Gideon pursues Zebah and Zalmunna beyond the Jordan and chastises Succoth and Penuel; he refuses the crown — 'Hashem shall rule over you' — but the ephod of gold becomes a snare to his house.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And the men of Ephraim said to him: ‘Why have you served us thus, that you did not call us when you went to fight with Midian?’ And they did chide with him sharply.
verse value 4873
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 78 letters. Notable word values: "to·us" (לָּ֔נוּ) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·strove" (וַיְרִיב֥וּן, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 86: to·us, to·us. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "what·the·thing" (מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר), "to·call" (קְרֹ֣אות), "you·went" (הָלַ֖כְתָּ). The root לנו appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "you·went" (root הלך, 109x in Judges). First appearance of the root לנו ("to·us") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·Midian', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 3 words.
Metzudat David
"[For] not calling us." At the beginning of the war, when you went out to wage battle, what does it mean that you called us [only] after the victory?
Malbim
The Questions: (1) Did he not send messengers throughout all the mountain of Ephraim?
"What is the thing that you have done to us?" For initially he sent messengers to Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, but not to Ephraim (Judges 6:35); only now did he send messengers to the mountain of Ephraim, and this was a great disgrace to them. And this is what he meant by 'so that you would not call upon us,' for you went ahead [without us]; only afterward, at the conclusion of the war, [did you involve us]. (And the word 'קראות' is an infinitive that is a composite of the lamed-aleph and lamed-heh verb patterns, [as in] 'galut Yerushalayim' [the exile of Jerusalem] and 'qero mikra' [proclaiming a sacred assembly]).
And he said to them: ‘What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
verse value 3285
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 50 letters. Notable word values: "to·them" (אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "not" (הֲלֹ֗א, 3 letters) and the longest is "what·have·I·done" (מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "what·have·I·done" (מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי), "now·as·you" (עַתָּ֖הכָּכֶ֑ם), "gleanings·of" (עֹלְל֥וֹת). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·them" (root אל, 89x in Judges); "what·have·I·done" (root עשה, 87x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'now·as·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם [to·them] (86) + מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי [what·have·I·done] (835) + עַתָּ֖הכָּכֶ֑ם [now·as·you] (555) + הֲלֹ֗א [not] (36) + ט֛וֹב [good] (17) + עֹלְל֥וֹת [gleanings·of] (536) + אֶפְרַ֖יִם [Ephraim] (331) + מִבְצִ֥יר [than·vintage·of] (342) + אֲבִיעֶֽזֶר [Abiezer] (290) = 3285.
Rashi
"What have I done now like you? How significant is what I did at the beginning, compared to how much you have done at the end?"
"Is not the gleaning better?"—[meaning, the gleanings] that came into your hands at the end are better than the beginning of the vintage that we — I and my family — harvested, for indeed it was into your hands that the Lord delivered the kings.
Radak
“Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?” This is an analogy: namely, the lesser among you are better than the greater among us. “Gleanings” and “vintage” serve as an allegory for Midian. What Gideon did to Midian was like the vintage, for he initiated the war and killed the camp, which was numerous. And what remained after the vintage are the gleanings, which are a small matter compared to the vintage. So too, Ephraim captured the princes of Midian, who were like gleanings in comparison to the entire camp; yet they were princes and great men. This is what it says: “Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?” For your deed is better than my deed, for the princes of Midian fell into your hands. And the Targum of Jonathan translates: “Are not the weak ones of the house of Ephraim better than the strong ones of the house of Abiezer?”
“From the vintage.” The bet is soft [without a dagesh] and deserves to have a dagesh:
Ralbag
Are not the clusters of Ephraim better, etc.? He compared the weak ones to clusters that are incomplete (ollot), and the mighty ones to the complete clusters which are gathered, for the incomplete clusters (ollot) were left for the poor. And he said this to appease them, that the weak of Ephraim are better than the mighty of his family, and with this their anger was quieted.
Metzudat David
“What have I done?” means: Behold, despite all this, the victory will be attributed to your name, for what is the victory that I have achieved now, compared to yours?
"Is it not good, etc." The meaning is: The victory that you achieved at the end of the war is greater than the victory that I and my family, Abiezer, achieved at its beginning.
Metzudat Zion
The gleanings. They are the lesser grapes gathered at the end, as in (Isaiah 17:6) "and gleanings shall be left in it":
From the vintage. The beginning of the gathering is called "vintage," as in (Deuteronomy 24:21) "when you harvest your vineyard":
Malbim
The Questions (2-3): Why is there a duplication of "What have I done now compared to you?" and "What could I have done compared to you?"
"And he said." He replied, "Why do you contend with me? If it is because I took the honor for myself by being the one who began, are you not the ones who completed? And what have I done now compared to you? Indeed, now, at the completion, I did nothing against you (and he says 'now' because he still hoped to capture Zebah and Zalmunna; only now he had still not done anything). And even though I was the vintager, who is the one who begins, are not the gleanings that you gathered at the end better than the vintage? And so, from the aspect of the deed, your actions are greater, even though they came at the end."
God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?’ Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
verse value 5689
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 75 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֜ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "then" (אָ֗ז, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·what·was·I·able" (וּמַה־יָּכֹ֖לְתִּי, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·what·was·I·able" (וּמַה־יָּכֹ֖לְתִּי), "to·do" (עֲשׂ֣וֹת), "as·you" (כָּכֶ֑ם). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·do" (root עשה, 87x in Judges); "from·upon·him" (root על, 87x in Judges); "in·your·hand" (root יד, 75x in Judges). First appearance of the root רפה ("sank") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Rashi
And what could I do, that it should be considered as equal to your work?
Radak
“Then their spirit was calmed.” The term “spirit” refers to anger, as it is said, “Do not be hasty in your spirit to become angry.”
Metzudat David
“And what could I?” He means to say: the strength within me, what is it, that I might perform a mighty deed like you?
Then. When he spoke placatingly to their hearts, and acknowledged to them the victory and capability, they calmed down from their anger:
Metzudat Zion
Slackened. From the word for relaxation:
Their spirit. The spirit of anger, as in (Ecclesiastes 7:9) 'do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry':
Malbim
"This is the second point, from the perspective of might: 'God has given into your hands the princes of Midian.' In this, you demonstrated tremendous might, to the extent that it was attributed to God, saying that He gave them into your hands. And what could I have done like you? Surely this is something I could not have done. And through this, their anger was appeased."
And Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
verse value 3567
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "crossing" (עֹבֵ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "three·hundred" (וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "Jordan" (הַיַּרְדֵּ֑נָה), "three·hundred" (וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת), "faint" (עֲיֵפִ֖ים). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "and·came" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Jordan', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיָּבֹ֥א [and·came] (19) + גִדְע֖וֹן [Gideon] (133) + הַיַּרְדֵּ֑נָה [Jordan] (274) + עֹבֵ֣ר [crossing] (272) + ה֗וּא [he] (12) + וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת [three·hundred] (1083) + הָאִישׁ֙ [man] (316) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + אִתּ֔וֹ [with·him] (407) + עֲיֵפִ֖ים [faint] (210) + וְרֹדְפִֽים [and·being·behind] (340) = 3567.
Rashi
“‘He passed over’—this refers to the three hundred men. They crossed the Jordan after Zebah and Zalmunna, who had crossed the Jordan first and were ravaging the land of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh beyond the Jordan. He crossed there in order to take vengeance on them as well.”
And he said to the men of Succoth: ‘Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.’
verse value 4633
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "abundance" (הֵ֔ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·faint" (כִּֽי־עֲיֵפִ֣ים, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·the·men·of" (לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י), "give·now" (תְּנוּ־נָא֙), "talents·of" (כִּכְּר֣וֹת). 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·the·men·of" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges). First appearance of the root סכות ("Succoth") in Judges. First appearance of the root צלמנע ("and·Zalmunna") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·my·feet', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 9 words.
Rashi
"Of the men of Sukkot." They were Israelites:
Metzudat David
"After Zebah and Zalmunna." For they fled before the waters could catch them, or they remained in their land and did not come to battle, and he pursued to destroy them utterly from their land.
Metzudat Zion
Loaves. Whole bread is called a loaf:
At my heels. With me and after me:
Malbim
The questions (5-17): He speaks to the men of Succoth, and why did the officials of Succoth answer him? They said, "Should we 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 says that he came to the men of Succoth, took the elders of the city, and punished the men of Succoth [with thorns and briers]; this implies that he did not punish the elders themselves — for if so it should have said 'and he punished them.' Why did he act this way, not striking the elders? And why did he kill the men of Penuel and not the men of Succoth?
"And he said to the men of Sukkoth." Behold, they were obligated to give them bread on account of two matters: 1) On account of the commandment of charity, since they were weary and hungry, and this commandment rests upon the entire people; 2) On account of the obligation arising from the fact that they were an army engaged in battle and pursuing the enemy, and this matter rests upon the princes to provide for them from the tax, since it is for the common good. And since they were weary and in pursuit, Gideon first turned to the people, which is what is stated: "And he said to the men of Sukkoth." And he stated the reason why they should give them bread, namely that they were weary, and therefore they should give to them on account of the commandment of charity. And he added that they were emissaries fulfilling a commandment in pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna.
And the princes of Succoth said: ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your power, that we should give bread to your army?’
verse value 2923
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 44 letters. Notable word values: "in·your·hand" (בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "princes·of" (שָׂרֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Zalmunna" (וְצַלְמֻנָּ֛ע, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·your·army" (לִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "in·your·hand" (root יד, 75x in Judges); "that·we·should·give" (root נתן, 69x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·your·hand', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ [and·said] (257) + שָׂרֵ֣י [princes·of] (510) + סֻכּ֔וֹת [Succoth] (486) + הֲ֠כַ֠ף [palm] (105) + זֶ֧בַח [Zebah] (17) + וְצַלְמֻנָּ֛ע [and·Zalmunna] (286) + עַתָּ֖ה [now] (475) + בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ [in·your·hand] (36) + כִּֽי־נִתֵּ֥ן [that·we·should·give] (530) + לִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖ [to·your·army] (143) + לָֽחֶם [bread] (78) = 2923.
Rashi
"Is the palm of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand?" [Meaning:] that you boast that you saved us from the hand of Midian:
Radak
And it says, “And the princes of Succoth said” [in the singular]. One of the princes answered him on behalf of all of them; therefore, it says “and he said” in the singular form.
Metzudat David
"Now it is in your hand. For if they are not now in your hand, there is no strength in pursuit to provide bread for your army:"
Malbim
"And the officials of Succoth said." The implication is that the people did not want to give him [bread] out of charity, since his men were weary; so he then turned to the officers, [asking] that they give to him out of obligation, as he stated at the end of his words that he was pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna. The officers replied to him: "Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?" This means: You want us to give to you on the grounds that they are your army — meaning an army of war, for which the obligation falls upon the officers — but you have not yet defeated the enemy. It is understood that they were afraid that if they gave to him on this basis, they would be punished if the enemy's hand prevailed. (And the word "he said" [singular] indicates that one [officer] answered on behalf of all of them.)
And Gideon said: ‘Therefore when Hashem has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.’
verse value 5804
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 70 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵ֗ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·with·the·briers" (וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִֽים, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, in·my·hand. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "when·gives" (בְּתֵ֧ת), "and·I·will·tread·out" (וְדַשְׁתִּי֙), "flesh" (אֶת־בְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "in·my·hand" (root יד, 75x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·my·hand', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + גִּדְע֔וֹן [Gideon] (133) + לָכֵ֗ן [therefore] (100) + בְּתֵ֧ת [when·gives] (802) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + אֶת־זֶ֥בַח [Zebah] (418) + וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֖ע [and·Zalmunna] (687) + בְּיָדִ֑י [in·my·hand] (26) + וְדַשְׁתִּי֙ [and·I·will·tread·out] (720) + אֶת־בְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם [flesh] (963) + אֶת־קוֹצֵ֥י [with·thorns·of] (607) + הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר [the·wilderness] (251) + וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִֽים [and·with·the·briers] (814) = 5804.
Rashi
The briers. "Rontsi" in the vernacular:
Radak
“[With] the thorns of.” With the thorns of the wilderness. And its interpretation is: "I will thresh you, striking you with thorns upon your flesh." And Jonathan rendered in the Targum: "the thorns of" as "upon the thorns of the wilderness and upon the brambles." And it appears from his words that its interpretation is that he will cast them naked upon the thorns and tread upon them with his feet. And it appears that this Sukkot was a place of thorns and brambles; therefore, the name of the city is Sukkot, just as it says, "Can his skin be filled with thorns," whose meaning is thorns. Therefore, he said that he would strike them with thorns.
The barqanim: A species among the species of thorns.
Ralbag
And the evil disposition of the princes of Sukkot reached such a degree that they did not wish to go out to battle with Gideon, nor did they wish to give them loaves of bread. And Gideon said to them that when the LORD gives Zebah and Zalmunna into his hand, he will punish them for this by threshing their flesh with thorns and briers.
