
Judges 8:1-21
8:1 | Ephraim was the most prominent of the 12 tribes of Israel. The tabernacle was located in their territory, and Joshua was one of their descendants. Impressed with their own importance (Josh. 17:14), the men of Ephraim complained about not being included in the call to war.
8:2-3 | Gideon’s diplomatic response – claiming that he had accomplished nothing compared to the Ephraimites – momentarily preserved the fragile cooperation between the tribes (Prov. 15:1). It also allowed him to stay focused on the mission: defeating the enemy. But this account reveals the resentment and jealousy that surfaced in the aftermath of victory. God’s people face the same danger today. Churches and Christian organizations break down when selfish concerns overshadow the cause. Abiezer was Gideon’s clan.
8:4-17 | Gideon pursued the enemy until they were completely destroyed, just as God had commanded, because as long as they remained, there would be no peace in Israel.
8:20-21 | Asking a boy (Jether his firstborn) to kill the two kings (Zebah and Zalmunna) was an affront to them (Ps. 83:11). Jether’s fear kept him from becoming the kind of man his father had become – a man of violence and brutality.