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GIDEON:  A JUDGE AND A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR

 

The Punishment of Succoth and Penuel

Judges 8:13-17

Lesson #17

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Gideon’s three hundred men had completed the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Midianites.

1.       Two princes were slain.

2.       Two kings were captured.

3.       The host of the Midianites were smitten.

 

B.      The victory must have been of great delight unto Gideon, his men, and the nation of Israel.  They were now free from oppression.  All of the horrible things that Midian had done to Israel were now going to be completely put behind them. 

1.       They would have the increase of the land once again.

2.       They would have flocks and herds.

3.       They would have prosperity.

4.       They would no longer have to hide their activities from the Midianites.

 

C.     As Gideon returned home, he had some unfinished business that he needed to address.  We read about it in this section of Judges 8, entitled:  “The Punishment of Succoth and Penuel” (Judges 8:13-17).

 

I.                    THE RETURN FROM BATTLE (Judges 8:13)

 

And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up.

 

A.     The text in the KJV makes it sound as it the battle fought by Gideon and his men was both decisive and quick.

1.       He left Succoth and Penuel rejected.

2.       He fought the battle against the remaining 12,000 of Midian that afternoon and night. 

3.       Now, he returns from the battle “before the sun was up.”

 

B.      Most do not believe this to be an accurate translation although Keil and Delitzsch admit that “cheres” can refer poetically to the sun.

 

C.     The NKJV has this rendering:  “Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, from the ascent of Hermes.

1.       It is thought that this was a road that was near the town of Succoth.

2.       However, we do not have any historical documentation about “the ascent of Hermes.”

 

II.                 THE REVEALING OF SUCCOTH’S LEADERS (Judges 8:14)

 

A.     The Seizing of a Young Man (Jgs. 8:14a).

 

And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him…

 

1.       A young man was caught by Gideon’s troops who was of the town of Succoth.

2.       Young man:  boy, adolescent, possibly, a servant

3.       We are not told how or where he was caught.

4.       Gideon inquired of him.  We know what was asked by the information that the lad provided.

 

B.      The Superiors Revealed to Gideon (Jgs. 8:14b).

 

…and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.

 

1.       Every town had men who ran the affairs of the city.

2.       Two groups of men were named by the young man.

a.       Princes

1)      Strong (8269):  sar, a head person            :- captain, chief, general, governor, keeper, lord, master, prince

2)      BDB:  prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

3)      NOTE:  These may have been elected positions or appointed positions or those who held high positions in the city such as lawyers, businessmen, and religious leaders.

b.      Elders

1)      Strong (2205):  old

2)      BDB:  old, elder (as those having authority)

3)      These were the older men of the town who were respected and honored for their wisdom and experience

c.       These were the men who made decisions for the city.  They were the ones who had made the decision not to provide bread for Gideon’s army.

3.       These men were described by the young man.

a.       Names

b.      Schedules

c.       Residences

d.      Gathering places

e.       Type of clothing

f.        Their physical descriptions

4.       The total number of men were three score (60) plus seventeen (77) which equals 77.  One commentator referred to these men as the “Sanhedrin” of the city.

 

III.              THE RENDERING OF ZEBAH AND ZALMUNNH (Judges 8:15)

 

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?

 

A.     Gideon gathers the “men of Succoth” together and presents unto them the two kings of Midian. 

1.       These were the two men he did not have the first time he came to the city.

2.       The men of Succoth seemed to put a lot of faith in these two men.  Thus, they withheld bread from the weary men of Gideon’s army.

 

B.      Behold, Zebah and Zalmunna

1.       These two kings are brought into the presence of the men of Succoth bound.

2.       The evidence that they had been captured cannot be denied.

3.       REMEMBER:  The men of Succoth not only denied Gideon, they also rebelled against God who had commissioned Gideon to deliver Israel. 

4.       One wonders how the men of Succoth were feeling as they looked upon these two subdued kings. 

a.       Anger?  Fear?  Jealousy?  Regret?

b.      Some of these men may have tried to bargain with Gideon because they knew the promise he had made when he left them.

 

IV.              THE RETRIBUTION UPON THE MEN OF SUCCOTH (Judges 8:16)

 

And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of the city.

 

A.     Gideon did not renege on his promise to the men of Succoth.  He had told them:  “Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers” (Jdg. 8:7).

 

B.      Our text reveals that “he taught the men of the city.”

1.       In some way, the flesh of these men was torn by the briers.

2.       LESSON:  Physical disciple is one means of teaching.

a.       When individuals experience pain, it is often a very good teacher.

b.      Verses

1)      Proverbs 10:13

 

…a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

 

2)      Proverbs 29:15

 

The rod and reproof give wisdom…

 

3)      Hebrews 12:11

 

Now no chastening for the present seemth to be joyous, but grievous:  nevertheless, afterward it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

 

3.       LESSON:  When righteous disciple is issued, the ones meeting out the disciple are not evil.  The ones who are evil are the ones who have violated the law and caused the discipline to rain down on them (See John 2:13-16).

a.       Jesus rebuked those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves and rebuked the money changers.

b.      The text tells us that they had turned the Father’s house into a house of merchandise.

c.       In Matthew 21, we read where Jesus cleansed the temple a second time.  This time Jesus proclaimed that they had turned the house of prayer into a den of thieves (Matt. 21:12-13).

 

V.                 THE REVENGE UPON PENUEL (Judges 8:17)

 

And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

 

A.     Gideon also carried out revenge on the men of Penuel. 

 

B.      He tore down the tower and slew the men of the city.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     Why is it that sometimes the joy of victory also has to be accompanied by the sorrow of disciple?

 

B.      It is imperative that the children of God learn the importance of involvement and cooperation in the work of God.

 

C.     When everyone labors and does his/her part, all can take part in the victory.  No one has to be chastised for their stubbornness and lack of participation.