GIDEON:  A JUDGE AND A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR

 

The Potentates of Midian Slain

Judges 8:18-21

Lesson #18

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Gideon had captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna (Jgs. 8:12).

 

B.      He presented them to the men of the towns of Succoth and Penuel in order to confirm his words regarding the retribution he brought upon the cities.

 

C.     Question:  Now what was he supposed to do with these two kings?

1.       Would he spare them and put them into captivity.

2.       Or, would he have them slain?

 

D.     We will find out that Gideon slays them, but not for the reason we might expect.  The title of this lesson is:  “The Potentates of Midian Slain” (Judges 8:18-21).

 

I.                    THE REVIEW OF ZEBAH AND ZALMUNNA (Judges 8:18-19)

 

A.     The Slaughter at Tabor Questioned (Jud. 8:18a)

 

Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor?

 

1.       Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna about a fight that had taken place at Tabor.

a.       Did this incident happen during this battle?  Or, did the incident happen in a battle of the past?

b.      Barnes:  “We cannot say exactly when the slaughter of Gideon’s brethren on Mount Tabor took place, whether before the outbreak of the war Jdg_6:33, or in the retreat and flight of the Midianites Jdg_7:22” (e-sword).

c.       K&D do not believe they were killed in the heat of battle.  They write:  “…and apparently not in open fight; but they had murdered them in an unrighteous and cruel manner” (e-sword).

2.       What manner of men were they?

a.       Gideon asks the kings to assess the men they had killed.

b.      What type of men were they? 

c.       Illustration:  In the movie, “The Patriot,” Colonel Tavington asked Benjamin Martin if his son had died after he shot him.  He, then, remarks:  “Stupid boy.”

 

B.      The Salute Given by the Two Kings (Jud. 8:18b)

 

…And they answered, As thou art so were they; each one resembled children of a king.

 

1.       They rivaled Gideon:  “As thou art so were they.”

a.       These men knew they were fighting for their lives as they replied.

b.      They did not respond foolishly, but with wisdom.

c.       They complimented them and put them on the same level as Gideon.

2.       They resembled “children of a king.”

a.       They also lifted them to the level of being like unto “children of a king.”

b.      They carried themselves with honor and dignity.

They were strong and powerful. 

They manifested courage and no fear.

They were articulate in their speech.

They were men who were handsome to look upon.

 

C.     The Sentence Given by Gideon (Jud. 8:19)

1.       Their relationship to Gideon (Jud. 8:19a)

 

And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother…

 

a.       The men who were killed were blood-kin to Gideon, sons of his mother.

1)      Sometimes a man would have more than one wife.  An individual might have many half-brothers.

2)      These men, however, were “sons of his mother” and father.  They were truly his immediate family.

b.      It would have been one thing to be killed in battle, but to be killed in a cruel and harsh manner was something different.

2.       The reprieve that was not given (Jud. 8:19b)

 

…as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

 

a.       He assures them that if they “had saved them alive,” he would not have slayed them.

b.      His assurance is as solid as the fact that the Lord lives.

c.       NOTE:  If his brethren had been saved, he could have negotiated terms of exchange, the kings for his brothers.

d.      The opposite of his statement is also true.  “Since you did not save them alive, I will slay you.”

e.       Question:  If Gideon could have spared their lives, why didn’t he?  Is this a form of revenge?  Answer:  Under the Old Covenant, magistrates had the ability to impose punishment that was equal to the crime:  life for life, eye for eye, and tooth for tooth (See Exo. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21).

 

And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, and eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

 

II.                 THE REFUSAL BY JETHER (Judges 8:20)

 

A.     The Summons to Jether (Jud. 8:20a)

 

And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them…

 

1.       We know that Gideon has 70 sons (Jud. 8:30).

2.       We learn that his firstborn was maned Jether.

a.       This was a common Jewish name.  Six are named in the Old Testament.

b.      The meaning:  “abundance”

3.       There may have been some of Gideon’s other sons who were members of Gideon’s army.  We are not told.

4.       As the commanding officer, Gideon ordered his son to slay the two kings:  “Up, and slay them.” 

5.       Having a child slay the kings would have added to the disgrace of defeat for these two kings.

B.      The Son Feared (Jud. 8:20b)

 

…But the youth drew not his sword:  for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

 

1.       Gideon’s son never drew his sword.

2.       The text tells us that “he feared.”

a.       It may have been the first time he had to kill a human being.

b.      The two men were not just soldiers, they were kings.

3.       The text explains his fear:  “because he was yet a youth.”

a.       The word “youth” is defined as a boy, a lad, a youth.” 

b.      It involves someone from infancy to adolescence. 

c.       The heart of a child has not yet been harden to the difficult acts of warfare.  To take life is not an easy act. 

1)      To take life, one’s heart has to become somewhat hardened.

2)      Or, a person has to develop a deep knowledge of righteous retribution.

4.       NOTE:  It is interesting that the youth is not ridiculed or condemned for not following through with the act of slaying the kings.

 

III.              THE REPAYMENT BY GIDEON (Judges 8:21)

 

A.     The Solicitation by the Kings (Jud. 8:21a)

 

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us:  for as the man is, so is his strength…

 

1.       The two kings did not want a child to kill them.

2.       Thus, they solicited Gideon to kill them.  “Rise, and fall upon us.”

3.       They, then, set forth a truth:  “…for as the man is, so is his strength.”

a.       Men are often determined by their strength.

b.      We have a lot of names for men who do not have the strength and courage to do what real men should do.  One of the names is “sissy.”

4.       Was Gideon man enough to slay the two kings?

 

B.      The Slaying of Zebah and Zalmunna (Jud. 8:21b)

 

…And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna…

 

1.       His son did not draw his sword to do it.  Most likely, Gideon killed them with his sword.

2.       We have several instances of this being done in Scripture.  It was Samuel who slew the wicked king Agag (See 1 Sam. 15:33).

 

And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women.  And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

 

C.     The Spoils of the Ornaments (Jud. 8:21c)

 

…and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

 

1.       It was common for the Orientals to decorate their animals with various tapestries, chains, and jewels.  Virgil describes the horses King Latinus gave to the ambassadors of Aeneus with these words:

 

“He said, and order’d steeds to mount the band:

In lofty stalls three hundred coursers stand;

Their shining sides with crimson cover’d ore;

The sprightly steed embroider’d trappings wore,

With golden chains, refulgent to behold:

Gold were their bridles, and they champ’d on gold” (Clarke, e-sword)

 

2.       Often, they were in the shape of the sun or moon since these were gods they worshiped.

3.       Gideon removed these from the camels of the kings as prizes from his victory.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     Gideon was called by God to complete an enormous task.

 

B.      It was a task that would definitely put his faith to the test.

 

C.     Gideon responded with deep faith in God.

 

D.     His faithful obedience and courage resulted in victory over the Midianites.

 

E.      The Jews were now a free nation once again.