Judges 8:15 · Bible study
Judges 8:15 Commentary: God's Faithfulness to His Promise
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Gideon repeats the taunt of Succoth: a demonstration that God honours His word and vindicates His servants.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Gideon confronts Succoth with the captured kings to prove that the Lord fulfilled His promise to deliver the enemy into his hand.
- Key words: kaph (palm), yad (hand), hinneh (behold), yəʿefim (weary). The play on 'palm' and 'hand' underscores the original taunt's skepticism.
- Main debate: Whether Gideon's punishment of Succoth reflects personal vengeance or divine judgment, most commentators see the latter, given his earlier oath (8:7).
- Theological theme: God vindicates His word and His servants; He turns the taunts of the unbelieving into testimonies of His power.
- Best use: A sermon or lesson on trusting God's promises when human resources are exhausted, and on the public nature of divine faithfulness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And Gideon went to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your weary men?’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
He came to the men of Succoth, and said, “See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’”
KJV King James Version 1769
And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he cometh in unto the men of Succoth, and saith, `Lo Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye reproached me, saying, Is the hand of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand that we give to thy men who are wearied bread?'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he came to the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy men that are weary?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he came to Soccoth, and said to them: Behold Zebee, and Salmana, concerning whom you upbraided me, saying: Peradventure the hands of Zebee and Salmana are in thy hands, and therefore thou demandest that we should give bread to the men that are weary and faint.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y entrando á los de Succoth, dijo: He aquí á Zeba y á Zalmunna, sobre los cuales me zaheristeis, diciendo: ¿ Está ya la mano de Zeba y de Zalmunna en tu mano, para que demos nosotros pan á tus hombres cansados?
E entrando aos de Sucote, disse: Eis aqui a Zeba e a Zalmuna, sobre os quais me escarnecestes, dizendo: Está já a mão de Zeba e de Zalmuna em tua mão, para que demos nós pão a teus homens cansados?
Puis il vint auprès des gens de Succoth, et dit: Voici Zébach et Tsalmunna, au sujet desquels vous m’ avez insulté, en disant: La main de Zébach et de Tsalmunna est-elle déjà en ton pouvoir, pour que nous donnions du pain à tes hommes fatigués?
Und er kam zu den Leuten zu Sukkoth und sprach: Siehe, hier ist Sebah und Zalmuna, über welchen ihr mein spottetet und spracht: Ist denn Sebahs und Zalmunas Faust schon in deinen Händen, daß wir deinen Leuten, die müde sind, Brot geben sollen?
Toen kwam hij tot de lieden van Sukkoth, en zeide: Ziet daar Zebah en Tsalmuna, van dewelke gij mij smadelijk verweten hebt, zeggende: Is de handpalm van Zebah en Tsalmuna alrede in uw hand, dat wij aan uw mannen, die moede zijn, brood zouden geven?
Poi venne alla gente di Succoth, e disse: “Ecco Zebah e Tsalmunna, a proposito de’ quali m’insultaste dicendo: Hai tu forse già nelle mani i polsi di Zebah e di Tsalmunna, che noi abbiamo da dar del pane alla tua gente stanca?”
A przyszedłszy do mężów Sokot, rzekł: Otóż Zebeę i Salmana, którymiście mi urągali, mówiąc: Izali moc Zeby i Salmana jest w rękach twoich, abyśmy mieli dać mężom twoim spracowanym chleba?
И пришел он к жителям Сокхофским, и сказал: вот Зевей и Салман, за которых вы посмеялись надо мною, говоря: разве рука Зевея и Салмана уже в твоей руке, чтобы нам давать хлеб утомившимся людям твоим?
基甸到了 疏割，對 那裡的人 說：「你們從前譏誚 我 說：『 西巴 和撒慕拿 已經 在你手裡，你使 我們將餅 給 跟隨你的疲乏 人嗎？』現在 西巴 和撒慕拿在這裡。」
So he came to the men of Succoth and said, Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, on account of whom you made sport of me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna even now in your hand, that we are to give bread to your army who are overcome with weariness?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 8:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Gideon's exact repetition of the Succoth leaders' taunt (compare 8:6) serves a single purpose: to confront them with their own unbelief and to prove that the Lord has kept His promise. John Gill observes that Gideon recites their words for 'greater conviction and confusion,' making the shame undeniable. Keil and Delitzsch treat the moment as a righteous punishment for refusing to sustain God's warriors in a holy war. The men of Succoth had said, 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand?', implying the victory was impossible. Now Gideon stands before them, the two kings in custody, and invites them to see for themselves. The verse is the hinge that proves the Lord's earlier word through Gideon (8:7) was not empty. It is not a display of personal vengeance; it is the public vindication of God's deliverance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Gideon's capture of Zebah and Zalmunna fulfills his earlier threat and proves that God delivered the enemy into his hand, silencing the taunt of Succoth.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the verbatim repetition | Gideon deliberately repeats the Succoth leaders' words to expose their unbelief and prove God's faithfulness. | Some emphasize the punitive aspect (Keil & Delitzsch); others stress the vindication of God's promise (Gill, Matthew Henry). Both agree the repetition is not casual. |
| Severity of the punishment | Gideon carried out the threat of punishment using thorns and briers (8:16). | Interpreters differ on whether the punishment was a flogging or a harsher execution; the text allows either reading, though tearing with thorns suggests a painful but not necessarily fatal penalty. |
| Historical reliability of the surrounding narrative | The account presents Gideon as a judge raised by God to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression. | Some scholars (Cambridge Bible) note possible source discrepancies between the battle narrative and the pursuit story; conservative commentators generally accept the unity of the account. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Succoth lay east of the Jordan, within the territory of Gad, but the town had refused hospitality to Gideon's exhausted army. The exchange in chapter 8 must be read against the political fear of the time: the Midianite kings and their fifteen thousand men were still at large when Gideon first asked for bread. The princes of Succoth did not want to risk Midianite retaliation by aiding a band of three hundred ragged pursuers. Their taunt, 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand?', is a sarcastic challenge to Gideon's authority, using כַּף (kaph, 'palm') for the kings' power and יָד (yad, 'hand') for Gideon's possession. The two words echo a legal or commercial metaphor: the kings' 'palm' (their grip on the region) was not yet transferred into Gideon's 'hand.'
