Bible Study Guide Day 092: Judges 8–9
One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’
Judges 9:8
Judges 8
Zebah and Zalmunna
After God uses Gideon to win the war against the Midianites, the tribe of Ephraim complains to Gideon for not including them in the battle. Gideon reassures them and reminds them of their role in capturing Oreb and Zeeb, two Midianite leaders.
Gideon and his crew then head across the Jordan into the area of the Transjordan Tribes to try to capture two Midianite kings to finish the war. Gideon asks for food for his weary troops from the people of Succoth and Penuel, but they refuse to help. As a result, he promises to come back and punish them once he has defeated the Midianites.
Gideon chases down and kills the Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, and steals their crescent ornaments. He then takes revenge on Succoth and Penuel as promised, by punishing their leaders and destroying their cities.
Gideon’s Ephod
When Israel tries to make Gideon king, he refuses, saying that the Lord is their only king. He also requests gold from the people of Israel as spoils of war, which he uses to…
