Gideon 4 - Judges 8

There had been a great victory over the oppressive Midianites where only 300 Israelite soldiers killed 120,000 Midianite men “who drew a sword,” this left 15,000 on the run trying to get back across the Jordan river. I was thinking this morning about my thoughts that these numbers couldn’t be right and the thought came to me, “what number would it take to make you believe in the power of God?” meaning what kind of translation error or what kind of actual force gap would it take for me to believe that God is powerful enough to do this work? Either I believed it as is or I didn’t. Even if the numbers weren’t completely accurate for whatever reason, what would I need to see to believe if what we have now isn’t enough? It was a powerful conviction for me. Anyway, what’s fascinating to me is that there has been this huge, miraculous victory by Gideon and only 300 soldiers, and then the problems with his own people start rolling in. It’s like when Jesus healed the blind man and the Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus and blind man for it. Or when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and the pharisees wanted to kill Lazarus, like you hear about or witness these undisputable miracles and your biggest take away is “how do I destroy this thing?” Like it seems to me that at that point that person’s heart is so hardened that this mortality might have reached it’s limits of forward progress for them. Another reason TB gave for why Ephraim was mad they weren’t invited to the battle was because the Midianites were robbers and all those people probably had lots of spoils of war that could have been take and Ephraim wanted to be in on that, especially now that they knew Gideon was victorious.

Likewise, after hearing about this incredible miracle, attributable only to the power of God, the tribal chieftains for Ephraim come to Gideon and are mad at him because he didn’t ask their permission. Like bro, God gave me permission, why would I need to speak to you about it? Fascinating to me how someone an take something so out of their reach and turn around to make it all about themselves. TB says that the leaders of Ephraim felt this way because they considered themselves to the leaders of the entirety of Israel, and to be fair most of Israel looked at them as the leaders as well. They were considered the leaders because Joshua was from Ephraim and also Ephraim had been given the birthright by Jacob as the youngest and last born of those eligible, and because the two Midianite princes who were caught were captured within Ephraim’s land, so they were effected by having fleeing Midianite soldiers in their area. Gideon handles them masterfully, way better than I would have probably, and basically is like “you captured the only princes, you’re clearly better than me.” The weight of having to worry about doing God’s will in a miraculous victory and also handle the audacity of the fragile egos of insecure men, I just could not, it could not be me.

Gideon and his 300 men cross over the Jordan river to the east side in pursuit of these fleeing Midianite princes and their 15,000 men and they obviously are very hungry and tired so they stop at two villages in Gad, so fellow Israelites and ask for “loaves of bread” but I’m sure they would have accepted any food. Now remember, these are fellow Israelites, they are supposed to be on the same side of this war, even though Gad is on the east side of the river. Both towns give the same answer, “you haven’t defeated these Midianite princes yet so why would we give you any of our food. This is a problem for many reasons. First, ancient Israel, and all people for the most part, were supposed to be hospitable and help the traveler and they refused to do that duty. In addition, again, these were Israelites, they were supposed to be on the same side, these towns were supposed to support the holy wars that God had commanded them. The IM gives a plausible reason why they declined, “perhaps they were afraid that Gideon would fail to capture and subdue the fleeing kings and that later the Midianites would return and punish them for aiding Gideon. Whatever the reason, these events illustrate the tragic fragmentation of apostate Israel.” These towns should have been happy to help especially considering the miraculous nature of Gideon’s victory so far. Like who looks at 300 men killing 120,000 soldiers and says, “yeah I’m just not sure who’s side I want to be on here,” like that’s insane.

Gideon is furious and promises to come back after defeating the other princes and “tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” On the way back he does just that, but the IM says that with translation errors and all that, it’s not known exactly what Gideon did here. TB says that he probably just killed the higher leadership who made the decision to not help, the IM seems to think that there was just some light whipping and “teaching a lesson” but we don’t really know exactly what happened.

Gideon and his troops catch up to the other two princes that are getting away, capture them and them kill all their troops and marched them back to the two towns that didn’t help them and said “hey look what I got,” and then did whatever he did that we don’t know as punishment. Now it’s time to execute these princes and so Gideon tells his oldest son to kill them, and he’s still a young boy and so he declined. Interestingly, the princes don’t want to be killed by the boy, they want to be killed by Gideon. It doesn’t make any sense to me, but apparently it was an honor thing. The IM explains, ‘to have a boy slay them would have been a great dishonor, but to die quickly under the hand of such a great warrior as Gideon would preserve their honor. Compare this request with Abimelech’s request of his armor-hearer to slay him lest men say a woman had killed him.” I don’t think that I’m immune to what honor means and all that, even in the military because I’m a vet, but maybe I just don’t understand the whole “it matters who kills me.” Like going out fighting instead of on your knees, yeah I get that, but “don’t let me be killed by a kid or a woman, I just don’t get it. Must be an ego thing, “I’m so great a warrior that only another great warrior can kill me.” I don’t get it.

When they return to Israel, the “men of Israel” ask Gideon, “rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.” They want to establish a dynastic reign of kings for a leadership structure. Gideon declines saying, “the Lod shall rule over you.” I think it’s established at this point that Gideon will be a major political leader in Israel for the rest of his life because of his actions here, so the title of king instead of just ruler or judge is the problem because he’s probably going to act in that capacity anyway. It’s also the problem of his sons and grandsons holding that role too because that takes away the possibility that God giving them the correct leader that they need when they need it. It’s telling God “we don’t want the person that you want us to have, we’ll pick him, thanks.” The IM comments, “had he consented, Gideon would have been lending support to the idea that through his own power he had won the battle. By refusing their request, Gideon reminded them where the real source of their victory lay and whom they should view as their king.”

As spoils of war, Gideon took all the golden earrings that the soldiers wore and it was over 1,700 shekels of gold, which TB read was about 42 pounds. Gideon took that gold and made a golden ephod for the temple “and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.” I didn’t know what this meant, so the IM explains that “Gideon’s intention was to use the spoils of war to make a fitting memorial honoring God’s part in the victory, but the Israelites were quick to turn to false gods and viewed the ephod as though it were an idol.” I mean, people who want to worship idols will find idols to worship, I don’t think they need anything special to make it happen. Those inclined to do so, will find a way.

“Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more.” Interestingly, TB notes that before this, the Midianites are mentioned as a great and powerful force throughout many ancient texts, but after this battle they are hardly ever mentioned at all, meaning that for the rest of history, God’s plan to overthrow their power, seemed to have worked. Gideon had a lot of wives and concubines and had lots of children and was a ruler in Israel for 40 years and the people were righteous, but the moment that Gideon died they turned away from God and went right back into worshipping idols. Such an interesting commentary on how powerful leadership is and how easily persuaded people are.