Chapter 8

Israel, under Gideon, defeated the Midianites in the last chapter.  Now the campaign continues.

The men of Ephraim are upset because they were not called to help Gideon in the battle against the Midianites.  Gideon placates them by saying their (Ephraim's) execution of the two princes of Midian was far more important than the battle itself, since basically, God had the Midianites kill each other, Gideon and his men didn't really do it.  This satisfies them.  Hard for me to like anyone in this story.  Maybe the lesson is that you have to follow whom God chooses as leader, even if you don't really like the way that person does things.  (Can you say Donald Trump!)

Gideon and the 300 are still chasing the fleeing Midianites, especially their kings Zebah and Zalmunnah.  They come into two different towns as they go, and Gideon requests food for his troops.  Both towns refuse because they are doubtful that Gideon will catch the kings, and they don't want to incur Midianite wrath by helping their enemies.  The towns are Succoth and Penuel.  Gideon basically says "When I come back, you'll pay for your attitude."

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunnah were in Karkor with their army, about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword. [Jdg 8:10 ESV]

This is an amazing statistic.  With only 300 men against them, 120,000 men from Midian had died.  That can only be God doing something like that.  And surely Midian as a nation is completely crippled by all this.  How can they defend themselves further against anyone, even if Gideon leaves them alone?

Even so, Gideon still has only 300 men, and he's chasing 15,000.  He will still need God to prevail.

Gideon attacks them when they aren't expecting attack, the two kings flee, and Gideon captures them.  Capture of their kings throws the Midianite army into complete panic.  Gideon returns to Succoth and Penuel and does as he said he would.  Later, he kills both Midianite kings also.

Israel asks Gideon to be king, and his sons after him.  Gideon refuses, and asks for the earrings of the Midianites that were taken as spoil.  These are gladly given.  Gideon has a golden ephod made and displays it in his home city.  People begin to worship the ephod, bringing shame instead of glory. 

Gideon goes and lives in his own house.  He has 70 sons - and many wives.  Gideon dies.  As soon as he is gone, the people begin worshiping Baal again.  (Just incredible.  Like they were waiting for him to die so they could go back to doing things wrong.  Like following God's laws felt like oppression to them.  They had had peace for 40 years, and as soon as the instrument of that peace was dead they went back to what had caused their problems in the first place!)