Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 8:4-17

In these verses we have, I. Gideon, as a valiant general, pursuing the remaining Midianites, and bravely following his blow. A very great slaughter was made of the enemy at first: 120,000 men that drew the sword, Jdg. 7:10. Such a terrible execution did they make among themselves, and so easy a prey were they to Israel. But, it seems, the two kings of Midian, being better provided than the rest for an escape, with 15,000 men got over Jordan before the passes could be secured by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 8:13

And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle ,.... To Penuel and Succoth, to chastise them for their ill treatment of him and his men: before the sun was up ; by which it appears that it was in the night that he fell upon the host at Karkor, which must be the night following; it could not be the same night in which he had defeated them in the valley of Jezreel; though Vatablus thinks this battle was begun and finished in one night; but there were, according to this history, so many... 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

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 8:13

Before the sun was up - The translation of the words is doubtful, because of the rarity of the word rendered “sun” (חרס cheres). Many suppose it to be the name of a mountain pass, and render it from the ascent of Heres. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 8:13

Judges 8:13. Gideon returned before the sun was up By which it may be gathered, that he came upon them in the night, which was most convenient for him who had so small a number with him, and most likely to terrify them by the remembrance of the last night’s sad work. It must be acknowledged, however, that different interpretations are given of this passage. The Seventy, the Syriac, and Arabic versions take החרס , hechares, here rendered sun, for the name of a place, in which they are... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 8:1-35

Deliverance under Gideon (7:1-8:35)God allowed Gideon only three hundred men to launch the attack against the Midianites, so that Israel might know that victory was not by military power but by God’s power (7:1-8). A Midianite soldier’s dream showed that an unnatural fear had come upon the Midianites. When he dreamt that a poor man’s loaf of barley overthrew a rich man’s tent, he thought that poverty-stricken Israel would overthrow Midian’s army. The Midianites could, in fact, have wiped out... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 8:13

SUCCOTH AND PENUEL PUNISHED (Judges 8:13-17)"And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men. And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 8:13

Judges 8:13. Before the sun was up— Very different and contrary interpretations are given of this passage. Houbigant supposes, that החרס hechares does not signify the sun here, but is the proper name of a place; and accordingly he renders it by that place which is above Hares; and in this interpretation he is countenanced by the LXX, Syriac, and Arabic versions. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 8:13

13. Gideon returned from battle before the sun was up—He seems to have returned by a nearer route to Succoth, for what is rendered in our version "before the sun was up," means "the heights of Heres, the sun-hills." read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 8:1-32

1. The story of Gideon 6:1-8:32Paul Tanner pointed out that the Gideon narrative consists of five primary structural sections."The first section (Judges 6:1-10) provides the introduction and setting before Gideon’s debut, the second section (Judges 6:11-32) gives the commissioning of Gideon as deliverer of Israel, the third section (Judges 6:33 to Judges 7:18) presents the preparation for the battle, the fourth section (Judges 7:19 to Judges 8:21) recounts the defeat of the Midianite army, and... read more

Group of Brands