Lange Commentary - Judges 8:1

Lange Commentary - Judges 8:1 - 8:3

Online Resource Library

Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | Download

Lange Commentary - Judges 8:1 - 8:3

(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)

This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Ephraim’s proud complaint and Gideon’s wise forbearance

Jdg_8:1-3

¹And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not when [didst not call out to us that] thou wentest [wast going] to fight with [against] the Midianites? and they did chide [quarrel] with him sharply ²[vehemently]. And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes [omit: of the grapes] of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer? ³God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger [excitement] was [omit: was] abated toward [against] him, when he had [omit: had] said that.

TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL

[¹ Jdg_8:6.—Dr. Cassel: “Hast thou the fist of Zebah and Zalmunna already in thy hand,” etc. Bertheau and Keil, in their commentaries, have the same rendering, merely changing Luther’s plural, Sind die Faüste, to the singular. ëַּó is properly the hollow hand, the palm; accordingly the Dutch Version renders, rather awkwardly to be sure, “Is dan the handpalm tan Zebah en Tsalmuna alreede in uwe hand,” etc. The word “fist,” even if it did not somewhat alter the metaphor involved, lacks dignity in modern English, although it avoids the tameness of using “hand” twice. For an independent version, De Wette’s would be better: “Hast thou then Zebah and Zalmunna already in thy hand,” etc.—Tr.]

[² Jdg_8:10.— îַçֲðֵéäֶí : singular, with plural suffix. Cf. Ges. Gram. Sect. 93, 9.—Tr.]

[³ Jdg_8:13.— îִìְîַòֲìֵä äֶçָøֶñ . The above rendering takes no account of the ìְ . “At” would be better than “from.” It is literally, “from at” the ascent of the sun. It indicates the point to which Gideon came, and at which he turned back.—Tr.]

EXEGETICAL AND DOCTRINAL

In his dealing with puffed-up Ephraim, even more than by his victories, Gideon approves himself as a true warrior of God, wiser in his humility than his dazzled countrymen in their pride. The service rendered by Ephraim in slaying Oreb and Zeeb, was after all of but secondary merit. They had only smitten an already shattered and terrified enemy: had only captured the game which another had chased into their hands. Where was Ephraim when Midian in full force encamped himself in the country? But inferior merit is the more arrogant. The tribe is so intoxicated by the easy victory over the two princes, that it presumes to reprimand Gideon for beginning a war without them, and thus undertaking to deprive them of the laurels which they would certainly have won. So little does Ephraim understand the true strength with which Israel has conquered, that he accounts it an insult to himself on the part of the smaller tribe to have conquered without him. The pride of the mighty men of the world could not be more clearly depicted. They contend with him vehemently ( áְּçָæְ÷ָä ), just as the men of Nineveh, repenting, “cry vehemently” ( áְּçָæְ÷ָä , Jon_3:8) unto God. They address the great hero fiercely and vociferously. His answer is admirable. He might have humbled them by a few words about his deed; but he will have no strife where Israel needs unity. He says nothing of his own great victory. He does not irritate them by referring to their previous inactivity, although their tribe was so great; or by reminding them that after all he had sent them the word which enabled them to capture an enemy whom he was pursuing. On the contrary, he quiets them by extolling their great merits. He may not conceal that the victory was gained without them; but, his vintage, is it not less than their gleaning? What comparison is there between his spoils and theirs? He, still on this side the Jordan; they, already adorned with the trophies of the “Raven and Wolf!” He lets them know, however, who it is that really gives victory, namely Elohim. But here also the nice discrimination shows itself, with which the terms Jehovah, ha-Elohim, and Elohim alternate, according to the spiritual position of the persons addressed or spoken of. To Ephraim, Gideon says that Elohim gave them victory—as he sometimes gives it even to heathen. He uses this term be cause they lacked humility and faith to know that Jehovah, ha-Elohim, the true God of Israel, gives strength to his people, and that, thus endowed, it is of no consequence whether the militant tribe be great or small (cf. Jdg_8:6, etc.).