Metzudat David
And I will thresh. Like a person who threshes grain, who strikes and pounds it, so will I strike your flesh with thorns:
Metzudat Zion
I will thresh. From the word for threshing:
With thorns. Together with thorns:
Thistles. A kind of thorns:
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke to them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.
verse value 3976
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "to·them" (אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "from·there" (מִשָּׁם֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "Penuel" (פְּנוּאֵ֔ל, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 361: man, man. The root פנואל appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "as" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "to·them" (root אל, 89x in Judges). First appearance of the root פנואל ("Penuel") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'like·this', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֤עַל [and·went·up] (116) + מִשָּׁם֙ [from·there] (380) + פְּנוּאֵ֔ל [Penuel] (167) + וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר [and·spoke] (222) + אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם [to·them] (86) + כָּזֹ֑את [like·this] (428) + וַיַּעֲנ֤וּ [and·answered] (142) + אוֹתוֹ֙ [him] (413) + אַנְשֵׁ֣י [man] (361) + פְנוּאֵ֔ל [Penuel] (167) + כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר [as] (521) + עָנ֖וּ [they·answered] (126) + אַנְשֵׁ֥י [man] (361) + סֻכּֽוֹת [Succoth] (486) = 3976.
Ralbag
And he went up from there to Penuel, and the men of Penuel answered him like the answer of the princes of Sukkot. And he was greatly indignant at this on account of the evil of their disposition, until they did not even agree to help in this war even with this small help. And since all the men of Penuel were united in this deed, he said that he would tear down the tower and kill its inhabitants. But he shortened his words and refrained from revealing to them that he would kill them. And it seems that all this matter was on that night on which he began the work of war.
Metzudat David
Like this. Just as he had spoken to the men of Succoth:
And he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying: ‘When I come back in peace, I will break down this tower.’
verse value 2818
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "I·will·pull·down" (אֶתֹּ֖ץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "also·to·men·of" (גַּם־לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "also·to·men·of" (גַּם־לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י), "I·will·pull·down" (אֶתֹּ֖ץ), "the·tower" (אֶת־הַמִּגְדָּ֥ל). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "also·to·men·of" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "this" (root זה, 39x in Judges). First appearance of the root מגדל ("the·tower") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֛אמֶר [and·said] (257) + גַּם־לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י [also·to·men·of] (434) + פְנוּאֵ֖ל [Penuel] (167) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [saying] (271) + בְּשׁוּבִ֣י [when·I·return] (320) + בְשָׁל֔וֹם [in·peace] (378) + אֶתֹּ֖ץ [I·will·pull·down] (491) + אֶת־הַמִּגְדָּ֥ל [the·tower] (483) + הַזֶּֽה [this] (17) = 2818.
Metzudat David
"I will tear it down," etc. Since they trusted in taking refuge in the tower of strength that they had, therefore he said that he would tear it down.
Metzudat Zion
Tear down. From the word for tearing down:
Malbim
"When I return in peace, I will tear down the tower." This means to say that they have no excuse to fear another enemy, since they trust in the tower as their stronghold; therefore, the tower will be torn down, measure for measure.
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the host of the children of the east; for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
verse value 5764
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 86 letters. The shortest word is "all" (כֹּ֚ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·camps" (וּמַחֲנֵיהֶ֤ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 111: thousand, thousand. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·Zebah" (וְזֶ֨בַח), "in·Karkor" (בַּקַּרְקֹ֗ר), "and·their·camps" (וּמַחֲנֵיהֶ֤ם). The root מחנה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "with" (root עם, 79x in Judges); "all" (root כל, 44x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·children·of·the·east', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 6 words.
Rashi
BeKarkar. The name of a place:
Radak
In Karkor. The bet is with a patach as a sign of the definite article ha-, contrary to the custom of adding it to the name of a city, which occurs only in a few places, and it is mostly for the sake of notification.
Ralbag
And indeed he pursued after them with the three hundred men who were with him. And Zebah and Zalmunna were already in one place whose name was Karkor, and their camp was with them, about fifteen thousand. And Gideon was not afraid to pursue after them because they were then confused and fleeing, and it was night so they could not see Gideon's army.
Metzudat David
"All the remnant." This implies: "And they were all the remnant, etc."
"One who draws a sword." This means that men of war go forth with their swords drawn.
Metzudat Zion
Drew. The sense of drawing the sword from its sheath, as in (Joshua 5:13) 'with his sword drawn':
And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host was secure.
verse value 1955
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. Notable word values: "and·he·struck" (וַיַּךְ֙) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "way" (דֶּ֚רֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·encampment" (אֶת־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "way" (דֶּ֚רֶךְ), "the·dwellers" (הַשְּׁכוּנֵ֣י), "in·tents" (בׇאֳהָלִ֔ים). The root מחנה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "and·went·up" (root עלה, 78x in Judges); "Gideon" (root גדעון, 32x in Judges). First appearance of the root בטח ("securely") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·Jogbehah', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֣עַל [and·went·up] (116) + גִּדְע֗וֹן [Gideon] (133) + דֶּ֚רֶךְ [way] (224) + הַשְּׁכוּנֵ֣י [the·dwellers] (391) + בׇאֳהָלִ֔ים [in·tents] (88) + מִקֶּ֥דֶם [on·the·east] (184) + לְנֹ֖בַח [to·Nobah] (90) + וְיׇגְבְּהָ֑ה [and·Jogbehah] (31) + וַיַּךְ֙ [and·he·struck] (36) + אֶת־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה [the·encampment] (509) + וְהַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה [and·the·camp] (114) + הָ֥יָה [was] (20) + בֶֽטַח [securely] (19) = 1955.
Rashi
The way of those who dwell in tents. The road through the land of Kedar and Arabia, who dwell in the desert in their tents, constantly grazing their livestock and not residing in houses.
"From east of Nobah and Jogbehah." These are cities of Israel, and he did not wish to go there except by an indirect route, so that they would not be aware of him, and he would strike them suddenly.
Radak
The phrase "dwelling in tents" comes as a construct chain. The smikhut (construct relationship) rests on the word indicating usage, similar to "the prophets of their king." And its meaning is as Jonathan [the Aramaic translator] rendered it: "in the manner of the camps of the Arabs, who dwell in tents in the desert."
Ralbag
And Gideon went up by the way of the tent-dwellers to inquire in which place Zebah and Zalmunna were, or to see if they were hidden there, or so that Zebah and Zalmunna and their camp would not see him until he was upon them. And indeed Gideon came and struck the camp, and the camp was secure in that place and did not notice him until he came upon them.
