Judges 8:9

. And he went up thence to Penuel,.... A place not far from Succoth, and to which also Jacob gave name, from the Lord's appearing to him there face to face, Genesis 32:30 but here was nothing of God in this place now: and spoke unto them likewise; desired bread for his men, as he had of the inhabitants of Succoth: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him; denied him his request in the same jeering manner. Judges 8:9 Ver. 9 And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel,.... In a threatening way, as he had spoken to the men of Succoth: saying, when I come again in peace: having conquered all his enemies, and delivered Israel from their bondage, and restored peace and prosperity to them, of which he had no doubt: I will break down this tower; pointing to it and which stood in their city, and in which they placed their confidence; and when he threatened them, boasted of it as their security. Judges 8:10 Ver. 10. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor..... Jerom {u} under this word says, there was in his time a castle called Carcuria, a day's journey from Petra, which was the metropolis of Idumea; but whether the same with this is not clear: and their host with them, about fifteen thousand men; to which number Gideon and his three hundred men were very unequal; and yet, faint and weary as they were, closely pursued them, attacked and conquered them.

8:4-12 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 finish it in triumph.

In a threatening way, as he had spoken to the men of Succoth: saying, when I come again in peace: having conquered all his enemies, and delivered Israel from their bondage, and restored peace and prosperity to them, of which he had no doubt: I will break down this tower; pointing to it and which stood in their city, and in which they placed their confidence; and when he threatened them, boasted of it as their security.

Succoth was in the valley or Ghor of the Jordan Judges 8:5 , and Penuel apparently in the mountain. No identification of Penuel has taken place. It was south of the Brook Jabbok, and on Jacob's way to Succoth. Gideon, journeying in the opposite direction to Jacob, comes from Succoth to Penuel.

9. he spake …, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower—Intent on the pursuit, and afraid of losing time, he postponed the merited vengeance till his return. His confident anticipation of a triumphant return evinces the strength of his faith; and his specific threat was probably provoked by some proud and presumptuous boast, that in their lofty watchtower the Penuelites would set him at defiance.

[Reformed Biblical] nk, with thy three hundred faint and weary soldiers, to conquer and destroy a host of fifteen thousand men? ## Judges 8:7 With the thorns which grow abundantly in the neighbouring wilderness; I will chastise or beat your naked bodies with thorny rods, even unto death. Or, I will lay you down upon thorns on the ground, and bring the cartwheel upon you, which will both tear your flesh, and bruise you to death. ## Judges 8:8 Penuel; another city beyond Jordan; of which see Gen_32:30 1Ki_12:25. Judges 8:9 Your confidence in which makes you thus proud and presumptuous. He implies that he would afterwards destroy their persons, as is expressed, Jud_8:17. Judges 8:10 i.e. Persons expert and exercised in war, besides the retainers to them, Jud_6:5. ## Judges 8:11 Of them that dwelt in tents, i.e. of the Arabians; so fetching a compass, and falling upon them where they least expected it. ## Nobah and Jogbehah; of which cities see Num_32:35 ,42 . ## The host was secure; being now got safe over Jordan, and a great way from the place of battle; and, probably, supposing Gideon’s men, to be so tired with their hard service, and the great slaughter whi

With more reason, Wordsworth cites 1 Samuel 15:30 , "Honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people." A feeling of gratitude may have prompted the invitation, while the king at the same time was very sensible of the advantages which would accrue to himself if it were accepted], and I will give thee a reward . [The services, especially of seers and prophets, were invariably requited in the East with presents, as are those of Judges, Kadis, Kaimakams, and other officers at the present day (see 1 Kings 14:3 ; Genesis 24:53 ; Genesis 33:11 ; Genesis 43:11 ; Numbers 22:17 ; Judges 3:17 ; Judges 6:18 ; Judges 13:15 ; 1 Samuel 9:7, 8 ; 1 Samuel 12:3 ; 2 Kings 5:5, 15 ; 2 Kings 8:8, 9 ).] 1 Kings 13:7

(1-8) The defection of Solomon is distinctly traced to his polygamy, contracting numerous marriages with “strange women.” Polygamy is also attributed to David (see 2Samuel 3:2-5 ; 2Samuel 15:16 ), marking perhaps the characteristic temperament of voluptuousness, which seduced him into his great sin; but it was carried out by Solomon on a scale corresponding to the magnificence of his kingdom, and probably had in his case the political object of alliance with neighbouring or tributary kings. We find it inherited by Rehoboam ( 2Chronicles 11:18-21 ), and it probably became in different degrees the practice of succeeding kings. Hitherto, while polygamy, as everywhere in the East, had to some degree existed in Israel from patriarchal times, yet it must have been checked by the marriage regulations of the Law. Nor had there yet been the royal magnificence and wealth, under which alone it attains to full development. We have some traces of it in the households of some of the Judges: Gideon ( Judges 8:30 ), Jair ( Judges 10:4 ), Ibzan and Abdon ( Judges 12:9 ; Judges 12:14 ). Now, however, it became, in spite of the prohibition of the Law ( Deuteronomy 17:17 ), a recognised element of royal self-indulgence—such as is described in Ecclesiastes 2:7-8 , and is perhaps traceable even through the beauty of the Song of Solomon.