Judges 8:22-24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 8:22-28

Here is, I. Gideon's laudable modesty, after his great victory, in refusing the government which the people offered him. 1. It was honest in them to offer it: Rule thou over us, for thou hast delivered us, Jdg. 7:22. They thought it very reasonable that he who had gone through the toils and perils of their deliverance should enjoy the honour and power of commanding them ever afterwards, and very desirable that he who in this great and critical juncture had had such manifest tokens of God's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 8:22

Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon ,.... Some time after his return, the chief men of Israel having met in a body, and consulted matters among themselves, sent a deputation to Gideon with an offer of the government of them: rule thou over us, both thou and thy son, and thy son's son also ; by which they meant, that he would take the kingly government of them, and which they proposed to settle in his posterity for ages to come; for, as a judge in Israel, he had a sort of rule and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 8:23

And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you ,.... Not that he declined the government of them as a judge, to which he was raised of God, but as a king, for which he had no authority and call from God; the choice of a king belonging to him, and not to the people: neither shall my son rule over you ; which Abarbinel thinks he spake as a prophet, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; for after his death neither Jether his eldest son, nor any of the rest of his legitimate... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 8:24

And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you ,.... Which he thought they would scarcely deny, and it was now a fair opportunity to make it, since they had offered him a crown, or to be king over them: and the favour he asked was: that you would give me every man the earrings of his prey ; or, "an earring of his prey"; for it is in the singular number; every man one earring, as Abarbinel interprets it; for though they might have more, yet only one ear ring of every man is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:22

Rule thou over us , both thou , and thy son , and thy son ' s son - That is, Become our king, and let the crown be hereditary in thy family. What a weak, foolish, and inconstant people were these! As yet their government was a theocracy; and now, dazzled with the success of a man who was only an instrument in the hands of God to deliver them from their enemies, they wish to throw off the Divine yoke, and shackle themselves with an unlimited hereditary monarchy! An... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:23

The Lord shall rule over you - Few with such power at their command would have acted as Gideon. His speech calls them back to their first principles, and should have excited in them both shame and contrition. How different is this speech from that of Oliver Cromwell when the commons offered him the crown of England! read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 8:24

Give me every man the ear-rings of his prey - The spoils taken from their enemies in this warfare. This is a transaction very like to that of the Israelites and Aaron; when they brought him their golden ear-rings, out of which he made the molten calf, Exodus 32:2 , etc. Whether Gideon designed this ephod for an instrument of worship, or merely as a trophy, is not very clear. It is most likely that he had intended to establish a place of worship at Ophrah; and he took this... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 8:24

In this desire for gold Gideon falls to the level of ordinary men, and we may see in it the first decline of his glory, leading to a sad tarnishing of the luster of his bright name. The idolatrous honor paid to Gideon’s ephod was probably a source of revenue to his house. Contrast the conduct of Abraham Genesis 14:21-23, and of Elisha 2Ki 5:16, 2 Kings 5:26.The “ear-ring” here mentioned is properly a “nose-ring” (compare Genesis 24:22 note). The custom of wearing nose-rings prevails in Eastern... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 8:22

Judges 8:22. Rule thou over us Not as a judge, for as such he already ruled over them, but as a king; both thou and thy son, &c. Let the kingdom be hereditary to thee and to thy family. For thou hast delivered us This miraculous and extraordinary deliverance by thy hands deserves no less from us. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 8:23

Judges 8:23. I will not rule over you As a king. He rejected their offer, because he looked upon God as their king, who appointed what deputy he pleased to govern them; and because he considered this proposal as an effort, or at least as tending to alter that form of government which God had instituted and had given them no authority to change. The Lord shall rule over you In a special manner, as he hath hitherto done by judges. These God particularly appointed and directed in all the... read more

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