Judges 8:6
in Judges 8But the leaders of Succoth asked, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your army?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
KJV
And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
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This verse in Judges 8
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It was insolent because it implied a bitter taunt that Gideon was counting with confidence on a victory which they believed he would not gain; and it was time-serving, because living in the near neighborhood of the Midianite sheiks, they dreaded the future vengeance of those roving chiefs.
This site's exposition
And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over
on Judges 8:4-6
The three hundred of chapter 7 are still the whole force, and verse 4 gives their condition in three words, faint yet pursuing. Succoth sits east of Jordan, and Genesis 33:17 says Jacob built booths there and gave the place its name, so bread is being asked of a town inside Israel's own story. The princes make their answer conditional on a victory already won, are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, which is a refusal to back a man still chasing.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the princes of Succoth said,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand - They feared to help Gideon, lest, if he should be overpowered, the Midianites would revenge it upon them; and they dared not trust God.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The number of the followers of Zebah and Zalmunna was still so formidable, and Gideon’s enterprise still so doubtful, that the men of Succoth (being on the same side of the Jordan) would not risk the vengeance of the Midianites by giving supplies to Gideon’s men.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שָׂרֵ֣י | sarei | [the] officials of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| סֻכּ֔וֹת | sukot | Succoth | H5523 → | 18 times |
| הֲ֠כַף | hakhaf | ¿ [is] [the] hand of | H3709 → | 192 times |
| זֶ֧בַח | zevach | Zebah | H2078 → | 12 times |
| וְצַלְמֻנָּ֛ע | vetzalmuna' | and Zalmunna | H6759 → | 12 times |
| עַתָּ֖ה | ʾatah | now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ | beyadekha | in hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִתֵּ֥ן | niten | we will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖ | litzvaakha | to army your | H6635 → | 485 times |
| לָֽחֶם׃ | lachem | bread | H3899 → | 298 times |
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
שָׂרֵ֣י[the] officials of
sareiH8269 →421 times
סֻכּ֔וֹתSuccoth
sukotH5523 →18 times
הֲ֠כַף¿ [is] [the] hand of
hakhafH3709 →192 times
זֶ֧בַחZebah
zevachH2078 →12 times
וְצַלְמֻנָּ֛עand Zalmunna
vetzalmuna'H6759 →12 times
עַתָּ֖הnow
ʾatahH6258 →433 times
בְּיָדֶ֑ךָin hand your
beyadekhaH3027 →1618 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נִתֵּ֥ןwe will give
nitenH5414 →2011 times
לִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖to army your
litzvaakhaH6635 →485 times
לָֽחֶם׃bread
lachemH3899 →298 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 2:21For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:24
No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
- 1 Corinthians 10:33
as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
- Philippians 2:4
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
- Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
- 2 Timothy 3:2
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
- 1 Corinthians 10:24
Through
Genesis 37:28So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
it leads to
- Acts 7:9
Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
- Psalms 105:17
He sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.
- Acts 7:9
Through
1 Kings 20:11And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”
it leads to
- Proverbs 27:1
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
- Proverbs 27:1
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.