JUDGES LESSON 9


     We will begin this lesson in Judges 8:1 "And the men of Ephraim
said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us
not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did
chide with him sharply."

     It appears that, the pride of those of Ephraim has come forth,
now that the battle is won. They are too proud of themselves. There
could, possibly, be a little jealousy between the tribes of Ephraim
and Manasseh, as well. They are acting offended, that they were not
consulted, before the war began.

     Judges 8:2 "And he said unto them, What have I done now in
comparison of you? [Is] not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim
better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?"

     It seems as though, Gideon is a very humble person. He is
explaining that their help in this matter was of utmost importance.
Gideon is not looking for glory for himself. He is willing for Ephraim
to get the credit for the victory.

     Judges 8:3 "God 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 was abated toward him, when he had said that."

     Gideon is a wise statesman, as well as a great warrior. He has
chosen his words of praise carefully. He reminds them that, they
killed Oreb and Zeeb. He is giving them full credit for what they have
done. Gideon praised them, instead of himself, and they enjoyed the
praise. They were satisfied.

     Judges 8:4  "And Gideon came to Jordan, [and] passed over, he,
and the three hundred men that [were] with him, faint, yet pursuing
[them]."

     This happened earlier, before Gideon's conversation with the
Ephramites. Gideon and his men pursued them all the way to Jordan.

     Judges 8:5 "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."

     Gideon is asking for the bare necessities of bread, to keep his
soldiers going in pursuit of the kings of Midian. "Succoth" is on the
east side of the Jordan River. The men of Gideon have come a long way
without food, and they are weak in their bodies.

     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?"

     They are not willing to help Gideon, because Gideon has not
finished winning the war with the Midianites. They are afraid, if they
help them and they don't win, the Midianite kings will kill them.

     Judges 8:7 "And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath
delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your
flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

     This sounds like, to me, that they will whip them severely with
thorn switches. Notice, Gideon does not say if, he says, when the LORD
delivers them in his hand.

     Judges 8:8  "And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them
likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had
answered [him]."

     To go to Penuel from Succoth, he went up out of the Jordan valley
to the mountains. They would not give Gideon's men any food either.

     Judges 8:9 "And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying,
When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower."

     This tower, possibly, was some sort of lookout post. Penuel
seemed to be a strategic place to the Jordan valley. Notice, the
punishment is against something they classify as very valuable to
them.

     Judges 8:10  "Now Zebah and Zalmunna [were] in Karkor, 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."

     In the previous battle with Gideon, they had lost 120,000 men,
and were now reduced to 15,000. This still would seem to be too many
for this 300 men of Gideon. God fought for Gideon. God, and this 300
men, were plenty to take care of this army of the children of the
east.

     Judges 8:11  "And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in
tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the
host was secure."

     "Nobah" was in the area of the half tribe of Manasseh, and
"Jogbehah" was in the area of the tribe of Gad. The host they smote
was the children of the east. They thought they were safe, but
Gideon's men killed them.

     Judges 8:12 "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."

     The two kings leading them were Midianites. Gideon caught them,
when they fled from the battle.

     Judges 8:13  "And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle
before the sun [was up],"

     Some of this happened at night, because Gideon was back before
daylight.

     Judges 8:14 "And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and
inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and
the elders thereof, [even] threescore and seventeen men."

     The young man they caught told Gideon about the 77 princes of
Succoth. He described them, so Gideon would know who they were.

     Judges 8:15 "And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said,
Behold Zebah and Zalmunna with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, [Are]
the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give
bread unto thy men [that are] weary?"

     They have brought Zebah and Zalmunna back with them to Succoth,
to show them they have really caught them. The men above, are speaking
of the princes, and possibly, the elders. Gideon gives them proof of
his right to punish them.

     Judges 8:16 "And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of
the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of
Succoth."

     He switched them with thorn switches, so they would remember this
incident, and not make that mistake again.

     Judges 8:17 "And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the
men of the city."

     This is exactly what he had said he would do. He tore down their
tower. In addition, he killed the men of the city.

     Judges 8:18  "Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner
of men [were they] whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou
[art], so [were] they; each one resembled the children of a king."

     Zebah and Zalmunna had killed Gideon's brothers at Mount Tabor.
They tried to explain to Gideon, that his brothers looked like
princes, and they were afraid not to kill them. Gideon did not accept
their excuses.

     Judges 8:19 "And he said, They [were] my brethren, [even] the
sons of my mother: [as] the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I
would not slay you."

     Gideon was not a cruel man. If they had been compassionate on his
brothers and not killed them, he would not kill them either. They did
kill them though.

     Judges 8:20 "And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, [and]
slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he
[was] yet a youth."

     This is the right of the near kinsman to kill the slayers. That
is what Gideon has told his son to do here. He was young, and
probably, had never killed anyone. He could not do it.

     Judges 8:21 "Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall
upon us: for as the man [is, so is] his strength. And Gideon arose,
and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that [were]
on their camels' necks."

     Gideon, hinself, killed them, after they asked him to.  The
ornaments, such as these, were usually made of gold and made in the
shape of a half moon. The men and women wore them and their animals,
as well. It is a sign of great worldly wealth, when the animals wear
gold.

     Judges 8:22  "Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou
over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast
delivered us from the hand of Midian."

