New Living Translation
Judges 8:5
5When they reached Succoth, Gideon asked the leaders of the town, “Please give my warriors some food. They are very tired. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
Judges 8:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
- New International Version (NIV)He said to the men of Sukkoth, “Give my troops some bread; they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)So he said to the men of Succoth, "Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.”
Context of Judges 8:5
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. 4Gideon then crossed the Jordan River with his 300 men, and though exhausted, they continued to chase the enemy. When they reached Succoth, Gideon asked the leaders of the town, “Please give my warriors some food. They are very tired. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6But the officials of Succoth replied, “Catch Zebah and Zalmunna first, and then we will feed your army.” 7So Gideon said, “After the Lord gives me victory over Zebah and Zalmunna, I will return and tear your flesh with the thorns and briers from the wilderness.”
Read all of Judges 8Judges 8:5 word by word
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת תְּנוּ־נָא֙ כִּכְּר֣וֹת לֶ֔חֶם לָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּרַגְלָ֑י כִּי־עֲיֵפִ֣ים הֵ֔ם וְאָנֹכִ֗י רֹדֵ֛ף אַחֲרֵ֛י זֶ֥בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֖ע מַלְכֵ֥י מִדְיָֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of Succothסֻכּוֹתsûkkôth sûkkôth · SuccothH5523
- Giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- I pray you, loavesכִּכָּרkikâr · talentH3603
- of breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- unto the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
- that followרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- faintעָיֵף‛âyêph · faintH5889
- and I am pursuingרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- Zebahזֶ֫בַחzebach · ZebahH2078
- and Zalmunnaצַלְמֻנָּעtsalmûnnâ‛ · ZalmunnaH6759
- kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
Cross-references for Judges 8:5
- Genesis 33:17Jacob, on the other hand, traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Succoth (which means “shelters”).
- Psalms 60:6God has promised this by his holiness: “I will divide up Shechem with joy. I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
- Genesis 14:18And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine.
- Deuteronomy 23:4These nations did not welcome you with food and water when you came out of Egypt. Instead, they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in distant Aram-naharaim to curse you.
- 1 Samuel 25:18Abigail wasted no time. She quickly gathered 200 loaves of bread, two wineskins full of wine, five sheep that had been slaughtered, nearly a bushel of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 fig cakes. She packed them on donkeys
- 2 Samuel 17:28They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils,
- 3 John 1:6They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God.
Commentaries on Judges 8:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Give, I pray you, loaves of bread - As Gideon was engaged in the common cause of Israel, he had a right to expect succor from the people at large. His request to the men of Succoth and Penuel was both just and reasonable.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Succoth was in the tribe of Gad which was entirely trans-Jordanic Joshua 13:27; and the ruins are at Sukkot, on the east of Jordan, a little south of Bethshan. Give, I pray you etc. - Gideon might fairly expect so much aid from the trans-Jordanic tribes, and from so considerable a town as Succoth Judges 8:14.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-12Verses 4-12 Gideon's men were faint, yet pursuing; fatigued with what they had done, yet eager to do more against their enemies. It is many a time the true Christian's case, fainting, and yet pursuing. The world knows but little of the persevering and successful struggle the real believer maintains with his sinful heart. But he betakes himself to that Divine strength, in the faith of which he began his conflict, and by the supply of which alone he can…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-12At this point, Gideon seemed as focused on revenge as on victory. His earlier conversations with the Lord suddenly stopped. The group of 300 men made a final attack on the Midianites. Gideon chased the fleeing Midianite kings through the Jabbok gorge and then south toward Rabbah, following the caravan route onto the Transjordan plateau. Succoth and Peniel were Israelite cities, but their loyalty to Gideon, a new general, was weak. The tribes east of the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. he said unto the men of Succoth--that is, a place of tents or booths. The name seems to have been applied to the whole part of the Jordan valley on the west, as well as on the east side of the river, all belonging to the tribe of Gad (compare Ge 33:17; 1Ki 7:46; with Jos 13:27). Being engaged in the common cause of all Israel, he had a right to expect support and encouragement from his countrymen everywhere.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 8:5
In the dictionaries
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
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