Judges 8 9

Judges 8:9 kjv

And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

Judges 8:9 nkjv

So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, "When I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower!"

Judges 8:9 niv

So he said to the men of Peniel, "When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower."

Judges 8:9 esv

And he said to the men of Penuel, "When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower."

Judges 8:9 nlt

So he said to the people of Peniel, "After I return in victory, I will tear down this tower."

Judges 8 verses

Judges 8 9 Meaning

Gideon declares a strong warning and vow of retribution against the men of Penuel. Upon his assured, victorious return from pursuing the Midianite kings, he intends to demolish their tower. This statement signifies a punitive measure against their faithless refusal to aid his weary forces, highlighting their reliance on self-strength and their defiance against God's chosen deliverer.

Judges 8 9 Context

Judges 8 falls within a crucial phase of Gideon's campaign against Midian, a period marked by miraculous divine deliverance juxtaposed with significant internal strife within Israel. Gideon, empowered by God, has achieved a stunning victory against an overwhelming Midianite army with only 300 men (Judges 7). However, the pursuit of the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, leads Gideon and his exhausted men to the Israelite towns of Succoth and Penuel. These cities, rather than supporting their deliverer, display a profound lack of faith, cowardice, and self-interest, refusing to provide essential food and assistance due to fear of Midianite reprisal. Judges 8:9 specifically details Gideon's confrontational vow to Penuel, indicating that he will return to execute justice for their betrayal and obstruction of God's redemptive work. This incident reveals the fractured state of Israel and the moral decay prevalent during the period of the Judges, where internal disunity was as perilous as external enemies.

Judges 8 9 Word analysis

• So he said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyō'mer): This common Hebrew conjunctive prefix "and" followed by the verb "said" denotes a direct, immediate response from Gideon. It highlights his resolved tone following Penuel's refusal.
• to the men of Penuel (לְאַנְשֵׁי פְּנוּאֵל - lᵉ'anše pennû'ēl): Lᵉ'anše means "to the men of." The name Penuel itself means "Face of God" (Gen 32:30), commemorating Jacob's wrestling with God. This divine association makes the men of Penuel's actions deeply ironic and grievous; they stand as an emblem of spiritual apostasy and reliance on their own perceived strength, in stark contrast to their namesake.
• “When I return (בְּשׁוּבִי - bᵉšûḇî): The preposition bᵉ ("when," "in") prefixed to shuv ("to return"), in the construct state, establishes a conditional and confident future action. It signifies Gideon's absolute certainty of achieving his mission against the Midianites, emphasizing that his word is sure.
• in triumph, (בְשָׁלֹם - bᵉšālōm): Literally "in peace," from the Hebrew root shalom. While shalom primarily means peace, wholeness, or well-being, in a military context, especially after an encounter, it denotes a safe, victorious, and complete return, having successfully concluded the engagement. It implies that Gideon fully expects to win and return with the Midianite kings captured, contrasting with the Penuelites' fear and desire for a fragile "peace" by avoiding involvement.
• I will tear down (אֶתֹּץ - ʾetōṣ): From the intensive Hebrew verb natats (נָתַץ), meaning "to break down," "to demolish," "to pull down violently." This is a strong and destructive verb, signifying not just damage, but utter destruction and leveling. It reflects the severity of the intended punishment for Penuel's unfaithfulness.
• this tower!” (אֶת־הַמִּגְדָּל - ʾet-hammiḡdāl): Hammiḡdāl refers to "the tower" (definitively "the"). Towers were essential fortified structures for defense, watch, and communal gathering in ancient cities. For Penuel, this tower represented their physical security, a symbol of their strength, and perhaps even their communal authority or perceived self-sufficiency. Gideon targeting it demonstrates a desire to dismantle the very source of their trust, which evidently rested in their own constructions rather than in God or His appointed deliverer. It's an act designed to humiliate and destroy their stronghold, physically and symbolically.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• “So he said to the men of Penuel...": This introduction to Gideon's direct speech sets up a confrontation between the divinely-empowered deliverer and an Israelite city displaying flagrant disloyalty. The stark contrast between Penuel's spiritually significant name and their practical demonstration of fear and unbelief against God's purpose for Israel adds layers of meaning to the conflict.
• “When I return in triumph...": This declaration is packed with prophetic certainty. Gideon confidently proclaims his eventual, decisive victory over Midian. The use of "in triumph" (בְשָׁלֹם - bᵉšālōm) subtly contrasts the true, God-given peace of victory with Penuel's sought-after peace based on appeasement and refusal to participate, showing the misguidedness of their fear-driven choices.
• “...I will tear down this tower!”: This statement articulates Gideon's specific and devastating reprisal. The target, "this tower," embodies Penuel's trust in human strength and fortified defenses. By demolishing it, Gideon intends to utterly shatter their perceived security, demonstrating that their reliance on physical structures was ultimately vain in the face of God's will and judgment for their disobedience. This act serves as a direct, public dismantling of their arrogance and self-sufficiency.

Judges 8 9 Bonus section

• The irony of Penuel's name ("Face of God") is profoundly significant. This place, consecrated by Jacob's wrestling match with God (Gen 32:24-30), had inhabitants who demonstrated a fundamental disconnect from that spiritual heritage. Their actions were an affront to the very essence of their city's name, illustrating a prevalent spiritual amnesia during the period of the Judges.
• Gideon's declaration, fulfilled later in Judges 8:17, is an exercise of God's delegated authority. As God's chosen deliverer, Gideon was not merely seeking personal revenge but administering a form of divine justice upon those within Israel who actively hindered His salvific plan, highlighting the consequences of internal strife and rebellion.
• This episode serves as a micro-illustration of a major theme in the Book of Judges: the internal decay and disunity within Israel often presented as significant a threat to their well-being and security as external oppressors. The Penuelites' actions represent a deep moral and spiritual failure, fearing the transient power of man over the abiding power of God.

Judges 8 9 Commentary

Judges 8:9 captures a pivotal moment of tension and Gideon's unwavering resolve. Having endured Succoth's and Penuel's contemptuous refusal to provide aid, Gideon pronounces a severe judgment. The men of Penuel, dwelling in a place ironically named "Face of God," displayed a shocking lack of faith, fearing Midian more than trusting the God of Israel who was actively delivering His people through Gideon. Their self-serving cowardice in not supporting God's cause, specifically Gideon's exhausted forces, was not merely an inconvenience but an act of betrayal against the collective mission. Gideon's oath to "tear down this tower" was a declaration of judicial punishment. The tower symbolized their civic strength and the security they evidently trusted more than divine protection or solidarity with their brethren. Its destruction was not mere vengeance but a public, severe lesson about the consequences of disunity, fear, and obstructing God's work. It underscored that true security lay in obedience and faith, not in fortified structures or pragmatic alliances with evil, exposing the deep spiritual and moral rot within Israel during this tumultuous period.