Judges 8:1
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.
Judges 8:1 in other translations
| BSB | Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “Why have you done this to us? Why did you fail to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him violently. |
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| WEB | The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you treated us this way, that you didn’t call us when you went to fight with Midian?” They rebuked him sharply. |
| ASV | 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 Midian? And they did chide with him sharply. |
| YLT | And the men of Ephraim say unto him, ‘What is this thing thou hast done to us--not to call for us when thou didst go to fight with Midian?' and they strive with him severely; |
| DARBY | And the men of Ephraim said to him, What is this thing thou hast done to us, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they disputed with him sharply. |
| BBE | And the men of Ephraim came and said to him, Why did you not send for us when you went to war against Midian? And they said sharp and angry words to him. |
| Webster | And the men of Ephraim said to him, Why hast thou treated us thus, that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they chid with him sharply. |
What does Judges 8:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Jud 8:1-9. The Ephraimites Offended, but Pacified.
1. 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 out an old and deep-seated feeling of jealous rivalry that subsisted between the tribes (Is 9:21). The discontent was groundless, for Gideon acted according to divine directions. Besides, as their tribe was conterminous with that of Gideon, they might, had they been really fired with the flame of patriotic zeal, have volunteered their services in a movement against the common enemy.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
The Ephraimites are angry with Gideon because he did not call them particularly to his assistance; he pacifies them, Jdg 8:1-3. Gideon and his three hundred men pass over Jordan, pursuing the Midianites; and, being faint, ask victuals from the princes of Succoth, but are refused, Jdg 8:4-7. They make the like application to the people of Penuel, and are also refused, Jdg 8:8, Jdg 8:9. Gideon defeats Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, and takes them prisoners, Jdg 8:10-12. He chastises the men of Succoth and Penuel, Jdg 8:13-17. He slays Zebah and Zalmunna, who had killed his brethren, Jdg 8:18-21. The Israelites offer him the kingdom, which he refuses, Jdg 8:22, Jdg 8:23. He requires from them the gold rings which they had taken from the Ishmaelites, and makes an ephod, which he sets up at Ophrah; and it became an instrument of idolatry, Jdg 8:24-27. The land enjoys peace forty years; Gideon dies, having seventy-one sons, Jdg 8:28-32. The Israelites fall into idolatry, and forget their obligations to Gideon's family, Jdg 8:33-35. Verse 1 The 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, Jdg 8:4. And it was when he was beyond that river that the Ephraimites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to him, Jdg 7:25.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 8:1-3
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Judges 8:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Judges 8:1
- 2 Samuel 19:41
And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?
- Job 5:2
For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
- James 4:5-6
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
- Judges 12:1-6
And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. …
- Ecclesiastes 4:4
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4 Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon's army.
10 Zebah and Zalmunna are taken.
13 Succoth and Penuel are destroyed.
17 Gideon revenges his brethren's death on Zebah and Zalmunna.
22 He refuses government.
24 His ephod the cause of idolatry.
28 Midian subdued.
29 Gideon's children, and death.
33 The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude.
the men.
12:1-6; 2Sa 19:41; Job 5:2; Ec 4:4; Jas 4:5,6
Why, etc. Heb. What thing is this thou hast done unto us?sharply. Heb. strongly.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Judges 8:1
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.
- Judges 8:2
And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi–ezer?
Judges 8:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y LOS de Ephraim le dijeron: ¿Qué es esto que has hecho con nosotros, no llamándonos cuando ibas á la guerra contra Madián? Y reconviniéronlo fuertemente. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et les hommes d’Éphraïm lui dirent: Que nous as-tu fait, de ne pas nous avoir appelés lorsque tu es allé faire la guerre contre Madian? Et ils contestèrent fortement avec lui. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und die Männer von Ephraim sprachen zu ihm: Was ist das für eine Sache, die du uns getan, daß du uns nicht gerufen hast, als du hinzogest, um wider Midian zu streiten! Und sie zankten heftig mit ihm. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Dixeruntque ad eum viri Ephraim: Quid est hoc quod facere voluisti, ut nos non vocares, cum ad pugnam pergeres contra Madian? jurgantes fortiter, et prope vim inferentes. |