Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 8:5
And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
5. Succoth ] On the E. of Jordan, in the territory of Gad (Jos 13:27), near Penuel (cf. Gen 33:17), and below it ( went up Jdg 8:8); and Penuel, as we learn from Gen 32:22; Gen 32:30 f., lay not far from the ford of Jabbok (Nahr ez-Zer). The question is, were Succoth and Penuel north or south of the Jabbok? On the whole, a position S. of the river satisfies the conditions of the narratives: Penuel near the point where the road coming E. from es-Sal crosses the road which comes down the Jordan valley from the north (the Ghr route), i.e. 3 miles due E. of the ford ed-Dmiyeh; and Succoth to the W. of Penuel, and lower down in the Jordan valley, cf. Psa 60:6. See Driver, Expos. Times xiii. 457 ff., Genesis, 300 ff. In the Jerus. Talmud Succoth is identified with Tar‘la (now Deir ‘All), N. of the Jabbok ( Shebi‘ith ix. 38 d); the identification probably rests only on a guess.
Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian ] Contrast Jdg 7:25, and cf. Psa 83:11. The Hebr. pronunciation of these Midianite names is intended to convey a contemptuous meaning, ‘Sacrifice,’ ‘Shadow (i.e. protection, Num 14:9) withheld,’ which of course was not the real one. Zalmunna, strictly perhaps alm-na‘, appears to contain the name of the god alm, who is mentioned in the Aramaic inscriptions (fifth century b.c.) from Tma in N. Arabia; in Assyrian also almu, i.e. ‘the dark’ (a name of the planet Saturn) or ‘the image,’ seems to be used of a divinity 1 [39] .
[39] See NSI., p. 196 f.; KAT. 3 , p. 475 f.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Succoth was in the tribe of Gad which was entirely trans-Jordanic Jos 13:27; and the ruins are at Sukkot, on the east of Jordan, a little south of Bethshan.
Give, I pray you etc. – Gideon might fairly expect so much aid from the trans-Jordanic tribes, and from so considerable a town as Succoth Jdg 8:14.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Give, I pray you, loaves of bread] As Gideon was engaged in the common cause of Israel, he had a right to expect succour from the people at large. His request to the men of Succoth and Penuel was both just and reasonable.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Succoth; a place beyond Jordan, Gen 33:17; Jos 13:27; Psa 60:6.
Kings of Midian; where before this time were five kings at once, Num 31:8, who either reigned separately in divers parts of the land, or governed by common counsel and consent, as sometimes there were two or three Roman emperors together.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. he said unto the men ofSuccoththat is, a place of tents or booths. The name seems tohave been applied to the whole part of the Jordan valley on the west,as well as on the east side of the river, all belonging to the tribeof Gad (compare Gen 33:17; 1Ki 7:46;Jos 13:27). Being engaged in thecommon cause of all Israel, he had a right to expect support andencouragement from his countrymen everywhere.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he said to the men of Succoth,…. The inhabitants of that place, the principal men of it, which lay in his way as he was pursuing the Midianites in their flight to their own country; for this was a city on the other side Jordan, and in the tribe of Gad and was inhabited by Israelites, Jos 13:27 it had its name from the booths or tents which Jacob erected here, Ge 33:17
give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; he did not desire them to leave their habitations and families, and join him in pursuing his and their enemies, or to furnish him and his men with arms; only to give them some provisions and that not dainties, but loaves of bread; or “morsels of bread” t, and broken pieces; and these he did not demand in an authoritative manner, as he might have done as a general, but in a way of entreaty; and the arguments he uses are,
for they be faint; for want of food, through the long fatigue from midnight hitherto, in the pursuit of the enemy, and which was not over:
and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian; who had fled with 15,000 men, and were now, as Jarchi conjectures, destroying the countries of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; and now Gideon and his men were closely pursuing them, in hopes of taking them, and so complete the conquest, and thoroughly deliver Israel from their bondage on both sides Jordan, the benefits of which these men of Succoth would share with others; these were the arguments, and cogent ones they were, to persuade them to give his weary troops some refreshment.
t “buccellas panis”, Vatablus; “tractas panis”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator so the Targum.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) Unto the men of Succoth.The name Succoth means booths, and the place was so named, or re-named, because of the booths which had been erected there by Jacob on his return from Padanaram (Gen. 33:17; Jos. 13:27). It was situated in the tribe of Gad, and is probably the Sukkot mentioned by Burckhardt as on the east of Jordan, south wards from Bethshean. The valley of Succoth is mentioned in Psa. 60:6; Psa. 108:7.
