John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And the princes of Succoth said , etc.] The chief magistrates of the place made answer, one in the name of the rest; for the word said is in the singular number: are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hands ; that is, are they taken prisoners, and handcuffed, or their hands bound behind them, and put into the hands of Gideon, to do with them as he pleased? no, they were not; and they suggest they never would, deriding him and his small number of men as not a match for these kings, whom, perhaps a little before, they had seen pass by with 15,000 men; with whom his little army would not be able to encounter, should they turn and fall upon them, which they supposed would be the case; and therefore, say they, when these are in thine hands, which they thought would never be, it will be time enough that we should give bread to thine army ? for they feared, should they do that, these kings would hear of it, and they should suffer for it, and their bondage be harder than it was before; so selfish and diffident in themselves, so cruel and uncompassionate to their brethren, and so ungrateful to their deliverers, which stirred up the spirit of this humble and good man to great resentment.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-12 - Gideon's men were faint, yet pursuing; fatigued with what they ha done, yet eager to do more against their enemies. It is many a time the true Christian's case, fainting, and yet pursuing. The world knows but little of the persevering and successful struggle the real believe maintains with his sinful heart. But he betakes himself to that Divin strength, in the faith of which he began his conflict, and by the supply of which alone he can finish it in triumph.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 שׂרי8269 סכות5523 הכף3709 זבח2078 וצלמנע6759 עתה6258 בידך3027 כי3588 נתן5414 לצבאך6635 לחם׃3899
_1184-301.jpg "Illustration and Scripture")
