Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, by R.A. Torrey, [ca. 1880], at sacred-texts.com
Overview
Jdg 8:1, Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites; Jdg 8:4, Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon's army; Jdg 8:10, Zebah and Zalmunna are taken; Jdg 8:13, Succoth and Penuel are destroyed; Jdg 8:17, Gideon revenges his brethren's death on Zebah and Zalmunna; Jdg 8:22, He refuses government; Jdg 8:24, His ephod the cause of idolatry; Jdg 8:28, Midian subdued; Jdg 8:29, Gideon's children, and death; Jdg 8:33, The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude.
the men: Jdg 12:1-6; Sa2 19:41; Job 5:2; Ecc 4:4; Jam 4:5, Jam 4:6
Why: etc. Heb. What thing is this thou hast done unto us, sharply. Heb. strongly.
What: Co1 13:4-7; Gal 5:14, Gal 5:15; Phi 2:2, Phi 2:3; Jam 1:19, Jam 1:20, Jam 3:13-18
Is not the: That is, the Ephraimites have performed more important services than Gideon and his men had achieved.
God: Jdg 7:24, Jdg 7:25; Psa 44:3, Psa 115:1, Psa 118:14-16; Joh 4:37; Rom 12:3, Rom 12:6, Rom 15:18, Rom 15:19; Phi 2:3
Then: Pro 15:1, Pro 16:32, Pro 25:11, Pro 25:15
anger: Heb. spirit
faint: Sa1 14:28, Sa1 14:29, Sa1 14:31, Sa1 14:32, Sa1 30:10; Co2 4:8, Co2 4:9, Co2 4:16; Gal 6:9; Heb 12:1-4
loaves: Gen 14:18; Deu 23:4; Sa1 25:18; Sa2 17:28, Sa2 17:29; Jo3 1:6-8
Jdg 5:23; Gen 25:13, Gen 37:25, Gen 37:28; Sa1 25:10, Sa1 25:11; Kg1 20:11; Kg2 14:9; Pro 18:23; Phi 2:21
tear: Heb. thresh, Jdg 8:16
Gen 32:30, Gen 32:31; Kg1 12:25
I will break: Jdg 8:17
Karkor: If this were the name of a place, it is no where else mentioned. Some contend that karkor signifies rest; and the Vulgate renders it requiescebant, "rested". This seems the most likely; for it is said (Jdg 8:11) that Gideon "smote the host. for the host was secure."
children: Jdg 7:12
fell an hundred: etc. or, an hundred and twenty thousand every one drawing a sword, Jdg 7:22, Jdg 20:2, Jdg 20:15, Jdg 20:17, Jdg 20:25, Jdg 20:35, Jdg 20:46; Kg2 3:26; Ch2 13:17, Ch2 28:6, Ch2 28:8; Isa 37:36
Nobah: Nobah took its name from an Israelite who conquered it; and is said by Eusebius to have been, in his time, a forsaken place eight miles south from Heshbon. Jogbehah was probably near it. Num 32:35, Num 32:42
secure: Jdg 18:27; Sa1 15:32, Sa1 30:16; Th1 5:3
took: Jos 10:16-18, Jos 10:22-25; Job 12:16-21, Job 34:19; Psa 83:11; Amo 2:14; Rev 6:15, Rev 6:16, Rev 19:19-21
discomfited: Heb. terrified
before: The words milmaaleh haichaires should, most probably be rendered "from the ascent of Chares;" which is the reading of the LXX Syriac, Arabic, and Houbigant. Jdg 8:13
caught: Jdg 1:24, Jdg 1:25; Sa1 30:11-15
described: Heb. writ
the elders: Jdg 8:7; Pro 10:13, Pro 19:29; Ezr 2:6
thorns: Mic 7:4
taught: Heb. made to know, Instead of wyyoda, Houbigant, Lev. Clerc, and others read wyyadosh, "and he tore or threshed;" and this is not only agreeable to what Gideon threatened (Jdg 8:7), but is supported by the LXX Vulgate, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. The Hebrew Text might easily have been corrupted simply by the change of שׁ, shin, into ע, ayin, letters very similar to each other.