     The men of Israel are full of gratitude for Gideon delivering
them from the Midianites. They want this strong leader to be their
king. They are, also, offering the kingship to pass down to his sons.
Gideon is an humble man. He, also, knows that God does not want Israel
to have a king. Gideon gives all the credit to God. He explains to
them, also, that their only king is the LORD.

     Judges 8:23 "And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you,
neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you."

     Gideon, not only, refuses to rule over them, but emphatically
refuses to rule over them. They have no ruler, but the LORD.

     Judges 8:24  "And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request
of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For
they had golden earrings, because they [were] Ishmaelites.)"

     The Ishmaelites were descended from Ishmael, the son of Abraham
by the servant girl. They were fleshly people. The descendents of
Isaac were the spiritual people. The flesh and the spirit have been
fighting ever since. They adorned themselves {both men and women} with
gold jewelry, such as necklaces and earrings. The earrings of so many
dead would be worth a tremendous amount of money.

     Judges 8:25 "And they answered, We will willingly give [them].
And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings
of his prey." Judges 8:26 "And the weight of the golden earrings that
he requested was a thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold;
beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that [was] on the
kings of Midian, and beside the chains that [were] about their camels'
necks."

     They gave them to him, and there were so many earrings, they
weighed about 850 ounces. At the rate of $400.00 per ounce the
earrings would be worth $340,000.00. This was in addition to the
ornaments, collars, purple raiment {of royalty}, and the chains about
the camel's necks.

     Judges 8:27 "And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his
city, [even] in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after
it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house."

     An ephod was a garment of the high priest. It was a little like a
vest. This was a sacred garment and was not to be worn, except by the
high priest. It was, also, not to be taken out of the tabernacle. This
was part of the garment worn by the high priest, when God spoke to him
through the Urim and the Thummim. It would have been forbidden for it
to be in Ophrah, first of all. It secondly, must not be publicly
exhibited. Certainly, it should not be a thing of worship itself. This
ephod could lead Gideon, and all involved with this thing, into
idolatry.

     Judges 8:28  "Thus was Midian subdued before the children of
Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country
was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon."

     God kept His Word. While Gideon was alive {40 years}, there was
peace for Israel. It seems, Midian would give no more trouble. They
are defeated.

     Judges 8:29  "And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in
his own house."

     We remember, Jerubbaal is speaking of Gideon. This is just
saying, he went home to live.

     Judges 8:30 "And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body
begotten: for he had many wives."

     Gideon had 70 sons. Gideon was Judge over Israel for forty years.
We know the spoils had made him rich. He lived richly, with many
wives.

     Judges 8:31 "And his concubine that [was] in Shechem, she also
bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech."

     "Abimelech" means father of a king.

     Judges 8:32  "And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age,
and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the
Abi-ezrites."

     Gideon began and ended in this place. He did many wonderful
things that he is remembered for.

     Judges 8:33 "And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead,
that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after
Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god."

     This is the very same story we have heard with every judge. The
people are relatively faithful to God, as long as the judge is alive.
The minute the judge dies, they begin to worship false gods again.
They go the way of the rest of the world. Believers must not be part
of the world. We live in the world while we are in the flesh, but we
must not be partakers of the world and its ugliness.

     Judges 8:34 "And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD
their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their
enemies on every side:"

     When things are going well, they soon forget that it is the
blessings of God upon their lives that brings the great blessings.
They have forgotten that God took 300 men, and put over 100,000
Midianites to flight.

     Judges 8:35 "Neither shewed they kindness to the house of
Jerubbaal, [namely], Gideon, according to all the goodness which he
had shewed unto Israel."

     Gideon {Jerubbaal}, through the power of the LORD, had led them
to victory against their enemies. They had been delivered from the
bondage of serving these evil leaders. They forget they did not have
enough to eat, until God moved upon Gideon to lead them against these
people. They not only have forgotten God, but have forgotten Gideon
and his family, as well.


























                         Judges 9 Questions


1.  What are the men of Ephraim complaining about in verse 1?
2.  What is their problem?
3.  Verse 2 indicates that Gideon is a very _________ person?
4.  What two princes had God delivered into the hands of the
    Ephraimites?
5.  What condition were Gideon and the 300 men in, when they came to
    Jordan and passed over?
6.  What did he ask of the men of Succoth?
7.  Who was Gideon chasing?
8.  Where is "Succoth" located?
9.  How did the princes of Succoth answer him?
10. What does Gideon say, he will do to them after the battle is over?
11. Where did he go next, for some food for his men?
12. What did they say to Gideon?
13. What did Gideon promise to do to them, when the war was over?
14. Where did Gideon find Zebah and Zalmunna?
15. How many men were with them?
16. How many had been killed in the first battle?
17. Where was "Nobah" located?
18. Where was "Jogbehah" located?
19. What happened to the men with the two kings of Midian?
20. Where did Gideon take the two kings, after he caught them?
21. How did he punish the leaders of Succoth?
22. What punishment did Penuel get from Gideon?
23. Who had Zebah and Zelmunna killed that Gideon loved?
24. What happened to these two kings?
25. Why was Gideon's son not able to kill them?
26. Who actually killed them?
27. What did the men of Israel ask Gideon to do?
28. Did he accept?
29. What did Gideon desire of them?
30. How much, in our money, were they worth?
31. What did Gideon do with the gold?
32. How long did they live in peace?
33. What happened, when Gideon died?