Judges 8:1-3

8:1 The Ephraimites said to him, “Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us ¹  when you went to fight the Midianites!” They argued vehemently with him. 8:2 He said to them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraim’s leftover grapes ²  are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest! ³  8:3 It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?” ⁴  When he said this, they calmed down. ⁵ 

[8:1]  ¹ tn Heb “by not summoning us.”

[8:2]  ² tn Heb “gleanings.”

[8:2]  ³ sn Ephraim’s leftover grapes are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest. Gideon employs an agricultural metaphor. He argues that Ephraim’s mopping up operations, though seemingly like the inferior grapes which are missed initially by the harvesters or left for the poor, are actually more noteworthy than the military efforts of Gideon’s family.

[8:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “What was I able to do compared to you?”

[8:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “Then their spirits relaxed from against him, when he spoke this word.”