Gideon's men are described as יְעֵפִים (yəʿefim, 'weary'), a word that suggests both physical exhaustion and hunger, which makes Succoth's refusal especially callous. After the battle, Gideon captured the two kings and returned by the 'ascent of Heres' (8:13). The demonstrative הִנֵּה (hinneh, 'behold!') in verse 15 is a public display, a courtroom gesture: 'Here they are!' The repetition of the taunt is not mere gloating; it is an act of witness that God has done what He said He would do. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the display of defeated kings before a doubting city was the ultimate proof of divine favour and a warning against scorn of the Lord's anointed leader.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for Judges 8:15. The phrase 'with whom ye did upbraid me' appears consistently across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. The main textual interest lies earlier in the chapter (8:13, 14, regarding the proper name 'Heres' and the writing of the elders' names), but verse 15 is textually stable.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been read as a lesson in divine faithfulness. Medieval Jewish commentators (e.g., Rashi) noted the measure-for-measure justice: the very words of unbelief became the words of conviction. Protestant Reformers such as Luther and Calvin saw in Gideon a type of Christ who returns with proof of victory over the enemy. Eighteenth-century interpreters like Matthew Henry preached the certainty of God's promises: 'What God has spoken He will also bring to pass.' More recently, the verse is used in homiletic contexts to encourage believers who face scoffers to wait for the Lord's vindication rather than retaliate in their own strength.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God remembers every word. Gideon did not forget the insult. He kept the phrase in his memory and produced it at the right time, not for personal grievance, but to show that God had answered the scoffers.
- Unbelief tries to limit God's reach. The men of Succoth judged by what they could see: a small, weary army and powerful kings still at large. They had no room for the possibility that God could deliver through weakness.
- Faithfulness is public. Gideon came back with proof in hand. The same Lord who gave the victory also made the promise and held His servants accountable for trusting Him.
Five-point outline
- The burden of the exhausted, Gideon's men were faint, yet they kept pursuing.
- The refusal of the comfortable, Succoth had bread but would not share it.
- The taunt of the skeptic, 'Are the kings in your hand?', a question that doubted God's power.
- The promise of the judge, Gideon swore by Yahweh to return and teach them a lesson.
- The vindication of the Lord, the kings are produced, the taunt is turned back, and the city sees that God has kept His word.
Illustration hooks
- A promise made to a child that seems impossible to keep, then a surprise turn of events shows it was never impossible after all.
- An athlete who is mocked before a competition and later holds up the trophy, repeating the critic's words without bitterness.
- A church that refuses to support a small mission team, only to see God bring an unexpected harvest from that same team's work.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to call out people who doubted God's plan?
- Does Gideon's harsh punishment mean we should treat skeptics harshly?
- How can I trust God when the odds look as overwhelming as three hundred against fifteen thousand?
Leading a Discussion
In this verse Gideon returns to the town that refused him bread. He does not come empty-handed. The captured kings are visible proof that God has delivered as promised. Read the verse aloud and notice the weight of the word 'behold.'
Discussion questions
- What does Gideon's exact repetition of the taunt tell you about his character and his trust in God's promise?
- Compare Judges 8:6 and 8:15. Why do you think the narrator records both verses almost word-for-word?
- How does the condition of Gideon's men, 'weary', affect your view of Succoth's refusal? What might 'weary' mean for people serving God today?
- The men of Succoth based their refusal on what they could see. When have you based a decision on visible circumstances rather than on God's track record?
- Gideon's response to the taunt was a threat (8:7) that later became reality. How does this shape your understanding of God's faithfulness to His word?
- Is there a difference between Gideon's act and personal vengeance? What clues in the text suggest he is acting on God's behalf?
- What keeps a person from offering help to someone who looks too weak to succeed? How can this story change that mindset?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 8:6 | The princes of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” |
| Judges 8:7 | Gideon said, “Therefore when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge note observes that the section may be a fragment from an independent source, not a direct continuation of the preceding panic and flight. It also highlights the terse Hebrew phrasing behind the chiefs' proud taunt, and notes that the word for "crescents" is related to an Aramaic moon-god name, not the ordinary Hebrew word for moon.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Gideon brings the captured kings alive before the men of Succoth to confront them with their own mocking words. His point is that Providence has now proven their taunt false: the very kings they said were not yet in his hand now stand as living proof of his victory and their own folly.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that Gideon had memorized the exact words the men of Succoth used to mock him and now brings the captured kings before them to confront them with their own taunt. By adding that his men were weary, Gideon exposes their ingratitude for refusing bread to those exhausted in their defense.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists that Gideon's punishment of Succoth and Pnuel was not personal vengeance but a righteous duty. As God's appointed judge, Gideon acted against cities whose contempt for him was really contempt for the Lord. The execution of the Midianite kings followed strict justice for the murder of Gideon's brothers.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the remarkable perseverance of Gideon's men: though they were exhausted, they kept chasing the enemy. He contrasts this with the cold-hearted refusal of Succoth and Penuel, who would not help their own countrymen. For Henry, their unwillingness betrayed a lack of trust that God would give Gideon victory.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.