And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God ,.... Or, as the Targum, the worship of the Lord their God; they forgot him, and forsook him, which showed base ingratitude: who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies on every side ; not only out of the hands of Midian, but all other nations round about them, as Edom, Moab, Ammon, &c.; not one attempting to oppress them. read more
Remembered not the Lord their God - They attributed their deliverance to some other cause, and did not give him the glory of their salvation. read more
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
2. Israel’s departure from Yahweh 8:33-35After Gideon’s death, the Israelites again wandered from the Lord (cf. Judges 3:7; Judges 3:12; Judges 4:1; Judges 6:1; Judges 10:6; Judges 13:1). They even made a covenant with Baal in disobedience to God’s Law. "Baal-berith" (Judges 8:33) means "Baal of the covenant." Ironically Shechem, the town where the Israelites had twice renewed their covenant with Yahweh after they entered the land (Joshua 8; Joshua 24), became a site and center of this Baal... read more
The Pursuit of the Kings. Gideon’s Subsequent Career and Death1. Cp. Judges 12. Ephraim claimed to be the leading tribe; later the name was often used as a synonym for the northern kingdom. The natural jealousy of the tribe was appeased by Gideon’s ready wit; one might have suspected that, making such claims as these, they would not have left Gideon to take the initiative.2. Gleaning and vintage] note the contrast between these. Abi-ezer] Gideon substitutes this for his own name. 4. Having... read more
(34) Remembered not the Lord their God.—According to Judges 9:46, they looked on Baal as their Elohim, and forgot that Jehovah was the one God. There was always this tendency to syncretism, as a half-way step towards idolatry. Zephaniah (Judges 1:5) mentions them “that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham” (i.e., Moloch), and the Samaritans “feared the Lord and served their own gods” (2 Kings 17:33). read more
Judges 8:3 Sometimes men of great strength of will and purpose possess also in a high degree the gift of tact.... In nearly all administrative posts, in all the many fields of labour where the task of man is to govern, manage, or influence others, to adjust or harmonize antagonism of race or interests or prejudices, to carry through difficult business without friction and by skilful cooperation, this combination of gifts is supremely valuable. W. E. H. Lecky. Judges 8:4 In his Life of... read more
ABIMELECH AND JOTHAMJudges 8:29-35; Judges 9:1-57THE history we are tracing moves from man to man; the personal influence of the hero is everything while it lasts and confusion follows on his death. Gideon appears as one of the most successful Hebrew judges in maintaining order. While he was there in Ophrah religion and government had a centre "and the country was in quietness forty years." A man far from perfect but capable of mastery held the reins and gave forth judgment with an authority... read more
CHAPTER 8 Internal Strife, Gideon’s Failure and End 1. The strife (Judges 8:1-9 ) 2. The complete deliverance (Judges 8:10-21 ) 3. Gideon’s failure and end (Judges 8:22-32 ) 4. Israel’s failure after Gideon (Judges 8:33-35 ) Internal strife follows. The two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, were slain (Judges 7:25 ). Oreb means “raven” and Zeeb means “wolf.” Oreb, the raven, is slain on the rock and Zeeb, the wolf, at the winepress. The raven, the bird which represents darkness and... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 8:29-35
We have here the conclusion of the story of Gideon. 1. He lived privately, Jdg. 8:29. He was not puffed up with his great honours, did not covet a palace or castle to dwell in, but retired to the house he had lived in before his elevation. Thus that brave Roman Who was called from the plough upon a sudden occasion to command the army when the action was over returned to his plough again. 2. His family was multiplied. He had many wives (therein he transgressed the law); by them he had seventy... read more