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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 8:14

And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him ,.... Just before he came to the city, he spied a young man which belonged to it, and laid hold on him, and inquired of him about the chief magistrates of the city, who they were, what their names, and their places of abode: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even seventy seven men ; by which it appears that this was no inconsiderable city to have so many princes and elders in it;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 8:15

And he came unto the men of Succoth ,.... Entered the city, and bespoke the inhabitants of it in the following manner: and said, behold, Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me ; as not in his hands, and never would be, he being with his three hundred men an unequal match to them with 15,000; but he had taken them, and brought them with him, and perhaps spared them for this very reason, to let them see they were in his hands, and now calls upon them to behold them with their own... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 8:16

And he took the elders of the city ,.... All of them, especially those of them who had been most guilty, and had them to a proper place, where they might be made public examples of: and thorns of the wilderness, and briers ; which were near at hand, and soon cut up, for which he gave orders to proper persons: and with them he taught the men of Succoth ; either the inhabitants of the place, as distinct from the elders, whose punishment he taught them to be cautious not to follow such... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:5

Give , I pray you , loaves of bread - As Gideon was engaged in the common cause of Israel, he had a right to expect succor from the people at large. His request to the men of Succoth and Penuel was both just and reasonable. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:6

Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand - They feared to help Gideon, lest, if he should be overpowered, the Midianites would revenge it upon them; and they dared not trust God. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:7

I will tear your flesh - What this punishment consisted in I cannot say; it must mean a severe punishment: as if he had said, I will thresh your flesh with briers and thorns, as corn is threshed out with threshing instruments; or, Ye shall be trodden down under the feet of my victorious army, as the corn is trodden out with the feet of the ox. Succoth was beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Gad. Penuel was also in the same tribe, and not far distant from Succoth. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:9

I will break down this tower - Probably they had not only denied him, but insultingly pointed to a tower in which their chief defense lay; and intimated to him that he might do his worst, for they could amply defend themselves. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:10

Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor - If this were a place, it is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture. Some contend that קרקר karkor signifies rest; and thus the Vulgate understood it: Zebah and Zalmunna requiescebant , rested, with all their army. And this seems the most likely, for it is said, Judges 8:11 , that Gideon smote the host, for the host was secure. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:13

Returned from battle before the sun was up - This does not appear to be a proper translation of החרס מלמעלה milmaaleh hechares . It should be rendered from the ascent of Chares: this is the reading of the Septuagint, the Syriac, and the Arabic. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:14

He described unto him the princes of Succoth - The young man probably gave him the names of seventy persons, the chief men of Succoth, who were those who were most concerned in refusing him and his men the refreshment he requested. read more

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