Judges 8:2

Judges 8:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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?
• New International Version (NIV)But he answered them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to them, "What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?
• New King James Version (NKJV)So he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

Context of Judges 8:2

1The men of Ephraim's tribe asked Gideon, ‘Why have you insulted us? You should have called us to join with you to fight against the Midianites.’ They were very angry and they argued with Gideon. Gideon said to them, ‘What you did in the fight was more important than what I was able to do. My family started the battle, but your tribe finished the job! 3God chose you to take power over the leaders of Midian's army. You killed Oreb and Zeeb! Nothing that I did was as great as that!’ When Gideon said that, the men of Ephraim stopped being angry. 4Gideon and his 300 men were weak and tired. But they went across the Jordan and they continued to chase the Midianites.

Judges 8:2 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי עַתָּ֖ה כָּכֶ֑ם הֲל֗וֹא ט֛וֹב עֹלְל֥וֹת אֶפְרַ֖יִם מִבְצִ֥יר אֲבִיעֶֽזֶר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, What have I doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• not the gleaningעֹלֵלוֹת‛ôlêlâh · gleaningH5955
• of the grapes of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• than the vintageבָּצִירbâtsîyr · vintageH1210
• of Abi–ezerאֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר'ăbîy‛ezer · AbiezerH44

Cross-references for Judges 8:2

• 1 Corinthians 13:4If I love people, I will be patient. I will be kind. I will not be jealous of other people. I will not be proud and say that I am great.
• Galatians 5:14One rule brings together all the rules in God's Law. That one rule says: ‘Love other people as much as you love yourself.’
• Philippians 2:2Because of that, this is how you can make me completely happy: In your mind, think about things in the same way as one another. Love one another completely. In your spirit, agree with one another. And work together for the same purpose.
• James 1:19Understand this, my Christian friends: We must all be careful to listen. We should not be too quick to speak. We should not get angry quickly.
• James 3:13Do some of you think that you are wise? Do you think that you are clever? If so, show that you are wise by the way that you live. Be kind to other people. Do things that are good. That is what it means to be wise.
• Judges 6:11The Lord's angel came to sit under a big oak tree in Ophrah. It belonged to Joash, from Abiezer's clan. When the angel arrived, Joash's son Gideon was threshing wheat. He was doing it in a winepress because he wanted to hide his food from the Midianites.

Commentaries on Judges 8:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Is not the gleaning, etc. - That is, The Ephraimites have performed more important services than Gideon and his men; and he supports the assertion by observing that it was they who took the two Midianitish generals, having discomfited their hosts at the passes of Jordan.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A civil war with the great tribe of Ephraim would soon have turned Israel‘s victory into mourning. Gideon therefore soothes their wounded pride by confessing that Ephraim had done more, though they had joined him so late in the day, than he had been able to effect in the whole campaign. The grape-gleaning of Ephraim was better than the whole vintage of Abi-ezer.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3Ephraim, the leading tribe of the north-central hill country, produced only a minor judge named Tola (Judges 10:1). The Ephraimites felt left out of the battle because they wanted a share of the spoils. When called, they completed the task. Gideon responded with grace and humility, calming Ephraim’s anger (see Proverbs 15:1; compare with Jephthah, Judges 12:1–4). The victories of Gideon and Ephraim over Oreb and Zeeb and their armies became legendary…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you?--His mild and truly modest answer breathes the spirit of a great as well as good man, who was calm, collected, and self-possessed in the midst of most exciting scenes. It succeeded in throwing oil on the troubled waters (Pr 16:1), and no wonder, for in the height of generous self-denial, it ascribes to his querulous brethren a greater share of merit and glory than belonged to himself (1Co…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 8:2

• Abiezer
• Flattery
• Gideon
• Gleaning
• Israel
• Meekness
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Ephraim, Ephraimite
• Abieezer
• Gideon
• Penuel
• Request
• Resemble
• Zebah
• Abdon (1)
• Gleaning

Commentaries on Judges 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings