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And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.

Why hast thou served us thus? — Nay, why have you served me thus? might Gideon for better cause have said: and how is it that you came no sooner to mine assistance in so common a cause? But none are so ready to except and exclaim, as the most faulty.

And they did chide with him sharply. — Heb., Strongly. They should rather have cried him up for his valour, and blessed God for his victory. But this is merces mundi, the world’s wages: and these Ephraimitcs, pricked on by pride and envy thus to brawl and lay about them, had they not met with a man of a milder temper than themselves, had occasioned a far worse war than the former. If two fires meet, it must needs be a great combustion: it proved so in Jephtha’s days, Judges 12:1-6 and these proud Ephraimites met with their match.

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And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? [Is] not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

What have I done now in comparison of you? — By a soft answer he pacifieth their wrath. Proverbs 17:1 ; Proverbs 25:15 Milk quencheth wildfire: oil, saith Luther, quenches lime, which water kindles. Hard to hard, will never do well: but you may break a flint upon a cushion; a bullet if it light upon a wool sack, dieth there. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath." Romans 12:19 Howbeit some men are as nettles: handle them gently, they sting you; handle them hard, and they will do you no hurt.

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God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

And what was I able to do in comparison of you? — He knew them to be ambitious, and therefore he doth little less than ascribe the victory to them. Yet he saith not, You have done all, and I little or nothing: for then they would have thought he had jeered them. Only he immindeth them of entitling God to all their achievements, when he saith here "God hath delivered into your hands," … This, these proud persons perhaps thought not of.

Then their anger was abated. — As it might well enough: for, like the waters of Shiloah at the foot of Zion, Isaiah 8:6 which run softly, he made but small noise, though he heard great words.

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And Gideon came to Jordan, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men that [were] with him, faint, yet pursuing [them].

And Gideon came to Jordan. — This was before that bickering he had with the Ephraimites, though set down after it.

Faint, yet pursuing. — So Daniel, though sick, did the king’s business. "Continue instant in prayer." Romans 12:12

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And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

Loaves of bread. — Or, Morsels, or cakes that may be soon baked, and we not hindered in our pursuit. Thus Gideon performed all the parts of a good general: he not only knew how to overcome an enemy, but also how to use the victory.

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And the princes of Succoth said, [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

And the princes of Succoth said. — They not only deny him so reasonable a request, but deride and scornfully treat him, in like sort as afterwards Nabal the churl did David; which vexed him not a little.

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And Gideon said, 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.

Then I will tear your flesh. — Heb., I will thresh your flesh with the thorns. The Chaldee hath it, upon thorns; q.d., will whip you to death repetitis ictibus, by stroke upon stroke with thorns or thistles of very sharp prickles. And this he threateneth to do, not out of passion, but on premeditation, as a just severity towards such treacherous wretches.

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And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered [him].

And the men of Penuel answered him. — Not the rulers only, as at Succoth: but the common people also.

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