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L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:1-35

GRIEVOUS WORDS AND A SOFT ANSWER (vv. 1-3) But the men of Ephraim were resentful that Gideon had called them so late rather than when he began his campaign against Midian (v.1). They did not stop to consider that it was God who ordered the assault on Midian.They probably did not know that God had reduced the army to 300 rather than increasing it by the inclusion of Ephraim.Gideon could have pointed these things out to them, but instead he took a wiser way of using a soft answer to turn away... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Judges 8:1-35

GIDEON AND THE MIDIANITES The old story of sin and suffering is repeated after the death of Deborah. The Midianites occupied territory on the south and east, contiguous to Moab, and were wandering herdsmen like the modern Bedouins, who, in connection with the Amalekites, harassed Israel at every opportunity with the results indicated in Judges 6:1-6 . God sends a prophet to His people in this case before He sends a Savior (Judges 6:7-10 ), for they must be brought to repentance before... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Judges 8:1-35

Gideon Judges 6-8 AT the close of the song of Deborah "the land had rest forty years." The sixth chapter begins with the usual black line: "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord." These comings and goings of evil in human history seem to be fated. Men never get so clear away from evil as never to come back again to it; at any moment the course of life may be reversed, and the altar, the vow, the song, and the prayer may be forgotten like vanished summers. This makes the... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Judges 8:24-27

Whatever were the views of Gideon in this ephod, is not easily determined. Aaron had fallen into a similar transgression, in the time the church was in the wilderness. Alas! what are the best of men for a moment, if not upheld by grace? Exodus 32:1 . read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Judges 8:24

Request. It was not then thought dishonourable to ask nor to receive presents. The most precious part of the booty had been already presented to the general, according to the custom of the heroic times. But, as the people wished to make Gedeon king, he consents to receive the earlets, as a memorial of their affection. --- Earlets. Hebrew and Septuagint (Menochius) may also signify, "each an earlet," as if he would only accept one from each soldier. The original signifies also, the rings which... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:22-28

22-28 Gideon refused the government the people offered him. No good man can be pleased with any honour done to himself, which belongs only to God. Gideon thought to keep up the remembrance of this victory by an ephod, made of the choicest of the spoils. But probably this ephod had, as usual, a teraphim annexed to it, and Gideon intended this for an oracle to be consulted. Many are led into false ways by one false step of a good man. It became a snare to Gideon himself, and it proved the ruin of... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Judges 8:22-35

The Consequences of the Campaign v. 22. Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son, and thy son's son also, they wanted to establish a hereditary kingdom with their great deliverer at their head, as the founder of a royal dynasty; for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. v. 23. And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you. Gideon did not feel himself called upon to found... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Judges 8:22-32

Gideon refuses to be king. Prepares an ephod, which is followed by evil consequences. Gideon’s death and burialJudges 8:22-32.22Then [And] the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord [Jehovah] shall rule over you. 24And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that you... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Judges 8:13-28

the Snare of Success Judges 8:13-28 Clearly Gideon’s family had passed through some terrible tragedy previous to this war of emancipation. He had not learned our Lord’s teaching of forgiveness and acted on the usual maxims of his age. Possibly, also, he felt that he was the executioner of God’s vengeance upon these chiefs, whose names, “Immolation” and “Trouble,” were derived from their desperate deeds. As they stood anticipating death, they uttered a memorable sentence, “As the man is, so... read more

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