Judges 8:16

Judges 8:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
• New International Version (NIV)He took the elders of the town and taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson by punishing them with desert thorns and briers.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he took the elders of the city, and he took thorns of the wilderness and briers and with them taught the men of Succoth a lesson.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

Context of Judges 8:16

14and captured a young man from Succoth. He questioned him, and the young man wrote down for him the names of the 77 officials and leaders of Succoth. 15Gideon went to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me when you said, ‘We shouldn’t give your exhausted men food before you’ve captured Zebah and Zalmunna.’ ” So Gideon took the leaders of the city and taught them a lesson using thorns and thistles from the desert. 17Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of that city. 18He asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. Each one looked like a king’s son.”

Judges 8:16 word by word

וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר וְאֶת־קוֹצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣דַע בָּהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• and thornsקוֹץqôts qôts · thornH6975
• of the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• and briersבַּרְקָנִיםbarqân · briarH1303
• and with them he taughtיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of Succothסֻכּוֹתsûkkôth sûkkôth · SuccothH5523

Cross-references for Judges 8:16

• Judges 8:7Gideon responded, “Alright, then. When the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I’ll whip your bodies with thorns and thistles from the desert.”
• Proverbs 10:13Wisdom is found on the lips of a person who has understanding, but a rod is for the back of one without sense.
• Proverbs 19:29Punishments are set for mockers and beatings for the backs of fools.
• Ezra 2:6of Pahath Moab, that is, of Jeshua and Joab … 2,812
• Micah 7:4The best of them is like a briar. The most decent person is sharper than thornbushes. The day you thought you would be punished has come. Now is the time you will be confused.

Commentaries on Judges 8:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16He taught the men of Succoth - Instead of וידע he taught, Houbigant reads וידש he tore; and this is not only agreeable to what Gideon had threatened, Judges 8:7, but is supported by the Vulgate, Septuagint, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. The Hebrew text might have been easily corrupted in this place by the change of ש shin into ע ain, letters very similar to each other.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16He taught - Thought to be a false reading, for “he threshed,” as in Judges 8:7 margin.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 The active servants of the Lord meet with more dangerous opposition from false professors than from open enemies; but they must not care for the behaviour of those who are Israelites in name, but Midianites in heart. They must pursue the enemies of their souls, and of the cause of God, though they are ready to faint through inward conflicts and outward hardships. And they shall be enabled to persevere. The less men help, and the more they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-17The return journey likely followed a straight path through the unknown Ascent of Heres, unlike the circular route needed for the ambush. The fact that a typical young man from Succoth could write down the names shows that the new alphabetic writing system had become established in Israel. Gideon's practice of retribution and execution was common in his time. However, his reputation as the Lord's servant was better supported by his skillful diplomacy…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. he took ... the thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth--By refusing his soldiers refreshment, they had committed a public crime, as well as an act of inhumanity, and were subjected to a horrible punishment, which the great abundance and remarkable size of the thorn bushes, together with the thinness of clothing in the East, has probably suggested.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 8:16

• Gideon
• Government
• Israel
• Patriotism
• Retaliation
• Succoth
• Zalmunna
• Zebah

In the dictionaries

• Succoth
• Gideon
• Penuel
• Request
• Resemble
• Zalmunna
• Zebah
• Abdon (1)
• Eden
• Elder in the Old Testament

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