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Judges 8:28

in Judges 8

In this way Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. So the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

KJV

Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

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This verse in Judges 8

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel--This invasion of the Arab hordes into Canaan was as alarming and desolating as the irruption of the Huns into Europe. It was the severest scourge ever inflicted upon Israel; and both it and the deliverance under Gideon lived for centuries in the minds of the people (Ps 83:11).

This site's exposition

Midian was subdued before the Israelites

on Judges 8:28-29

Midian is put down here, "did not raise its head again", and troubles Israel nowhere else in the book. Verse 29 uses Gideon's other name, Jerubbaal, which 6:32 explains as "Let Baal contend with him". It is the name chapter 9 keeps for his house.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Lifted up their head - That is, recovered not their former strength or courage, so as to conquer or oppress others. Forty years - To the fortieth year, from the beginning of the Midianitish oppression.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v30-32

Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Forty years in the days of Gideon - The Midianites were so completely humbled that they could make head no more against Israel during the forty years in which the government of Gideon lasted.

The words behind it

15 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיִּכָּנַ֣עand it was subdued

    vaiyikana'H3665 →36 times

  • מִדְיָ֗ןMidian

    midyanH4080 →59 times

  • לִפְנֵי֙<to> before

    lifneiH6440 →2123 times

  • בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of

    beneiH1121 →4930 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • וְלֹ֥אand not

    velo'H3808 →5168 times

  • יָסְפ֖וּthey repeated

    yasefuH3254 →212 times

  • לָשֵׂ֣אתto lift up

    lasetH5375 →656 times

  • רֹאשָׁ֑םhead their

    roshamH7218 →599 times

  • וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥טand it was at peace

    vatishkotH8252 →41 times

  • הָאָ֛רֶץthe land

    haaretzH776 →2504 times

  • אַרְבָּעִ֥יםforty

    ʾarbaimH705 →136 times

  • שָׁנָ֖הyear[s]

    shanahH8141 →877 times

  • בִּימֵ֥יin [the] days of

    bimeiH3117 →2304 times

  • גִדְעֽוֹן׃ פGideon

    gidonH1439 →39 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

9 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Judges 5:31So may all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But may those who love You shine like the sun at its brightest.” And the land had rest for forty years.4 worksJudges 3:11So the land had rest for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.4 worksJoshua 14:15(Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba, after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim.) Then the land had rest from war.3 worksPsalms 83:2See how Your enemies rage, how Your foes have reared their heads.3 worksIsaiah 10:26And the LORD of Hosts will brandish a whip against them, as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. He will raise His staff over the sea, as He did in Egypt.2 worksJudges 3:30So Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.2 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 9:4For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.2 worksPsalms 83:9–12Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon,2 worksJudges 11:26For three hundred years Israel has lived in Heshbon, Aroer, and their villages, as well as all the cities along the banks of the Arnon. Why did you not take them back during that time?2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Isaiah 9:4

    For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 14:25

      I will break Assyria in My land; I will trample him on My mountain. His yoke will be taken off My people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.”

    • Jeremiah 30:8

      On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will break the yoke off their necks and tear off their bonds, and no longer will strangers enslave them.

    • Isaiah 10:26–27

      And the LORD of Hosts will brandish a whip against them, as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. He will raise His staff over the sea, as He did in Egypt.

    • Nahum 1:13

      For I will now break their yoke from your neck and tear away your shackles.”

    • Isaiah 54:14

      In righteousness you will be established, far from oppression, for you will have no fear. Terror will be far removed, for it will not come near you.

  • Through

    Judges 5:31

    So may all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But may those who love You shine like the sun at its brightest.” And the land had rest for forty years.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 37:6

      He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun.

    • 2 Samuel 23:4

      is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’

  • Through

    Isaiah 10:26

    And the LORD of Hosts will brandish a whip against them, as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. He will raise His staff over the sea, as He did in Egypt.

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 9:4

      For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.

Where this verse is studied

About Judges

Jael, Deborah and Barak, Salomon de Bray, 1635. Public domain.
Jael, Deborah and Barak, Salomon de Bray, 1635. Public domain.
Judges: the study guide →Read Judges 8 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Judges 8 →