As thou art: Psa 12:2; Jde 1:16
resembled: Heb. according to the form of, etc
Jos 10:24; Sa1 15:33; Psa 149:9
Rise thou: It was disgraceful to fall by the hands of a child; and death by the blows of such a person must be much more lingering and tormenting. Some have employed children to dispatch captives. Jdg 9:54; Sa1 31:3, Sa1 31:5; Rev 9:6
slew: Psa 83:1
ornaments: or, ornaments like the moon, Isa 3:18
Rule thou: Jdg 9:8-15; Sa1 8:5, Sa1 12:12; Joh 6:15
I will: Jdg 2:18, Jdg 10:18, Jdg 11:9-11; Luk 22:24-27; Co2 1:24; Pe1 5:3
the Lord: Sa1 8:6, Sa1 8:7, Sa1 10:19, Sa1 12:12; Isa 33:22, Isa 63:19
give me: Gen 24:22, Gen 24:53; Exo 12:35, Exo 32:3; Pe1 3:3-5
because: Gen 16:10, Gen 16:11, Gen 25:13, Gen 37:25, Gen 37:28; Sa1 25:11; Kg1 20:11
a thousand: Taking the shekel at half an ounce, the sum of the gold ear-rings was 73 lbs. 4 oz. and worth about 3,300 sterling.
collars: or, sweet jewels
purple: Est 8:15; Jer 10:9; Eze 27:7; Luk 16:19; Joh 19:2, Joh 19:5; Rev 17:4; Rev 18:12, Rev 18:16
chains: Jdg 8:21
an ephod: Jdg 17:5, Jdg 18:14, Jdg 18:17; Exo 28:6-12; Sa1 23:9, Sa1 23:10; Isa 8:20
Ophrah: Jdg 8:32, Jdg 6:11, Jdg 6:24; Deu 12:5
a whoring: Exo 23:33; Psa 73:27, Psa 106:39; Hos 2:2, Hos 4:12-14
was Midian: Psa 83:9-12; Isa 9:4, Isa 10:26
forty years: Jdg 3:11, Jdg 3:30, Jdg 5:31
Jerubbaal: Jdg 6:32; Sa1 12:11
in his own house: Neh 5:14, Neh 5:15
threescore: Jdg 9:2, Jdg 9:5, Jdg 10:4, Jdg 12:9, Jdg 12:14; Gen 46:26; Exo 1:5; Kg2 10:1
of his body begotten: Heb. going out of his thigh
many wives: Gen 2:24, Gen 7:7; Deu 17:17; Sa2 3:2-5, Sa2 5:13-16; Kg1 11:3; Mal 2:15; Mat 19:5-8; Eph 5:31-33
concubine: Jdg 9:1-5; Gen 16:15, Gen 22:24
called: Heb. set
died in: Gen 15:15, Gen 25:8; Jos 24:29, Jos 24:30; Job 5:26, Job 42:17
as soon: Jdg 2:7-10, Jdg 2:17, Jdg 2:19; Jos 24:31; Kg2 12:2; Ch2 24:17, Ch2 24:18
went: Jdg 8:27, Jdg 2:17; Exo 34:15, Exo 34:16; Jer 3:9
Baalberith: Literally, "the lord of the covenant." Jdg 9:4, Jdg 9:46
remembered: Psa 78:11, Psa 78:42, Psa 106:18, Psa 106:21; Ecc 12:1; Jer 2:32
showed: Jdg 9:5, Jdg 9:16-19; Ecc 9:14, Ecc 9:15
Jerubbaal: Rather, Jerubbaal Gideon; as we say, Simon Peter; or call a person by his Christian and surname. Gideon was a mighty man of valour, a true patriot, evidently disinterested and void of ambition. He loved his country, and hazarded his life for it; but refused the kingdom, when offered to him and his heirs. The act of making the ephod was totally wrong; yet, probably it was done with no reprehensible design.