth asked, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your army?”

7“Very well,” Gideon replied, “when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness!”

8From there he went up to Penuel and asked the same from them, but the men of Penuel gave the same response as the men of Succoth.

9So Gideon told the men of Penuel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower!”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 4

Original words

Then Gideonגִדְע֖וֹןH1439Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeand hisאִתּ֔וֹH854Preposition | third person masculine singularthreeוּשְׁלֹשׁ־H7969Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular constructhundredמֵא֤וֹתH3967Number - feminine pluralmenהָאִישׁ֙H376Article | Noun - masculine singularcameוַיָּבֹ֥אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto the Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּ֑נָהH3383Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular[and] crossed itעֹבֵ֣רH5674Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular. . .ה֗וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularexhaustedעֲיֵפִ֖יםH5889Adjective - masculine pluralyet still in pursuitוְרֹדְפִֽים׃H7291Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Verse 5

Original words

So [Gideon] saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto the menלְאַנְשֵׁ֣יH582Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural constructof Succothסֻכּ֔וֹתH5523Noun - proper - feminine singularPleaseנָא֙H4994Interjectiongiveתְּנוּ־H5414Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralmy troopsלָעָ֖םH5971Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relative-בְּרַגְלָ֑יH7272Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singularsomeכִּכְּר֣וֹתH3603Noun - feminine plural constructbreadלֶ֔חֶםH3899Noun - masculine singularforכִּי־H3588Conjunctiontheyהֵ֔םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralare exhaustedעֲיֵפִ֣יםH5889Adjective - masculine pluraland Iוְאָנֹכִ֗יH595Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularam still pursuingרֹדֵ֛ףH7291Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular. . .אַחֲרֵ֛יH310PrepositionZebahזֶ֥בַחH2078Noun - proper - masculine singularand Zalmunnaוְצַלְמֻנָּ֖עH6759Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularthe kingsמַלְכֵ֥יH4428Noun - masculine plural constructof Midianמִדְיָֽן׃H4080Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

But the leadersשָׂרֵ֣יH8269Noun - masculine plural constructof Succothסֻכּ֔וֹתH5523Noun - proper - feminine singularaskedוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular[Are] the handsהֲ֠כַףH3709Article | Noun - feminine singular constructof Zebahזֶ֧בַחH2078Noun - proper - masculine singularand Zalmunnaוְצַלְמֻנָּ֛עH6759Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularalreadyעַתָּ֖הH6258Adverbin your possessionבְּיָדֶ֑ךָH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularthatכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionwe should giveנִתֵּ֥ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralbreadלָֽחֶם׃H3899Noun - masculine singularto your armyלִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖H6635Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

Very wellלָכֵ֗ןH3651AdverbGideonגִּדְע֔וֹןH1439Noun - proper - masculine singularrepliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularwhen the LORDיְהוָ֛הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhas deliveredבְּתֵ֧תH5414Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructZebahזֶ֥בַחH2078Noun - proper - masculine singularandוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerZalmunnaצַלְמֻנָּ֖עH6759Noun - proper - masculine singularinto my handבְּיָדִ֑יH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularI will tearוְדַשְׁתִּי֙H1758Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour fleshבְּשַׂרְכֶ֔םH1320Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine pluralwithאֶת־H854Prepositionthe thornsקוֹצֵ֥יH6975Noun - masculine plural constructand briersהַֽבַּרְקֳנִֽים׃H1303Article | Noun - masculine pluralof the wildernessהַמִּדְבָּ֖רH4057Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .וְאֶת־H854Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Verse 8

Original words

From thereמִשָּׁם֙H8033Preposition-m | Adverbhe went upוַיַּ֤עַלH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto Penuelפְּנוּאֵ֔לH6439Noun - proper - feminine singularand askedוַיְדַבֵּ֥רH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe sameכָּזֹ֑אתH2063Preposition-k | Pronoun - feminine singularfrom themאֲלֵיהֶ֖םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluralbut the menאַנְשֵׁ֣יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof Penuelפְנוּאֵ֔לH6439Noun - proper - feminine singulargave the same responseוַיַּעֲנ֤וּH6030Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אוֹתוֹ֙H853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularasכַּאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative-עָנ֖וּH6030Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthe menאַנְשֵׁ֥יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof Succothסֻכּֽוֹת׃H5523Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Penuel is a variant of Peniel; also in verses 9 and 17; see Genesis 32:30.
Verse 9

Original words

So [Gideon]גַּם־H1571Conjunctiontoldוַיֹּ֛אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe menלְאַנְשֵׁ֥יH582Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural constructof Penuelפְנוּאֵ֖לH6439Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructWhen I returnבְּשׁוּבִ֣יH7725Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singularin triumphבְשָׁל֔וֹםH7965Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularI will tear downאֶתֹּ֖ץH5422Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthisהַזֶּֽה׃פH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singulartowerהַמִּגְדָּ֥לH4026Article | Noun - masculine singular

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