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Commentary on Judges 8 verses 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 8:10. 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 Ephraimites, and made towards their own country. Gideon thinks he does not fully execute his commission to save Israel if he let them escape. He is not content to chase them out of the country, but he will chase them out of the world, Job 18:18. This resolution is here pushed on with great firmness, and crowned with great success.
1.His firmness was very exemplary. He effected his purpose under the greatest disadvantages and discouragements that could be. (1.) He took none with him but his 300 men, who now laid aside their trumpets and torches, and betook themselves to their swords and spears. God had said, By these 300 men will I save you (Jdg 7:7); and, confiding in that promise, Gideon kept to them only, Jdg 8:4. He expected more from 300 men, supported by a particular promise, than from so many thousands supported only by their own valour. (2.) They were faint, and yet pursuing, much fatigued with what they had done, and yet eager to do more against the enemies of their country. Our spiritual warfare must thus be prosecuted with what strength we have, though we have but little; it is many a time the true Christina's case, fainting and yet pursuing. (3.) Though he met with discouragement from those of his own people, was jeered for what he was doing, as going about what he could never accomplish, yet he went on with it. If those that should be our helpers in the way of our duty prove hindrances to us, let not this drive us off from it. Those know not how to value God's acceptance that know not how to despise the reproaches and contempts of men. (4.) He made a very long march by the way of those that dwelt in tents (Jdg 8:11), either because he hoped to find them kinder to him than the men of Succoth and Penuel, that dwelt in walled towns (sometimes there is more generosity and charity found in country tents than in city palaces), or because that was a road in which he would be least expected, and therefore that way it would be the greater surprise to them. It is evident he spared no pains to complete his victory. Now he found it an advantage to have his 300 men such as could bear hunger, and thirst, and toil. It should seem, he set upon the enemy by night, as he had done before, for the host was secure. The security of sinners often proves their ruin, and dangers are most fatal when least feared.
2.His success was very encouraging to resolution and industry in a good cause. He routed the army (Jdg 8:11), and took the two kings prisoners, Jdg 8:12. Note, The fear of the wicked shall come upon him. Those that think to run from the sword of the Lord and of Gideon do but run upon it. If he flee from the iron weapon, yet the bow of steel shall strike him through; for evil pursueth sinners.
II. Here is Gideon, as a righteous judge, chastising the insolence of the disaffected Israelites, the men of Succoth and the men of Penuel, both in the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan.
1.Their crime was great. Gideon, with a handful of feeble folk was pursuing the common enemy, to complete the deliverance of Israel. His way led him through the city of Succoth first and afterwards of Penuel. He expected not that the magistrates should meet him in their formalities, congratulate him upon his victory, present him with the keys of their city, and give him a treat, much less that they should send forces in to his assistance, though he was entitled to all this; but he only begs some necessary food for his soldiers that were ready to faint for want, and he does it very humbly and importunately: Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me, Jdg 8:5. The request would have been reasonable if they had been but poor travellers in distress; but considering that they were soldiers, called, and chose, and faithful (Rev 17:14), men whom God had greatly honoured and to whom Israel was highly obliged, who had done great service to their country and were now doing more, - that they were conquerors, and had power to put them under contribution, - and that they were fighting God's battles and Israel's, - nothing could be more just than that their brethren should furnish them with the best provisions their city afforded. But the princes of Succoth neither feared God nor regarded man. For, (1.) In contempt of God, they refused to answer the just demands of him whom God had raised up to save them, affronted him, bantered him, despised the success he had already been honoured with, despaired of the success of his present undertaking, did what they could to discourage him in prosecuting the war, and were very willing to believe that the remaining forces of Midian, which they had now seen march through their country, would be too hard for him: Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand? "No, nor ever will be," so they conclude, judging by the disproportion of numbers. (2.) The bowels of their compassion were shut up against their brethren; they were as destitute of love as they were of faith, would not give morsels of bread (so some read it) to those that were ready to perish. Were these princes? were these Israelites? unworthy either title, base and degenerate men! Surely they were worshippers of Baal, or in the interests of Midian. The men of Penuel gave the same answer to the same request, defying the sword of the Lord and of Gideon, Jdg 8:8.
2.The warning he gave them of the punishment of their crime was very fair. (1.) He did not punish it immediately, because he would not lose so much time from the pursuit of the enemy that were flying from him, because he would not seem to do it in a neat of passion, and because he would do it more to their shame and confusion when he had completed his undertaking, which they thought impracticable. But, (2.) He told them how he would punish it (Jdg 8:7, Jdg 8:9), to show the confidence he had of success in the strength of God, and that, if they had the least grain of grace and consideration left, they might upon second thoughts repent of their folly, humble themselves, and contrive how to atone for it, by sending after him succours and supplies, which if they had done, no doubt, Gideon would have pardoned them. God gives notice of danger, and space to repent, that sinners may flee from the wrath to come.