Metzudat David
"He was secure." This implies that they were not guarded against Gideon's sword, for they thought that they were secure, that it would not come upon them.
Metzudat Zion
The tent-dwellers. They are the Arabs who always dwell in tents:
And Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
verse value 3530
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 69 letters. The shortest word is "Zebah" (זֶ֚בַח, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Zalmunna" (וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·pursued" (וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף), "and·all·the·encampment" (וְכׇל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה), "he·discomfited" (הֶחֱרִֽיד). The root זבח appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "after·them" (root אחר, 49x in Judges); "kings·of" (root מלך, 35x in Judges); "Midian" (root מדין, 32x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'after·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיָּנֻ֗סוּ [and·they·fled] (132) + זֶ֚בַח [Zebah] (17) + וְצַלְמֻנָּ֔ע [and·Zalmunna] (286) + וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף [and·pursued] (300) + אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם [after·them] (264) + וַיִּלְכֹּ֞ד [and·he·captured] (70) + אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י [year] (761) + מַלְכֵ֣י [kings·of] (100) + מִדְיָ֗ן [Midian] (104) + אֶת־זֶ֙בַח֙ [Zebah] (418) + וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע [and·Zalmunna] (687) + וְכׇל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה [and·all·the·encampment] (164) + הֶחֱרִֽיד [he·discomfited] (227) = 3530.
Ralbag
And Zebah and Zalmunna fled from there, and he pursued after them and captured them, and he threw the whole camp into panic, for they thought that Gideon's army was greater than what was with him, because it was night. And it is possible that they also cried, 'A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!' to terrify them.
Metzudat David
He terrified. Gideon terrified the entire camp, and they were unable to rescue the kings from his hand.
And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.
verse value 1526
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "and·he·returned" (וַיָּ֛שׇׁב, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·the·battle" (מִן־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "from·the·battle" (מִן־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה), "from·ascent·of" (מִֽלְמַעֲלֵ֖ה), "Heres" (הֶחָֽרֶס). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Gideon" (root גדעון, 32x in Judges); "and·he·returned" (root שוב, 30x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·the·battle', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֛שׇׁב [and·he·returned] (318) + גִּדְע֥וֹן [Gideon] (133) + בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ [son·of·Joash] (369) + מִן־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה [from·the·battle] (218) + מִֽלְמַעֲלֵ֖ה [from·ascent·of] (215) + הֶחָֽרֶס [Heres] (273) = 1526.
Rashi
"From above the sun." Until the sun has set, while the sun is still visible high in the sky.
Radak
"From above [the Ascent of] Heres." Just as Jonathan translated: "before the sun sets" — [meaning] before the sun's coming [i.e. setting]. And "cheres" is called "the sun," as in, "He who commands the sun and it does not rise" (Job 9:7), [and] "before the sun set" (Judges 14:18); and [the word] "from above" is used like the comparative in "as a stack of grain comes up in its season" (Job 5:26) — meaning: before the cessation of the sun's light. Or its interpretation is that the sun was still above, visible in the sky, not yet having gone down beneath the earth. And there is an interpretation that all night Gideon pursued Zebah and Zalmunna, and in the morning, as the dawn rose, he returned from battle, and this is "from above Heres."
Ralbag
And indeed Gideon returned from the battle from the time the sun began to rise, for it was night when he came upon the camp of Zebah and Zalmunna.
Metzudat David
"From above the sun." While the sun was still visible above, at the height of the heavens:
Metzudat Zion
The sun. The sun, as in (Job 9:7) 'who says to the sun, do not shine':
Malbim
"From above, the sun." The explanation is that he fell upon the camp at night, just as the first time he terrified them at night; and when the sun rose over the land, he returned. The intent is to convey that he returned because the sun had risen, for his men were few, and they could not fight except at night.
And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him; and he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men.
verse value 5212
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 63 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אִֽישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·caught·a·young·man" (וַיִּלְכׇּד־נַ֛עַר, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 486: Succoth, Succoth. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·he·caught·a·young·man" (וַיִּלְכׇּד־נַ֛עַר), "from·men·of" (מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י), "and·asked·him" (וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֑הוּ). The root איש appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·men·of" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "to·him" (root אל, 89x in Judges); "seventy" (root שבע, 28x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·asked·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיִּלְכׇּד־נַ֛עַר [and·he·caught·a·young·man] (390) + מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י [from·men·of] (401) + סֻכּ֖וֹת [Succoth] (486) + וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֑הוּ [and·asked·him] (358) + וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב [and·he·wrote] (438) + אֵלָ֜יו [to·him] (47) + אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י [the·princes·of] (911) + סֻכּוֹת֙ [Succoth] (486) + וְאֶת־זְקֵנֶ֔יהָ [and·its·elders] (579) + שִׁבְעִ֥ים [seventy] (422) + וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה [and·seven] (383) + אִֽישׁ [man] (311) = 5212.
Radak
"And he wrote to him." In order that he not forget them until his arrival in the city.
Metzudat David
"And he asked him." The verse is concise and does not elaborate on what he asked, but the matter is understood of itself.
And he came to the men of Succoth, and said: ‘Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you did taunt me, saying: Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your power, that we should give bread to your men that are weary?’
verse value 5587
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 86 letters. Notable word values: "in·your·hand" (בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·men·of" (אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 286: and·Zalmunna, and·Zalmunna. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·men·of" (אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י), "you·taunted" (חֵרַפְתֶּ֨ם), "to·your·men" (לַאֲנָשֶׁ֥יךָ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·your·men" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·Zalmunna', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 14 words.
Metzudat David
"Which you have reproached Me": In the matter of their capture.
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
verse value 4040
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "in·them" (בָּהֶ֔ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·briers" (וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִ֑ים, 10 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "the·elders·of" (אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י), "and·thorns·of" (וְאֶת־קוֹצֵ֥י), "and·he·taught" (וַיֹּ֣דַע). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "in·them" (root הם, 74x in Judges); "the·city" (root עיר, 52x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·the·briers', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words.
Rashi
"And he disciplined them." (Targum:) "And he crushed them."
Radak
"And he knew them." As its Targum [Yonatan] renders it: "And he broke upon them." And [this connects to] "and acquainted with sickness" (Isaiah 53:3), for ["choli"] is a term denoting breaking. And it is possible to interpret it according to its plain meaning, that he made known to them their transgression with the thorns.
Metzudat David
"And he knew them." With thorns he would afflict them and break them.
Metzudat Zion
And he broke. Yonatan translates: 'and he broke,' so too (Ezekiel 19:7) 'and he broke his widows':
Malbim
"And he took the elders of the city and the thorns, etc., and he punished them." This means through them [the thorns], for he commanded that the elders should punish the men of Succoth with thorns, because they had withheld bread from him during his hunger.
