Judges 8:23

Judges 8:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.
• New International Version (NIV)But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

Context of Judges 8:23

21Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on, you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels. 22The men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us – you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian’s power.” Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” 24Gideon continued, “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) 25They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.” So they spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it.

Judges 8:23 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ גִּדְע֔וֹן לֹֽא־אֶמְשֹׁ֤ל אֲנִי֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בְּנִ֖י בָּכֶ֑ם יְהוָ֖ה יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Gideonגִּדְעוֹןgid‛ôn · GideonH1439
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, I will not ruleמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
• over you, neither shall my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• over you: the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Judges 8:23

• Judges 2:18When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.
• Judges 10:18The leaders of Gilead said to one another, “Who is willing to lead the charge against the Ammonites? He will become the leader of all who live in Gilead!”
• Judges 11:9Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, “All right! If you take me back to fight with the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me, I will be your leader.”
• Luke 22:24A dispute also started among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.
• 2 Corinthians 1:24I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.
• 1 Peter 5:3And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock.
• 1 Samuel 8:6But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 10:19But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, “No! Appoint a king over us.” Now take your positions before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.’”
• 1 Samuel 12:12“When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, ‘No! A king will rule over us’ – even though the Lord your God is your king!
• Isaiah 33:22For the Lord, our ruler, the Lord, our commander, the Lord, our king – he will deliver us.
• Isaiah 63:19We existed from ancient times, but you did not rule over them, they were not your subjects.

Commentaries on Judges 8:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The Lord shall rule over you - Few with such power at their command would have acted as Gideon. His speech calls them back to their first principles, and should have excited in them both shame and contrition. How different is this speech from that of Oliver Cromwell when the commons offered him the crown of England!Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-28Verses 22-28 Gideon refused the government the people offered him. No good man can be pleased with any honour done to himself, which belongs only to God. Gideon thought to keep up the remembrance of this victory by an ephod, made of the choicest of the spoils. But probably this ephod had, as usual, a teraphim annexed to it, and Gideon intended this for an oracle to be consulted. Many are led into false ways by one false step of a good man. It became a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-32Gideon's time as a judge ends the first era of judges.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2322-23. the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us ... Gideon said unto them, the Lord shall rule over you--Their unbounded admiration and gratitude prompted them, in the enthusiasm of the moment, to raise their deliverer to a throne, and to establish a royal dynasty in his house. But Gideon knew too well, and revered too piously the principles of the theocracy, to entertain the proposal for a moment. Personal and family ambition was cheerfully…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 8:23

• Gideon
• Israel
• Theocracy
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• Gideon
• Request
• Resemble
• Zebah
• Abdon (1)
• Government
• Israel, History of
• Judges, Book of
• Judges, Period of
• Theocracy

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