Question 1

What does it mean that Midian was subdued and lifted up their heads no more?

Accepted Answer

When the passage says Midian was subdued and “lifted up their heads no more,” it means their power and pride were broken. Before, they had been able to invade, steal crops, and rule over Israel. After God’s victory through Gideon, they could no longer rise up in that proud, hostile way. They did not recover enough strength to threaten Israel again. This shows that God’s rescue was complete in that season, and the people were no longer under Midian’s control or fear of new attacks from them.

Question 2

Why was the land in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon?

Accepted Answer

The land being in quietness for forty years means the people enjoyed a long time of peace from war and enemy attacks after Midian’s defeat. God had allowed seven hard years under Midian, but once He delivered Israel through Gideon, that oppression ended. From that point on, for the rest of Gideon’s life, there were no more Midianite invasions and no major wars recorded. This quiet period shows how God can give rest after trouble, and how His rescue through one leader affected the whole nation’s daily life.

Question 3

Why is Gideon called Jerubbaal in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Gideon is called Jerubbaal because that was another name given to him earlier in his story after he tore down an altar to Baal. The name carries the idea of Baal contending or being challenged. Using this name here reminds readers that the same man who once stood against false worship is the one who returned home after the victory and judged Israel. It links his later peaceful years and his family life with his earlier bold stand against idols and his role as God’s chosen leader.

Question 4

Why did Gideon have seventy sons and many wives?

Accepted Answer

The passage states that Gideon had many wives, and from them he had seventy sons. In those days, having many wives and children was common for some leaders and was seen as a sign of status, even though it did not match God’s original pattern of one man and one woman. The phrase “of his body begotten” shows these sons were his own, not adopted. His large family sets the stage for what comes next in the story, since some of these sons, and one in particular, will play a big role after Gideon’s death.

Question 5

Who was Gideon’s concubine in Shechem and what is a concubine?

Accepted Answer

The passage mentions a concubine in Shechem who bore Gideon a son. A concubine was a kind of secondary wife, usually of lower status than a main wife. She did not have the same rights or honor, and her children did not usually inherit in the same way as the children of the main wives. This woman seems to have stayed in Shechem rather than in Gideon’s home. Her role in the story matters because the son she bore, Abimelech, will later act very differently from Gideon and cause trouble in Israel.

Question 6

Who is Abimelech, and why is his name important here?

Accepted Answer

Abimelech is the son born to Gideon and his concubine in Shechem. His name means something like “my father is king.” That name is striking because Gideon had earlier refused to be made king, saying that the Lord should rule over Israel. Giving a son this name may hint at human desires for kingship or honor lingering in the background. It also prepares us for the next part of the story, where Abimelech will seek power for himself in a way that does not follow his father’s earlier humility before God.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about God’s deliverance and human leadership?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that when God delivers His people, the change can be deep and long-lasting, as seen in Midian’s defeat and forty years of peace. At the same time, it reminds us that human leaders, even faithful ones like Gideon, are still limited and imperfect. Gideon returns home, lives as a judge, and raises a large and complicated family. His choices, like having many wives and naming a son Abimelech, shape what happens after him. God gives peace through a leader, but the hearts and actions of people still matter greatly.

Judges 8:28

¶ Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

Forty Years of Peace

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Judges 8:28

¶ Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

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Forty Years of Peace

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