And he broke down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
verse value 2462
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "pulled·down" (נָתָ֑ץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·tower·of" (וְאֶת־מִגְדַּ֥ל, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·the·tower·of" (וְאֶת־מִגְדַּ֥ל). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "men·of" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "the·city" (root עיר, 52x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'pulled·down', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־מִגְדַּ֥ל [and·the·tower·of] (484) + פְּנוּאֵ֖ל [Penuel] (167) + נָתָ֑ץ [pulled·down] (540) + וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֖ג [and·he·slew] (224) + אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֥י [men·of] (762) + הָעִֽיר [the·city] (285) = 2462.
Radak
"And he slew the men of the city." Why did it not say this at the beginning, but rather only "to tear down the tower"? Because they were relying on it, and they answered him [Gideon] insolently; and now, "he slew the men of the city"—perhaps they were fighting against him when he came to tear down the tower.
Ralbag
And it is mentioned after this that he fulfilled to the men of Sukkot and to the men of Penuel what he said to them.
Metzudat David
"And he killed, etc." – Because they fought against him on account of the destruction of the tower.
Malbim
"And he destroyed the tower of Penuel." As stated above, and he killed the men of the city, for they had no defense like the men of Succoth, as stated above.
Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna: ‘Where are the men whom you slew at Tabor?’ And they answered: ‘As you are, so were they; of one form with the children of a king.’
verse value 4134
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 70 letters. Notable word values: "like·you" (כָּמ֣וֹךָ) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 4134 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·to·Zalmunna" (וְאֶל־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע, 8 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·Zebah" (אֶל־זֶ֙בַח֙), "and·to·Zalmunna" (וְאֶל־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע), "where?" (אֵיפֹה֙). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges). First appearance of the root כמו ("like·you") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'at·Tabor', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 7 words.
Rashi
One was described as resembling the king’s sons. Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: “One of them was whose appearance was like the appearance of the king’s sons.” And there is one who explains it as follows: “Like you, like them; one appearance is yours, for they were like the appearance of the king’s sons.”
Radak
"Where are the people?" What is their description and their character?
“Like you, like them, one.” “Like you, like them, one image and one form, and they were like the appearance of the king’s sons: as you are, so are they.” Yonatan [the Aramaic translator] explained: “Like you, so are they; one of them was like the appearance of the king’s sons.” And it appears that his interpretation is because the word “one” is separated by the cantillation accent, and he said “the king’s sons,” since most of the king’s sons are handsome in appearance compared to other human beings, because they are raised in luxury.
Ralbag
"Where are the men whom..." [etc.] He asked them [the word] 'eifo' — [i.e.] 'ayeh poh' ['where here'] — it seems, so that their form and appearance would be recognized thereby. And they said to him that their appearance was like the appearance of Gideon. And in general, their appearance was like the appearance of the king's sons, for they were good-looking. Or they said this about Gideon's sons, for they were there, as it says afterward, 'and he said to Jether his firstborn.' And they meant by this that the appearance of one of the slain was like the appearance of Gideon's sons, and the rest had their appearance like that of Gideon.
Metzudat David
Like you, like them, one. Your image is like their image, and their image is like your image; and to add further clarification, He said "one."
"Like the appearance." And they were like the appearance of "the king's sons," like your appearance.
Metzudat Zion
Where. [A combination of] 'where here,' and he means: who among us resembles their appearance:
Malbim
Questions (18): The response that they gave you, “Like you, like them,” does not constitute an excuse.
“Where are the men whom you killed at Tabor?” At the time 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, one does not kill kings who have been conquered in war, unless there is a charge against them, such as kings who had submitted and then rebelled. Therefore, it was not fitting to kill Zebah and Zalmunna (who were the lords of the land) without a trial. Consequently, he judged them for having killed his brothers. They replied, “Like you, like them,” meaning that they were liable to death just as you were, because they were rebels against us, just as you were. For we saw them as described as “the sons of the king,” meaning they were conducting themselves with royal ceremonies; therefore, we considered them rebels against us, and they became liable to death in our eyes. Just as if we had conquered you, you would have been liable to death for rebellion. And they [Zebah and Zalmunna] thought that they [your brothers] were the sons of the king, and so were liable to death for their father's rebellion, according to the laws of Midian.
And he said: ‘They were my brethren, the sons of my mother; as Hashem lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not slay you.’
verse value 2534
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 44 letters. Notable word values: "and·Lamed" (ל֚וּ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "abundance" (הֵ֑ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·my·mother" (בְּנֵֽי־אִמִּ֖י, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "sons·of·my·mother" (בְּנֵֽי־אִמִּ֖י), "as·Hashem·lives" (חַי־יְהֹוָ֗ה), "you·had·kept·alive" (הַחֲיִתֶ֣ם). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "as·Hashem·lives" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "sons·of·my·mother" (root בן, 116x in Judges). First appearance of the root חיה ("you·had·kept·alive") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'abundance', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּאמַ֕ר [and·he·said] (257) + אַחַ֥י [my·brothers] (19) + בְּנֵֽי־אִמִּ֖י [sons·of·my·mother] (113) + הֵ֑ם [abundance] (45) + חַי־יְהֹוָ֗ה [as·Hashem·lives] (44) + ל֚וּ [and·Lamed] (36) + הַחֲיִתֶ֣ם [you·had·kept·alive] (463) + אוֹתָ֔ם [them] (447) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + הָרַ֖גְתִּי [I·have·slain] (618) + אֶתְכֶֽם [you] (461) = 2534.
Metzudat Zion
If. Its sense is like 'if,' so too (ibid. 14:15) 'if a wild beast':
Malbim
And he said, "They are my brothers, the sons of my mother." He meant to say that they were not my [own] sons, but rather my brothers, and they had not rebelled; therefore, you killed them for nothing. And had you spared them, I would not have killed you without a trial.
And he said to Jether his first-born: ‘Up, and slay them.’ But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
verse value 3647
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·drew·not" (וְלֹא־שָׁלַ֨ף, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 447: them, and·drew·not. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·Jether" (לְיֶ֣תֶר), "his·first-born" (בְּכוֹר֔וֹ), "and·drew·not" (וְלֹא־שָׁלַ֨ף). The root נער appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "for" (root כי, 70x in Judges); "rise" (root קום, 43x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'them', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ [and·said] (257) + לְיֶ֣תֶר [to·Jether] (640) + בְּכוֹר֔וֹ [his·first-born] (234) + ק֖וּם [rise] (146) + הֲרֹ֣ג [kill] (208) + אוֹתָ֑ם [them] (447) + וְלֹא־שָׁלַ֨ף [and·drew·not] (447) + הַנַּ֤עַר [the·boy] (325) + חַרְבּוֹ֙ [his·sword] (216) + כִּ֣י [for] (30) + יָרֵ֔א [feared] (211) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ [still·he] (136) + נָֽעַר [boy] (320) = 3647.
