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

14He captured a young man from Succoth and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth’s officials and city leaders – seventy-seven men in all. 15He approached the men of Succoth and said, “Look what I have! Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me, saying, ‘You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?’” He seized the leaders of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then “threshed” the men of Succoth with them. 17He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city’s men. 18He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Describe for me the men you killed at Tabor.” They said, “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 said, “Since you will not help, after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh your skin with desert thorns and briers.”
• Proverbs 10:13Wisdom is found in the words of the discerning person, but the one who lacks wisdom will be disciplined.
• Proverbs 19:29Judgments are prepared for scorners, and floggings for the backs of fools.
• Ezra 2:6the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line of Jeshua and Joab): 2,812;
• Micah 7:4The best of them is like a thorn; the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes. The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen – your appointed time of punishment – is on the way, and then you will experience confusion.

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