Keraia
Judges 8

Judges 8:5

Gideon Defeats Zebah and Zalmunna · Judges 8:1–21
Read Judges 8

Translations

Modern
So Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give my troops some bread, for they are exhausted, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
Traditional
And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
Literal
And he said to the men of Succoth, “Give, please, loaves of bread to the people who are at my feet, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
Latin
Dixitque ad viros Soccoth: Date, obsecro, panes populo qui mecum est, quia valde defecerunt: ut possimus persequi Zebee et Salmana reges Madian.

Original

Hebrew
English
So Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give my troops some bread, for they are exhausted, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

Notes

Judges 8:4–12

  • At this point, Gideon seemed as focused on revenge as on victory. His earlier conversations with the Lord suddenly stopped. The group of 300 men made a final attack on the Midianites.

  • Gideon chased the fleeing Midianite kings through the Jabbok gorge and then south toward Rabbah, following the caravan route onto the Transjordan plateau.

  • Succoth and Peniel were Israelite cities, but their loyalty to Gideon, a new general, was weak. The tribes east of the Jordan were often under Midianite pressure and seemed to fear them.

Judges 6:1–8:35

Gideon's time as a judge ends the first era of judges.

Theme notes and profiles

Gideon Social Chaos in Judges

Events

People

Zalmunna: Midianite king defeated by Gideon Zebah: Midianite king defeated by Gideon

Places

Midian: A nation descended from Abraham; oppressed Israel in the time of the judges Succoth: City in Canaan, location of Solomon's bronze works

Glossary

Ephraim, Tribe of Judges, Book of Midian, Midianite Succoth

Topics

Gideon: Leads an Army Against and Defeats the Midianites God: Preserver: Under Gideon Israel: Under the Judges: Seven Years of Bondage to the Midianites; Delivered by Gideon Midianites: Governed by Kings Patriotism: Lacking in The Inhabitants of Succoth and Penuel Succoth: A City Which Was Located Probably East of the Jordan River: People of, Punished by Gideon The Armies of Israel: Mode of Supplying: Contribution Levied Travellers of Distinction: Frequently Extorted Provisions by the Way Zalmunna: King of Midian Zebah: King of Midian