Rashi
"And the lad did not draw his sword." [This is to say that he did not draw it] to kill them, for he was afraid of them.
Metzudat David
"For he was still a youth. And therefore he feared them, for he did not understand that they were delivered into his hand and would not stand against him."
Malbim
"And he said to Jether." For he is the blood avenger for the killing of his father's brothers.
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said: ‘Rise you, and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his strength.’ And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’necks.
verse value 5998
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 94 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·crescents" (אֶת־הַשַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔ים, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·fall·upon·us" (וּפְגַע־בָּ֔נוּ), "his·strength" (גְּבוּרָת֑וֹ), "the·crescents" (אֶת־הַשַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔ים). The root זבח appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "as·the·man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges). First appearance of the root פגע ("and·fall·upon·us") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 10 words.
Rashi
"The crescents." "Levins" in the foreign language, made of gold.
Radak
"For as a man’s strength." This means: We will not die by the hand of a youth who is distressed by his blow, for he does not yet possess strength and power to strike us down quickly with a single blow. But you, since you are mighty—just as the man is great, so is his strength—strike us, and we will die by your hand quickly.
"And he took." To inform us that he took them for himself, for it was his intention to ask for all the crescents and rings from the men of war, as he said, "I will ask you a request."
"The crescents." An ornament in the shape of a moon; Targum [renders] "moon" [as] "sahra."
Ralbag
The crescents that were on their necks: in the shape of the moon.
Metzudat David
"As the man, so is his might." Just as the value of the man is, so is the value of his might: if he is great, his might is great, and if small, etc. And therefore, you strike at us, for because of the abundance of might within you, you will kill us in one blow and not repeat it; and it is fitting and proper to ease the death of kings this way.
Metzudat Zion
And smote. Its sense is a deadly blow, as in (II Samuel 1:15) 'approach, strike him':
The moonlets. A kind of ornament, as in (Isaiah 3:18) 'the hairnets and the moonlets,' for it is shaped like the moon, and the translation of 'moon' is 'sihra':
Malbim
"For as a man, his might." The might must be measured against the man who performs the might, and this might—to slay the kings of the land—is fitting for you.
Then the men of Israel said to Gideon: ‘Rule you over us, both you, and your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.’
verse value 3463
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "also" (גַּ֣ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "man·Israel" (אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "rule·over·us" (מְשָׁל־בָּ֙נוּ֙), "also·you" (גַּם־אַתָּ֔ה), "also·your·son" (גַּם־בִּנְךָ֖). The root גם appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man·Israel" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "to·Gideon" (root איל, 114x in Judges). First appearance of the root משל ("rule·over·us") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'son·of·your·son', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ [and·they·said] (263) + אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ [man·Israel] (852) + אֶל־גִּדְע֔וֹן [to·Gideon] (164) + מְשָׁל־בָּ֙נוּ֙ [rule·over·us] (428) + גַּם־אַתָּ֔ה [also·you] (449) + גַּם־בִּנְךָ֖ [also·your·son] (115) + גַּ֣ם [also] (43) + בֶּן־בְּנֶ֑ךָ [son·of·your·son] (124) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + הוֹשַׁעְתָּ֖נוּ [You·have·saved·us] (837) + מִיַּ֥ד [from·hand·of] (54) + מִדְיָֽן [Midian] (104) = 3463.
Metzudat David
"Rule over us." They accepted him out of love, to rule over them, he and his seed, because of the salvation which he performed.
Malbim
"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 even his sons should rule, because "you have saved us," etc.
And Gideon said to them: ‘I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; Hashem shall rule over you.’
verse value 2000
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 50 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 2000 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "I" (אֲנִי֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·not·he·will·rule" (וְלֹא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: in·you, my·son, in·you, in·you. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "not·I·will·rule" (לֹֽא־אֶמְשֹׁ֤ל), "and·not·he·will·rule" (וְלֹא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל), "rules" (יִמְשֹׁ֥ל). The root משל appears 3 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "my·son" (root בן, 116x in Judges). First appearance of the root בכם ("in·you") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֲלֵהֶם֙ [to·them] (76) + גִּדְע֔וֹן [Gideon] (133) + לֹֽא־אֶמְשֹׁ֤ל [not·I·will·rule] (402) + אֲנִי֙ [I] (61) + בָּכֶ֔ם [in·you] (62) + וְלֹא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל [and·not·he·will·rule] (417) + בְּנִ֖י [my·son] (62) + בָּכֶ֑ם [in·you] (62) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + יִמְשֹׁ֥ל [rules] (380) + בָּכֶֽם [in·you] (62) = 2000.
Metzudat David
"I will not rule." He did not wish to accept the rulership.
The Lord shall reign. This means: Is it not from the Lord that salvation comes? Therefore He shall rule over you, and to Him you shall listen.
Malbim
"And He said, etc., 'I will not rule over you, etc.' He means to say that both the benefit from Me and the salvation are entirely ascribed to the Lord, and He shall rule over you."
And Gideon said to them: ‘I would make a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil.’—For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.
verse value 3317
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "Ishmaelite" (יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "let·me·ask" (אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤ה), "from·you" (מִכֶּם֙), "request" (שְׁאֵלָ֔ה). The root נזם appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "to·them" (root אל, 89x in Judges). First appearance of the root נזם ("ring") in Judges. First appearance of the root זהב ("gold") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·spoil', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Radak
For they are Ishmaelites. They are Midianites, who are Ishmaelites, for they are the sons of Keturah, and Keturah is Hagar. And similarly in the sale of Joseph: “And they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites,” and afterward it says, “And the Midianites sold him into Egypt.” And Jonathan translated [the Targum]: “For the Arabs killed them.” From his translation it appears that he is not saying that the Midianites are Ishmaelites, but rather that the Arabs who dwell in tents, who passed by in pursuit of Midian and killed them, and from them came the golden earrings.
Ralbag
For they are Ishmaelites, the Midianites.
Metzudat David
"Each man, the earring of his spoil." Every man shall give me an earring from what he plundered.
For they are Ishmaelites. For Midian was from the sons of Keturah (Genesis 25:2), who is Hagar (Genesis Rabbah 61:4), the mother of Ishmael (Genesis 16:15), and they are brothers, and they are called by one name, and they have one custom: to wear a nose-ring.