3.The warning being slighted, the punishment, though very severe, was really very just.
(1.)The princes of Succoth were first made examples. Gideon got intelligence of their number, seventy-seven men, their names, and places of abode, which were described in writing to him, Jdg 8:14. And, to their great surprise, when they thought he had scarcely overtaken the Midianites, he returned a conqueror. His 300 men were now the ministers of his justice; they secured all these princes, and brought them before Gideon, who showed them his royal captives in chains. "These are the men you thought me an unequal match for, and would give me no assistance in the pursuit of," Jdg 8:15. And he punished them with thorns and briers, but, it should seem, not unto death. With these, [1.] He tormented their bodies, either by scourging or by rolling them in the thorns and briers; some way or other he tore their flesh, Jdg 8:7. Those shall have judgment without mercy that have shown no mercy. Perhaps he observed them to be soft and delicate men, who despised him and his company for their roughness and hardiness, and therefore Gideon thus mortified them for their effeminacy. [2.] He instructed their minds: With these he taught the men of Succoth, Jdg 8:16. The correction he gave them was intended, not for destruction, but wholesome discipline, to make them wiser and better for the future. He made them know (so the word is), made them know themselves and their folly, God and their duty, made them know who Gideon was, since they would not know by the success wherewith God had crowned him. Note, Many are taught with the briers and thorns of affliction that would not learn otherwise. God gives wisdom by the rod and reproof, chastens and teaches, and by correction opens the ear to discipline. Our blessed Saviour, though he was a Son, yet learnt obedience by the things which he suffered, Heb 5:8. Let every pricking brier, and grieving thorn, especially when it becomes a thorn in the flesh, be thus interpreted, thus improved. "By this God designs to teach me; what good lesson shall I learn?"
(2.)The doom of the men of Penuel comes next, and it should seem he used them more severely than the other, for good reason, no doubt, Jdg 8:17. [1.] He beat down their tower, of which they gloried, in which they trusted, perhaps scornfully advising Gideon and his men rather to secure themselves in that than to pursue the Midianites. What men make their pride is justly by its ruin made their shame. [2.] He slew the men of the city, not all, perhaps not the elders or princes, but those that had affronted him, and those only. He slew some of the men of the city that were most insolent and abusive, for terror to the rest, and so he taught the men of Penuel.
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SUMMARY
Judges 8:5 captures a critical juncture in Gideon's relentless pursuit of the remaining Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, following God's miraculous victory. This verse vividly portrays the profound physical exhaustion of Gideon's 300 men, who, having fought through the night and covered significant distances, are on the verge of collapse. It records Gideon's urgent and humble appeal to the leaders of Succoth, an Israelite city, for essential provisions—loaves of bread—to sustain his weary troops and empower them to complete their divinely ordained mission of utterly eradicating the Midianite threat.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Judges 8:5 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message and meticulously set the stage for subsequent events. The immediate Pathos is powerfully evident in Gideon's description of his men as "faint," which evokes deep sympathy for their arduous journey and highlights the immense physical demands of their divinely appointed mission. This stark reality of human exhaustion stands in striking Juxtaposition to the miraculous and effortless victory that immediately preceded it, serving as a poignant reminder to the reader that even God's most extraordinary work often requires sustained human endurance and practical support. Furthermore, the verse subtly employs Foreshadowing by presenting Gideon's reasonable and expected request to Succoth. The reader's natural expectation of solidarity and immediate assistance among fellow Israelites, especially in such a crucial moment of national liberation, creates a palpable dramatic tension that will be shockingly subverted in the very next verse by Succoth's contemptuous refusal. This refusal, in turn, introduces a powerful Irony that starkly exposes the internal divisions, self-interest, and lamentable lack of faith within Israel, even when faced with a clear divine mandate.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 8:5 powerfully illustrates the profound interplay between divine power and human endurance in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. While God miraculously provides the initial victory, He consistently calls His servants to persistent, often exhausting, follow-through. Gideon's compassionate and responsible leadership in seeking essential sustenance for his weary men underscores a vital biblical principle: even in spiritual warfare and divinely appointed tasks, practical human needs must be recognized and met, and leaders bear a solemn responsibility for the physical and spiritual well-being of those under their charge. The verse implicitly raises the critical theological question of community responsibility and solidarity within God's people, setting up the subsequent narrative of Succoth's lamentable failure to provide aid. It serves as a potent reminder that even when empowered and guided by God, we remain physical beings who require rest, nourishment, and the tangible support of the community to effectively fulfill our divine callings and persevere in faith.