What have I done now in comparison with you? The vain tribe, which only smarted at the thought that an insignificant member of Manasseh should reap greater glory than Ephraim, is quieted when this person himself disclaims the glory. Vanity that prides itself on seeming merits, is always contracted. The Ephraimites do not understand the modesty of Gideon, which, in denying, as it were, his own real merits, necessarily pours the contempt of irony on their pretended deserts. But Gideon’s object is gained. They allow themselves to be pacified, and go home to bask themselves in the sunshine of their achievements. Gideon, for his part, teaches that victory alone does not suffice to save a people; but that he is the real hero who is truly humble, and for the sake of peace overcomes himself. To conquer, he must know how to bend.

The narrative stands here in its proper place. It does not presuppose anything that happened later; but connects, historically and morally, what goes before and what follows after. Gideon is still in the midst of his campaign, when Ephraim attacks him with its pride. But his subsequent career of victory, speaks louder than envy. The statement of Josephus (Ant. v. 6, 6), that Ephraim was afterwards punished for its pride, rests on no Scriptural authority; but the confusion to which they are put by the subsequent deeds of Gideon, to whom after all they were indebted for their own achievement also, is a discipline of the sharpest kind.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Ephraim is jealous of Gideon. Jealousy is a quality which only seeks its own. It is a characteristic of unbelief, which envies God his power and love.

Starke: He acts wisely, who prefers to forego somewhat of his own rights, rather than by a contrary course to invite the opposition of others, and so debar himself from attaining a greater good.—Gerlach: Gideon’s answer, as modest as it was prudent, quiets the Ephraimites. He appears here, as afterwards, as a high-minded man, free from low ambition and domineering tendencies.

[Bp. Hall: I did not hear the Ephraimites offering themselves into the front of the army before the fight, and now they are ready to fight with Gideon because they were not called to fight with Midian: I hear them expostulating after it. After the exploit done, cowards are valiant. Their quarrel was, that they were not called. It had been a greater praise of their valor to have gone unbidden..… None speak so big in the end of the fray as the fearfullest.—The same: Ephraim flies upon Gideon, whilst the Midianites fly from him; when Gideon should be pursuing his enemies, he is pursued by brethren, and now is glad to spend that wind in pacifying of his own, which should have been bestowed in the slaughter of a common adversary. It is a wonder if Satan suffer us to be quiet at home, whilst we are exercised with wars abroad. Had not Gideon learned to speak fair, as well as to smite, he had found work enough from the swords of Joseph’s sons; his good words are as victorious as his sword; his pacification of friends, better than his execution of enemies.—Scott: In those things which pertain to the truth, authority, and glory of God, Christians should be unmoved as the sturdy oak; but in the little concerns of their own interest or reputation, they should resemble the pliant willow, that yields to every gust.—Henry: Very great and good men must expect to have their patience tried, by the unkindnesses and follies even of those they serve, and must not think it strange.—Bush: The incidents mentioned afford a striking illustration of two emphatic declarations of Scripture: 1. That “only by pride cometh contention;” and, 2. That “for every right work a man is envied of his neighbor.”—Tr.]

Footnotes:

Jdg_8:1.— ìְáִìְúִּé ÷ְøֹàåú ìָðåּ ëִּé äָìַëְúָּ . It is not necessary to take ëִּé in a temporal sense, which at all events it has very seldom. The ÷ְøֹàåú is followed by the objective clause of that which the persons addressed are notified of.

[Jdg_8:3.—“Into your hands,” with emphasis. Hence the Hebrew puts it first: “Into your hands (lit. hand) God gave the princes of Midian,” etc.—Tr.]

Jdg_8:3.— øָôְúָä øåּçָí , like çֶøֶó îֵàַó , Psa_37:8. øåּçַ denotes violent, panting excitement