Metzudat Zion
A nose-ring. It is an ornament of the nose:
Malbim
"I will ask, etc." After the verse that states he did not pursue power, comes the verse that states he hated gain, for by right half of the spoils was due to him, yet he took only a small amount, and that only as a gift.
"For they are Ishmaelites." The Midianites' custom is like that of the Ishmaelites, and they intermingle with them, as it is stated, "And Midianite men passed by, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites" (Genesis 36). Radak.
And they answered: ‘We will willingly give them.’ And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil.
verse value 4153
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "let·us·give" (נִתֵּ֑ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·garment" (אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "giving" (נָת֣וֹן), "and·they·spread" (וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֙), "the·garment" (אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה). The root נתן appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "giving" (root נתן, 69x in Judges). First appearance of the root שלך ("and·they·cast") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'let·us·give', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ [and·they·said] (263) + נָת֣וֹן [giving] (506) + נִתֵּ֑ן [let·us·give] (500) + וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֙ [and·they·spread] (602) + אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה [the·garment] (781) + וַיַּשְׁלִ֣יכוּ [and·they·cast] (382) + שָׁ֔מָּה [name] (345) + אִ֖ישׁ [man] (311) + נֶ֥זֶם [ring] (97) + שְׁלָלֽוֹ [his·spoil] (366) = 4153.
And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’necks.
verse value 6340
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 105 letters. Notable word values: "alone" (לְ֠בַ֠ד) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·the·crescents" (מִן־הַשַּׂהֲרֹנִ֨ים, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "heaviness" (מִשְׁקַ֞ל), "the·rings·of" (נִזְמֵ֤י), "gold" (הַזָּהָב֙). The root זהב appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "that·is·on" (root על, 87x in Judges). First appearance of the root בגד ("and·clothes·of") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'gold', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 13 words.
Rashi
"The crescents and the pendants." (Targum:) "Necklaces and wreaths."
Radak
"And the pendants." Jonathan translated it "kelila" [a wreath/crown], and some say [it is related] to [the incense spices] nataf and shecheileth. And the explanation is that "netifot" is the name of a golden vessel in which they carry nataf, which is the balsam.
Ralbag
The pendants: They are golden vessels in which they used to carry the nataf [stacte], which is the tzori [balsam].
The ornaments. They are like neck rings, and they are ornaments placed on the neck.
Metzudat David
"Which he requested." And they gave [it] according to his request.
Gold. Denarii of gold:
"Besides, etc." – For he himself took these for himself from the spoils of war.
Metzudat Zion
The pendants. The name of a pendant ornament that hangs before the heart, as in (Isaiah 3:19) 'the pendants and the bracelets':
The necklaces. An ornament around the neck, as in (Proverbs 1:9) 'and as ornaments about your neck':
Malbim
"Aside from the crescents." This was plunder in its own right, and it became his.
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah; and all Israel went astray after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.
verse value 4579
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֑ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·Israel" (כׇֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 413: him, him. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·ephod" (לְאֵפ֗וֹד), "and·set·up" (וַיַּצֵּ֨ג), "in·his·city" (בְעִירוֹ֙). The root גדעון appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "and·to·his·house" (root בית, 88x in Judges); "and·did" (root עשה, 87x in Judges). First appearance of the root אפוד ("to·ephod") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'there', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 4 words.
Rashi
And Gideon made it into an ephod. To serve as a memorial to a great salvation, so that people might see how great their strength had been, since all this gold came from the earrings of their nobles.
"And all Israel went astray after it." After the death of Gideon:
Radak
The ephod. He made it like a belt or a golden garment, and he set it up in his city so that it would be a memorial of the great salvation. And he made it for a good purpose, but after his death, the children of Israel went astray after it and made it a god. And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory: “In bowing down to the ephod itself,” as it is said, “And Gideon made it an ephod.”
Ralbag
And indeed Gideon made from this gold an ephod, and it is like a girdle. And it seems that he made this to remember this miracle. And indeed all Israel erred after it to make from it an idol. And it seems that this error was not in his days. And this matter was a snare for Gideon and his house.
Metzudat David
"that one." This implies that he took that very weight of gold from the earrings and made it into a garment in the form of an ephod to serve as a memorial.
"And they went astray..." (etc.): There, in that place, they stood and worshipped it, for they later made it into an idol and went there to worship it.
"A snare." Because the stumbling block came about through Gideon, his sons were killed.
Malbim
"And he made." From the earrings he made an ephod, a ornament, to commemorate the miracle. But after his death, his brothers prostituted themselves [to idolatry], and it became for Gideon and his house a stumbling block. After they had stumbled because of it, he was punished in that his sons were killed.
So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.
verse value 4482
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 63 letters. Verse gematria: 4482 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "son" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "forty" (אַרְבָּעִ֥ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 541: Israel, their·head. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "they·added" (יָסְפ֖וּ), "to·carry" (לָשֵׂ֣את), "their·head" (רֹאשָׁ֑ם). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "and·not" (root לא, 77x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·head', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Ralbag
And indeed the land was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon. And therefore he dwelt in his house, for he had no wars. And his saying 'in the days of Gideon' indicates an indication that the years of the servitude are not included in this number. And it is possible to say that the years of the servitude are already included in this number. But he said 'in the days of Gideon' to indicate that as soon as he died, the tranquility departed.
Metzudat David
"To lift up their heads." This means that they went in humility, with bowed heads.
“Forty years.” Until the completion of forty years from the time the subjugation began.
Malbim
Forty years. Together with the seven years of subjugation.
And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
verse value 1485
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "and·went" (וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Joash" (בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "in·his·house" (בְּבֵיתֽוֹ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·went" (root הלך, 109x in Judges); "in·his·house" (root בית, 88x in Judges); "and·dwelt" (root ישב, 69x in Judges). Full calculation: וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ [and·went] (66) + יְרֻבַּ֥עַל [Jerubbaal] (312) + בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ [son·of·Joash] (369) + וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב [and·dwelt] (318) + בְּבֵיתֽוֹ [in·his·house] (420) = 1485.
Radak
"And he dwelt in his house." This indicates that he had no wars, as it is stated, "And the land had rest for forty years."
Metzudat David
"And he sat in his house." This implies that he did not exert himself greatly in the leadership of the people, for he sat in his house in tranquility, and therefore he had many wives and sons.
