The Meaning of Judges 8:1 Explained

Judges 8:1

KJV: 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.

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 E'phraim said to him, "What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight with Mid'ian?" And they upbraided him violently.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Judges 8:1 Mean?

Study Notes

Ephraim
Cf. Judges 12:1 ; 2 Samuel 2:8 ; 1 Kings 12:16 . Here begins that deep-rooted division in Israel which culminated in the division of Solomon's kingdom under Jeroboam and Rehoboam.

Context Summary

Judges 8:1-12 - A Soft Answer Turneth Away Wrath
The fleeing host made for the three fords of the Jordan, and with all haste Gideon summoned the tribes to anticipate them. The way of the victor was not without its drawbacks and discouragements. Ephraim was wroth; Succoth and Penuel were contemptuous; his own men were faint, though pursuing. But the faith that had won the great victory never wavered. Gideon "endured as seeing Him who is invisible." From the eternal source of patience and hope he derived the grace of continuance. This is what Paul also learned and taught in after-years, 2 Corinthians 6:4, etc.
When the soul is leaning on God, drawing on his resources and affirming his sufficient grace, it can afford to answer Ephraim pleasantly; it will not shrink from rebuking cowardice in Penuel and Succoth; and it will hold on its victorious way, until the last enemy is destroyed and it enters the presence of God to receive the "Well done!" Discouraged soul, get alone, shut your door on all other thoughts, and say over and over to God the words with which the good Asaph ends Psalms 73:23-28. Let these fill your heart with music till you are strong again. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 8

1  Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites
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 brothers'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

What do the individual words in Judges 8:1 mean?

And said to him the men of Ephraim what [is] thing this have you done to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites and they reprimanded him sharply
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ אֶפְרַ֗יִם מָֽה־ הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְבִלְתִּי֙ קְרֹ֣אות לָ֔נוּ כִּ֥י הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם ؟ בְּמִדְיָ֑ן וַיְרִיב֥וּן אִתּ֖וֹ בְּחָזְקָֽה

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֜יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אִ֣ישׁ  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶפְרַ֗יִם  of  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
מָֽה־  what  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
הַדָּבָ֤ר  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
עָשִׂ֣יתָ  have  you  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָּ֔נוּ  to  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
לְבִלְתִּי֙  by  not 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
קְרֹ֣אות  calling 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לָ֔נוּ  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
הָלַ֖כְתָּ  you  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם  to  fight 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
؟ בְּמִדְיָ֑ן  with  the  Midianites 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְיָן  
Sense: son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians.
וַיְרִיב֥וּן  and  they  reprimanded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: רִיב  
Sense: to strive, contend.
בְּחָזְקָֽה  sharply 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָזְקָה  
Sense: force, might, strength, violence.

What are the major concepts related to Judges 8:1?

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