(1) Did he not send messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim?

What is this thing that you have done to us? For at first he sent messengers to Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali (6:35), but not to Ephraim. Only now did he send messengers to the hill country of Ephraim — and this was a great disgrace to them.

This is what they meant by saying, “by not calling us when you went to fight,” but only afterward, at the conclusion of the battle.

(The word “kerot” is an infinitive form compounded from patterns of verbs with weak letters, like “galut Yerushalayim,” “kero mikra.”)

(2–3) Why the repetition: “What have I done now compared to you?” and “What was I able to do compared to you?”

And he said. He answered: Why do you contend with me? If it is because I took the honor for myself in being the one to begin — you are the ones who completed it. “What have I done now compared to you?” At this point, at the conclusion, I have done nothing in comparison to you. (He said “now,” for he still hoped to capture Zebah and Zalmunna; as yet he had not accomplished that.)

And though I was the one who gathered the vintage — who began — yet the gleanings which you gathered at the end are better than the first harvest. Thus, in terms of the deed itself, your actions are greater, even though they came afterward.

This is secondly from the aspect of might: was it not into your hands that God delivered the princes of Midian? In this you displayed extraordinary valor, so great that it was attributed to Hashem, that He gave them into your hand. And what was I able to do compared to you? This was something I was not capable of doing. Through this, their anger was softened.

Questions: (5–17) What did he say to the men of Sukkot, and why did the officers of Sukkot answer him? They said, “Have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already been delivered into your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” In verse 15 it mentions that they said, “Should we give bread to your weary men?” In verses 15–16 it states that he came to the men of Sukkot, that he took the elders of the city, and that he disciplined the men of Sukkot, which implies that he did not discipline the elders — for if he had, it should have said “and he disciplined them.” Why, then, did he not strike the elders? And why did he kill the men of Penuel but not the men of Sukkot?

And he said to the men of Sukkot. They were obligated to give them bread for two reasons: (a) on account of the commandment of charity, since they were weary and hungry, and this commandment rests upon the entire people; (b) on account of obligation, since they were an army at war pursuing the enemy, and this responsibility rests upon the officers to provide from the levy, as it serves the public good. Because they were weary and in pursuit, Gideon first turned to the people — as it says, “And he said to the men of Sukkot” — and he gave the reason that they should provide bread because they were weary, and therefore should give on account of the commandment of charity. He further added that they were engaged in a mitzvah, pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna.

And the officers of Sukkot said. It is understood that the people did not wish to give to him on account of charity, because his men were weary. He then turned to the officers that they should give on account of obligation, as he stated at the end of his words that he was pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna. The officers responded: “Are the palms of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” You want us to give because they are your army — that is, a military force — for which the obligation rests upon the officers. But you have not yet defeated the enemy, and it is understood that they feared that if they were to give on this basis, they would be punished if the enemy prevailed. (And the word “and he said” indicates that one of the officers answered on behalf of them all.)

When I return in peace, I will tear down this tower. That is to say, they have no excuse to claim that they fear the enemy, since they trust in their strong tower; therefore he would tear down the tower — measure for measure.

From Maaleh-Haḥeres. That is, he fell upon the camp at night, just as in the first instance he had thrown them into panic at night; and when the sun rose upon the land, he returned. That is to say, he turned back because the sun had risen, for his men were few and could wage battle only at night.

And he took the elders of the city and the thorns… and he disciplined with them. That is to say, by means of them — he commanded that the elders discipline the men of Sukkot with thorns because they had withheld bread out of hardness of heart.

And he tore down the tower of Penuel. As stated above; and he killed the men of the city, for they had no excuse as the men of Sukkot did, as explained earlier.

The Questions(18) Their response, “As you are, so were they,” does not constitute a valid defense

Where are the men whom you killed at Tabor? When Zebah and Zalmunna fled to cross the Jordan, they passed through Tabor, and there they killed Gideon’s brothers. Now, according to the laws of the state, captured kings are not executed in war unless there is a charge against them — such as kings who had submitted and then rebelled. Therefore, it would not have been proper to kill Zebah and Zalmunna (who were rulers of the land) without judgment. Thus he tried them for killing his brothers. They responded, “As you are, so were they — each one,” meaning that they were liable to death just as you are, for they rebelled against us as you have. “For we saw them like the form of royal sons” — that is, they conducted themselves with royal bearing, and therefore we regarded them as rebels against us and liable to death in our judgment. Just as if we had captured you, you would have been liable to death for rebellion, so they thought they were his sons, royal princes, and therefore liable to death for their father’s rebellion according to the laws of Midian.

And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother.” That is to say, they were not my sons but my brothers; they did not rebel, and you killed them without cause. Had you let them live, I would not have killed you without judgment.

And he said to Jether. Because he was the blood-avenger for the killing of his father’s brothers.

For as a man is, so is his might. Valor must correspond to the person who performs the act of valor, and this act of bravery — to kill kings of the land — befits you.

Rule over us. They said to him: (a) that he should rule because he is worthy of it and they would derive benefit from him; (b) that his sons should also rule, on the grounds that “you have saved us,” etc.

And he said… I will not rule… That is to say, whether the benefit comes from me or the salvation — all is attributed to Hashem, and He shall rule over you.

I would request… After stating that he did not pursue authority, it now relates that he also despised personal gain; for by law half of the spoil rightfully came to him, yet he did not take it, except for a small amount, and only as a gift.

For they were Ishmaelites. That is, the Midianites conducted themselves like the Ishmaelites and mingled with them, as it says, “And Midianite men passed by… and they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites” (Genesis 37), as explained by Radak.

Aside from the crescent ornaments. These constituted spoil in their own right, and thus they remained in his possession.

And he made. From the earrings he made an ephod, an ornament as a memorial of the miracle; and after his death his brothers went astray after it. It became a snare to Gideon and to his household, and because they stumbled on account of it, he was punished in that his sons were killed.

Forty years. Including the seven years of oppression.

And he recorded for himself the officers of Sukkot… and he came to the men of Sukkot. He saw that the officers of Sukkot were not deserving of punishment, for they argued correctly that they were not yet obligated to provide him with provisions as a levy, and they were also afraid to do so. However, the men of Sukkot — from whom he had requested bread on account of their weariness — were deserving of punishment. Therefore, he came to the men of Sukkot, not to the officers.

He explained the reason for the punishment on the grounds that they had taunted him: “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your weary men?” He did not cite the wording of the officers — “that we should give bread to your army” — for that was not a taunt, since they were not yet established as an army to be supported by a levy. But the men of Sukkot, who said “your weary men,” to whom he had asked charity for exhausted individuals and not provisions for an army — this was a taunt.

And he dwelt in his house. For he no longer needed to wage war, since there was no adversary.

And when he died, they returned. As it says above, “And it came to pass when the judge died…” (Judges 2:19).

And they did not remember… Hashem, nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal… That is to say, this deliverance had a miraculous, divine element, and it was fitting that they remember Hashem; yet they did not remember Hashem, for they attributed it to a natural cause and to Gideon’s valor. And if so, they should at least have remembered Gideon for all the good he had done — but instead they repaid evil for good, as will be related shortly. The text repeats “the house of Jerubbaal, Gideon,” to indicate that they did not show kindness to Gideon as the house of Jerubbaal — that is, one who contended with Baal — even though after his death they themselves began to sacrifice to Baal.