Judges 8:6

_AND THE PRINCES OF SUCCOTH SAID, ARE THE HANDS OF ZEBAH AND ZALMUNNA NOW IN THINE HAND, THAT WE SHOULD GIVE BREAD UNTO THINE ARMY?_ The princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand - an insolent as well as a time-serving reply. It was insolent, because it implied a bitter taunt that Gideon was counting with confidence on a victory which they believed he would not gain; and it was time-serving, because, living in the near neighbourhood of the Midianite sheikhs, they dreaded the future vengeance of those roving chiefs. This contumelious manner of acting was heartless and disgraceful in people who were of Israelite blood....

4-12 Gideon's men were faint, yet pursuing; fatigued with what they had done, yet eager to do more against their enemies. It is many a time the true Christian's case, fainting, and yet pursuing. The world knows but little of the persevering and successful struggle the real believer maintains with his sinful heart. But he betakes himself to that Divine strength, in the faith of which he began his conflict, and by the supply of which alone he can finish it in triumph....

Verse Judges 8:6. _ARE THE HANDS OF ZEBAH AND ZALMUNNA NOW IN THINE HAND_] They feared to help Gideon, lest, if he should be overpowered, the Midianites would revenge it upon them; and they dared not trust God....

The number of the followers of Zebah and Zalmunna was still so formidable, and Gideon’s enterprise still so doubtful, that the men of Succoth (being on the same side of the Jordan) would not risk the vengeance of the Midianites by giving supplies to Gideon’s men....

EXPOSITION JUDGES 8:4 CAME TO JORDAN. The narrative goes back to Judges 7:24, to follow up the personal history of Gideon, from which the writer had been diverted to relate the result of Gideon's message to the Ephraimites, which is told in Judges 7:24 and Judges 7:25, and Judges 8:1 (see Judges 7:25, note; Judges 2:1, note)....

AND THE PRINCES OF SUCCOTH SAID,.... The chief magistrates of the place made answer, one in the name of the rest; for the word said is in the singular number: ARE THE HANDS OF ZEBAH AND ZALMUNNA NOW IN THINE HANDS; that is, are they taken prisoners, and handcuffed, or their hands bound behind them, and put into the hands of Gideon, to do with them as he pleased? no, they were not; and they suggest they never would, deriding him and his small number of men as not a match for these kings, whom, perhaps a little before, they had seen pass by with 15,000 men; with whom his little army would not be able to encounter, should they turn and fall upon them, which they supposed would be the case; and therefore, say they, when these are in thine hands, which they thought would never be, it will be time enough THAT WE SHOULD GIVE BREAD TO THINE ARMY? for they feared, should they do that, these kin...

CHAPTER 8 INTERNAL STRIFE, GIDEON'S FAILURE AND END _ 1. The strife (Judges 8:1)_ 2. The complete deliverance (Judges 8:10) 3. Gideon's failure and end (Judges 8:22) 4. Israel's failure after Gideon (Judges 8:33) 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 evil, is the type of corruption; the wolf is the destroyer o

THE PURSUIT ON THE EAST OF JORDAN. This section is not continuous with the preceding one. The men of Israel, who were gathered together after the battle (Judges 7:23), and the Ephraimites, who were so eager to prove what they could do, are heard of no more. Gideon is again alone with his 300 (Judges 8:4); the men of Succoth and Penuel, ignorant of any battle or rout, think his campaign against the Midianites a hopeless affair; and when he at length reaches the enemy he finds them secure, apparently having neither been, nor expecting to be, disturbed (11). Plainly we have here a different tradition. Judges 8:4. For faint and (not - yet-') pursuing the LXX has faint and hungry, which suits the next verse, where there is a request

_The pursuit on the east of Jordan_ This section is clearly not the continuation of the verses which immediately precede (see p. 68); if its antecedents are to be found in the foregoing narrative at all, we may suppose that after the panic and flight described in Judges 7:16-22, the main body of the Midianites escaped across the Jordan, and with their camels (Judges 8:21_; Judges 8:26_) easily outstripped their pursuers, insomuch that the men of Succoth and Penuel (Judges 8:6_; Judges 8:8_), and they themselves ...

ARE THE HANDS OF ZEBAH AND ZALMUNNA NOW IN THINE HAND— This was an insulting irreligious taunt, which shewed at once that these persons believed not the divine interposition in behalf of Gideon, and, at the same time, were enemies to the true religion; no wonder, therefore, that Gideon replies to them with great severity, and afterwards inflicts upon them the punishment which they deserve. See note on Judges 8:16....