Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Judges 8:10 - 8:21

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Judges 8:10 - 8:21


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The End of Zebah and Zalmunna

v. 10. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor,
near the headwaters of the Jabbok, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the East; for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword, namely, in the battle in the Plain of Jezreel and in the pursuit.

v. 11. And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah,
the easternmost cities of Gad, and smote the host, attacking, apparently, from the northeast, from which direction the enemy did not expect an assault; for the host was secure.

v. 12. And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host;
terror seized upon them, so that they offered no resistance, and the army surrendered.

v. 13. And Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from battle before the sun was up,
or, from the ascent or pass of Hecheres, in the hills east of Succoth,

v. 14. and caught a young man of the men,
the inhabitants, of Succoth, and enquired of him, in order to find out certain facts about the city; and he described unto him the princes of Succoth and the elders thereof, wrote down their names for Gideon, even threescore and seventeen men.

v. 15. And he,
Gideon,came unto the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, whom he led along with him captive, with whom ye did upbraid me, concerning whom they had spoken to him in a jeering manner, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?

v. 16. And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth,
by giving them a well-deserved flogging he taught all the inhabitants of the city a lesson, especially concerning the penalties of treasonable selfishness.

v. 17. And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city,
in a just punishment of their faithlessness and treason.

v. 18. Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna,
after his return to his own tribe, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? He wanted a description of their face and form, their general appearance. And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. This was in reference to a raid which had been made by the Midianites before Gideon had been called to enter upon this campaign of vengeance.

v. 19. And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother,
the very nearest blood-relatives. As the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you, he would have been inclined to spare their lives, but this one cruel action made it impossible for him to do so.

v. 20. And he said unto Jether, his first-born,
apparently still a lad, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth, not yet accustomed to slaying men.

v. 21. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his strength;
their execution was a task, not for a weak lad, but for a full-grown man. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments, little moon-shaped pendants, that were on their camels' necks. In this way was the just punishment of God upon the oppressors put into execution.