Judges 8:1

Judges 8:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight Midian?” And they challenged him vigorously.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the men of Ephraim said to him, "What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they accused him fiercely.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?” And they reprimanded him sharply.

Context of Judges 8:1

Then the people of Ephraim asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us this way? Why didn’t you send for us when you first went out to fight the Midianites?” And they argued heatedly with Gideon. 2But Gideon replied, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t even the leftover grapes of Ephraim’s harvest better than the entire crop of my little clan of Abiezer? 3God gave you victory over Oreb and Zeeb, the commanders of the Midianite army. What have I accomplished compared to that?” When the men of Ephraim heard Gideon’s answer, their anger subsided.

Judges 8:1 word by word

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ אֶפְרַ֗יִם מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְבִלְתִּי֙ קְרֹ֣אות לָ֔נוּ כִּ֥י הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בְּמִדְיָ֑ן וַיְרִיב֥וּן אִתּ֖וֹ בְּחָזְקָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him, Why hast thouמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• servedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• us thusדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• that thou calledstקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• us not, when thou wentestהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• to fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
• with the Midianitesמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
• And they did chideרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
• with him sharplyחׇזְקָהchozqâh · forceH2394

Cross-references for Judges 8:1

• Judges 12:1Then the people of Ephraim mobilized an army and crossed over the Jordan River to Zaphon. They sent this message to Jephthah: “Why didn’t you call for us to help you fight against the Ammonites? We are going to burn down your house with you in it!”
• 2 Samuel 19:41But all the men of Israel complained to the king, “The men of Judah stole the king and didn’t give us the honor of helping take you, your household, and all your men across the Jordan.”
• Job 5:2Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple.
• Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
• James 4:5Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.

Commentaries on Judges 8:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The men of Ephraim said - This account is no doubt displaced; for what is mentioned here could not have taken place till the return of Gideon from the pursuit of the Midianites; for he had not yet passed Jordan, Judges 8:4. And it was when he was beyond that river that the Ephraimites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to him, Judges 7:25.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The success of Gideon‘s enterprise mortified the pride of Ephraim, as the chief tribe, seeing that they had played a subordinate part. Compare Judges 12:1.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites. (1-3) Succoth and Penuel refuse to relieve Gideon. (4-12) Succoth and Penuel punished. (13-17) Gideon avenges his brethren. (18-21) Gideon declines the government, but given occasion for idolatry. (22-28) Gideon's death, Israel's ingratitude. (29-35) Verses 1-3 Those who will not attempt or venture any thing in the cause of God, will be the most ready to censure and quarrel with such as are of a more zealous and…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. 1-91. the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus?--Where this complaint was made, whether before or after the crossing of the Jordan, cannot be determined. By the overthrow of the national enemy, the Ephraimites were benefited as largely as any of the other neighboring tribes. But, piqued at not having been sharers in the glory of the victory, their leading men could not repress their wounded pride; and the occasion only served to bring…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 8:1

• Anger
• Ephraim
• Flattery
• Gideon
• Israel
• Jealousy
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Gideon
• Penuel
• Request
• Resemble
• Zebah
• Abdon (1)
• Chide
• Government
• Israel, History of

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