Loaves of bread.The loaves are round cakes (ciccar). His request was a very modest and considerate one. He did not requisition them for forces, or for intelligence, or for any active assistance, because he might bear in mind that they on the east of Jordan would, in case of any reverse or incomplete victory, be the first to feel the vengeance of the neighbouring-Midianites. But to supply bread to their own hungry countrymen, who were fighting their battles, was an act of common humanity which even the Midianites could not greatly resent.
Unto the people that follow me.Literally, which is at my feet, as in Jdg. 4:10.
Zebah and Zalmunna.These were Emrs of higher rank than the Sheykhs Oreb and Zeeb, though Josephus calls them only leaders, while he calls Oreb and Zeeb kings. Zebah means a sacrifice, perhaps one who had been consecrated by his parents to the gods of Midian. Zalmunna seems to mean shadow of an exile, or, according to Gesenius, shelter is denied himan unintelligible name, but perhaps due to some unknown incident. They are called kings of Midian (malkai Midian), as in Num. 31:8. Oreb and Zeeb are only called Sarim, the same title as that given to Sisera (Jdg. 4:2), and in the next verse to the elders of Succoth.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Succoth A town of considerable size, as appears from its having seventy-seven princes and elders. Jdg 8:14. It took its name from Jacob’s having there put up booths (Hebrews, succoth) for himself and his cattle.
Gen 33:17. It was on the east of the Jordan, but its site has not been certainly identified with any modern town.
I am pursuing He was engaged in the Lord’s work, and had reason to expect assistance from the towns through which he passed.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he said to the men of Succoth, “Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” ’
Succoth was in the region of Gad in the Jordan rift valley not far from Zarethan (1Ki 7:46). It is probably Tell Deir ‘Alla which was a sanctuary surrounded by dwellings and stores. It flourished during the late Bronze Age and its sanctuary was finally destroyed in the first decades of 12th century BC as indicated by a cartouche from the end of the nineteenth dynasty. It was not seemingly a fortified city, and was presumably at this time occupied by Israelites which explains why their refusal brought such condemnation on them. In refusing food they were breaching the tribal covenant. Gideon sought nothing for himself but he was concerned for his men. Note the further stress on them being faint. They had not eaten since the ‘battle’.
“The men of Succoth”, the city elders. They should have assisted in the pursuit of Israel’s enemy but they even refused food to their brothers. They had seen the passage of Zebah and Zalmunna with fifteen military units, which by now had presumably regained their composure and were feeling safe from the enemy. They were not sure that Gideon and his three hundred were a match for them. They would at this stage know nothing of Gideon’s great victory. They judged by appearances.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The men of Succoth, and of Penuel, were Israelites by descent, but sadly degenerated from the spirit of Israel. The Reader will recollect, however, that these things happened during the time of the commonwealth of Israel, when every man did according to his own corrupt desires. The Judges, which from time to time the Lord raised up among his people, served to keep alive the remembrance of the Lord, and to preserve a seed in the earth. See Jdg 21:25 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 8:5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
Ver. 5. Loaves of bread. ] Or, Morsels, or cakes that may be soon baked, and we not hindered in our pursuit. Thus Gideon performed all the parts of a good general: he not only knew how to overcome an enemy, but also how to use the victory.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
men = folk. Hebrew. ‘enosh. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Succoth: Gen 33:17, Psa 60:6
loaves: Gen 14:18, Deu 23:4, 1Sa 25:18, 2Sa 17:28, 2Sa 17:29, 3Jo 1:6-8
Reciprocal: Gen 25:29 – and he Gen 47:15 – Give us bread Exo 11:8 – follow thee Jos 13:27 – Succoth 1Sa 30:10 – so faint 2Sa 16:2 – that such Psa 108:7 – the valley Pro 26:3 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, {d} loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
(d) Or, some small portion.