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 8:5 offers profound and timeless lessons for contemporary believers navigating their own spiritual journeys and service. Gideon's empathetic recognition of his men's "faintness" reminds us that even in the most Spirit-led and divinely empowered endeavors, physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion are real and unavoidable realities. Authentic leadership, whether exercised in ministry, within the family, or in the workplace, inherently involves discerning and proactively addressing the practical needs of those we lead or serve. We are unequivocally called to be attentive to the weariness of others and to offer tangible, practical support, just as Gideon sought essential bread for his troops. Furthermore, Gideon's unwavering pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna, despite his men's debilitating fatigue, models the tenacious persistence and unyielding resolve required in our own spiritual battles. There will undoubtedly be times when we feel utterly spent and on the verge of collapse, yet the mission God has graciously given us—whether it's overcoming a persistent sin, faithfully serving in a challenging ministry, or persevering through profound trials—requires us to press on, trusting in God to provide the necessary strength and resources, often through the loving support of His body, the Church. This verse profoundly challenges us to consider how we can actively be "bread-givers" and sources of tangible encouragement to those who are faint and weary in the relentless pursuit of God's kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Gideon need to ask for bread if God had just given them a great victory?
Answer: Gideon's request for bread, despite the miraculous victory recounted in Judges 7, highlights the practical realities of warfare and the inherent physical limitations of human beings. While God provided the supernatural means for the initial, decisive victory, He consistently works through human agents who possess physical needs. Gideon's men had been fighting through the entire night, had covered significant distances in a relentless pursuit, and were consequently utterly exhausted and "faint." The initial victory was a direct divine act, but the follow-through—the arduous pursuit and elimination of the enemy kings—required sustained human effort and essential physical sustenance. God empowers His people, but He also expects them to act responsibly and meet basic needs, often through the mutual support of the community. This situation profoundly underscores that even in the most divinely appointed service, we are not exempt from the fundamental need for rest, nourishment, and practical provision.
What is the significance of Gideon's pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna?
Answer: Gideon's relentless pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianite kings, was crucial for several profound reasons beyond mere retribution. First, it was fundamentally about completing the comprehensive deliverance God had initiated. Leaving these kings alive would have allowed Midian to potentially regroup, consolidate their power, and continue their severe oppression of Israel. Second, it constituted a decisive act of divine judgment. These kings embodied the oppressive power that had afflicted Israel for seven long years, and their capture and execution symbolized the complete and irreversible breaking of Midianite dominance. Third, it powerfully demonstrated Gideon's unwavering commitment to God's divine call. Despite the extreme exhaustion of his men and the lamentable lack of support from fellow Israelites like Succoth (as vividly seen in Judges 8:6), Gideon pressed on with unyielding resolve to ensure the full and final victory, thereby securing lasting peace and stability for Israel. This tenacious pursuit signifies the paramount importance of finishing the work God has given us, rather than stopping halfway.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Gideon's relentless pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna, and the profound weariness of his men, beautifully foreshadows the greater spiritual battle waged by Jesus Christ and the call for His followers to persevere with endurance. Just as Gideon led his faint men in a tenacious chase to secure a temporal victory, Jesus, our ultimate Commander and Deliverer, tirelessly pursued the will of God, even to the point of profound exhaustion and ultimate death on the cross (as declared in Philippians 2:8). He intimately knew the weariness and burdens of human existence, graciously inviting all who are "weary and burdened" to find true rest and spiritual refreshment in Him (as promised in Matthew 11:28). While Gideon sought physical bread to sustain his men for a physical mission, Jesus declared Himself to be the "bread of life," the true and eternal sustenance that satisfies spiritual hunger and provides everlasting strength to all who believe in Him (as proclaimed in John 6:35). Our Lord did not merely achieve a partial or temporary victory; through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, He utterly triumphed over the spiritual kings of darkness—Satan, sin, and death—disarming principalities and powers and making a public spectacle of them (as triumphantly declared in Colossians 2:15). We, as His redeemed followers, are now called to run the race set before us with unwavering endurance, fixing our eyes upon Him, Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising its shame (as exhorted in Hebrews 12:1-2). In Christ, our human weariness is met with divine strength, our spiritual hunger is eternally satisfied, and our mission is assured of ultimate, glorious victory.