Malbim
"And he wrote down for him the officers of Succoth, etc., and he came to the men of Succoth." Behold, he saw that the officers of Succoth were not deserving of punishment, for they argued lawfully that they were not yet obligated to give him tribute, and also because they were afraid to do so. But the men of Succoth, from whom he had asked [bread] as an act of charity to the weary, were deserving of punishment; therefore he came to the men of Succoth, not to the officers. And he explained the reason for the punishment: because they had insulted him, [saying,] "Are Zebah and Zalmunna's hands now in your grasp, that we should give your weary men bread?" He did not adopt the officers' wording, "that we should give bread to your army," for that would not have been an insult, since they were not yet recognized as a war-army whom [Succoth] would be obligated to sustain by way of tribute. But the men of Succoth, who said, "that we should give your weary men bread"—meaning that from them he had asked charity for weary people, not tribute for a war-army—this was the insult.
"And he sat in his house." For he did not need to fight, since there was no adversary.
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten; for he had many wives.
verse value 2156
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 42 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לֽוֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (לֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·Gideon" (וּלְגִדְע֗וֹן, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 21: were, were. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "going·out" (יֹצְאֵ֖י), "his·thigh" (יְרֵכ֑וֹ), "for·wives" (כִּֽי־נָשִׁ֥ים). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "were" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "for·wives" (root אשה, 59x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·thigh', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּלְגִדְע֗וֹן [and·to·Gideon] (169) + הָיוּ֙ [were] (21) + שִׁבְעִ֣ים [seventy] (422) + בָּנִ֔ים [son] (102) + יֹצְאֵ֖י [going·out] (111) + יְרֵכ֑וֹ [his·thigh] (236) + כִּֽי־נָשִׁ֥ים [for·wives] (430) + רַבּ֖וֹת [many] (608) + הָ֥יוּ [were] (21) + לֽוֹ [to·him] (36) = 2156.
And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech.
verse value 2700
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 42 letters. Verse gematria: 2700 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "son·of" (בֵּ֑ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·his·concubine" (וּפִֽילַגְשׁוֹ֙, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "bore·to·him" (יָֽלְדָה־לּ֥וֹ), "also·she" (גַם־הִ֖יא). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "son·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "also·she" (root הוא, 71x in Judges). First appearance of the root פלגש ("and·his·concubine") in Judges. First appearance of the root ילד ("bore·to·him") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'son·of', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּפִֽילַגְשׁוֹ֙ [and·his·concubine] (435) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם [Shechem] (362) + יָֽלְדָה־לּ֥וֹ [bore·to·him] (85) + גַם־הִ֖יא [also·she] (59) + בֵּ֑ן [son·of] (52) + וַיָּ֥שֶׂם [and·put] (356) + אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ [name] (747) + אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ [Abimelech] (103) = 2700.
Metzudat Zion
And his concubine. A woman assigned to a man without a ketubah [marriage contract] and without kiddushin [betrothal]:
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
verse value 2919
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 54 letters. Notable word values: "father·of" (אֲבִ֥י) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "father·of" (אֲבִ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Joash" (בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "in·old·age" (בְּשֵׂיבָ֣ה). The root יואש appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·father" (root אב, 44x in Judges); "and·he·died" (root מות, 43x in Judges); "Gideon" (root גדעון, 32x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'good', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֛מׇת [and·he·died] (456) + גִּדְע֥וֹן [Gideon] (133) + בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ [son·of·Joash] (369) + בְּשֵׂיבָ֣ה [in·old·age] (319) + טוֹבָ֑ה [good] (22) + וַיִּקָּבֵ֗ר [and·he·was·buried] (318) + בְּקֶ֙בֶר֙ [in·grave·of] (304) + יוֹאָ֣שׁ [Joash] (317) + אָבִ֔יו [his·father] (19) + בְּעׇפְרָ֖ה [in·Ophrah] (357) + אֲבִ֥י [father·of] (13) + הָעֶזְרִֽי [the·Abiezrite] (292) = 2919.
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again went astray after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.
verse value 3790
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "died" (מֵ֣ת, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·returned" (וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "the·Baalim" (הַבְּעָלִ֑ים), "for·God" (לֵאלֹהִֽים). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "as" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·Baalim', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 5 words.
Rashi
Baal Berit. This is his name:
Ralbag
And indeed after his death the sons of Israel returned to play the harlot after the baalim, and they appointed for themselves as a god one Baal whose name was Baal-Berit.
Metzudat Zion
Baal-berith. The name of a certain idolatrous deity:
Malbim
"As he died and they returned" – as it is stated, "And it came to pass when the judge died," etc. (above 2:19).
And the children of Israel remembered not Hashem their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;
verse value 2299
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֤א, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·enemy" (כׇּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "they·remembered" (זָֽכְרוּ֙), "the·Deliverer" (הַמַּצִּ֥יל), "all·enemy" (כׇּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges). First appearance of the root זכר ("they·remembered") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·God', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְלֹ֤א [and·not] (37) + זָֽכְרוּ֙ [they·remembered] (233) + בְּנֵ֣י [son] (62) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [Israel] (541) + אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (427) + אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם [their·God] (91) + הַמַּצִּ֥יל [the·Deliverer] (175) + אוֹתָ֛ם [them] (447) + מִיַּ֥ד [from·hand·of] (54) + כׇּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם [all·enemy] (118) + מִסָּבִֽיב [from·around] (114) = 2299.
neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
verse value 3076
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "goodness" (חֶ֔סֶד, 3 letters) and the longest is "as·all·the·goodness" (כְּכׇ֨ל־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·not·they·made" (וְלֹא־עָשׂ֣וּ), "as·all·the·goodness" (כְּכׇ֨ל־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה). The root עשה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "with·house·of" (root בית, 88x in Judges); "and·not·they·made" (root עשה, 87x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Gideon', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְלֹא־עָשׂ֣וּ [and·not·they·made] (413) + חֶ֔סֶד [goodness] (72) + עִם־בֵּ֥ית [with·house·of] (522) + יְרֻבַּ֖עַל [Jerubbaal] (312) + גִּדְע֑וֹן [Gideon] (133) + כְּכׇ֨ל־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה [as·all·the·goodness] (97) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + עָשָׂ֖ה [did] (375) + עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [with·Israel] (651) = 3076.
Rashi
"And they did not show kindness, etc."—meaning that they killed his sons, as it is stated in this matter (below 9:5):
Radak
"With the house of Jerubbaal-Gideon." One [reference] would have sufficed, but such is the custom of the language in many places for the sake of abundant notification; and likewise, "Bethlehem Ephrathah."
Metzudat David
"And they did not show kindness..." – They did not repay kindness to the house of Gideon, in accordance with the kindness that he had shown to them.
Metzudat David
Malbim