What is the meaning of Judges 8:10? Now Zebah and Zalmunna “Now Zebah and Zalmunna…” (Judges 8:10a) • These two Midianite kings are the same men Gideon has been pursuing since the rout at the Valley of Jezreel (Judges 7:24-25; 8:5). • Their defeat is essential because God had already promised complete deliverance from Midian’s oppression (Judges 6:14, 16). • Psalm 83:11 later lists Zebah and Zalmunna among foes whose downfall proves the LORD alone is “Most High over all the earth,” underscoring the lasting significance of this moment. were in Karkor “…were in Karkor…” (Judges 8:10a) • Karkor lies east of the Jordan, deep in the desert. The kings assumed distance and terrain would shield them. • Yet Psalm 139:7-10 reminds us no place is hidden from God’s reach; His deliverance extends beyond borders and obstacles. • Gideon’s march “by the way of the nomads” (Judges 8:11) shows determined obedience; he trusts the LORD more than the security of familiar territory. with their army of about fifteen thousand men “…with their army of about fifteen thousand men…” (Judges 8:10b) • Though reduced, fifteen thousand still dwarfs Gideon’s original three hundred (Judges 7:7). • God delights to save “not by might nor by power” (Zechariah 4:6); the contrast highlights His glory, not Israel’s strength. • 1 Samuel 14:6 offers a parallel: Jonathan states, “Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few,” reinforcing the lesson. all that were left of the armies of the people of the east “…all that were left of the armies of the people of the east.” (Judges 8:10b) • “People of the east” covers Midianites, Amalekites, and other nomadic raiders (Judges 6:3). • Their decimated numbers fulfill God’s promise in Judges 6:16: “You will strike Midian as one man.” • Isaiah 41:11-13 later echoes the theme: enemies who once terrified God’s people become “as nothing and perish” when the LORD takes Israel’s hand. A hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had already fallen “A hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had already fallen.” (Judges 8:10c) • The staggering casualty count magnifies the miracle begun when Gideon’s three hundred broke pitchers and blew trumpets (Judges 7:19-22). • Judges 7:22 records the LORD turning Midianite swords against one another—a tangible reminder that victory belongs to Him (Proverbs 21:31). • Revelation 19:11-21 pictures Christ someday defeating vast armies with a mere spoken word, foreshadowed here by an overwhelming triumph through unlikely means. summary Judges 8:10 captures the pivot point between the LORD’s initial rout of Midian and Gideon’s final cleanup. Two defeated kings, thought safe in distant Karkor, remain under divine pursuit. Their remnant army, still larger than Gideon’s, cannot withstand God’s plan. The verse spotlights the LORD’s faithfulness to His promises, His sovereign reach across geography, and His delight in using small, obedient faith to topple vast opposition. |
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