The Meaning of Judges 8:10 Explained

Judges 8:10

KJV: Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

YLT: And Zebah and Zalmunna are in Karkor, and their camps with them, about fifteen thousand, all who are left of all the camp of the sons of the east; and those falling are a hundred and twenty thousand men, drawing sword.

Darby: Now Zebah and Zalmun'na were in Karkor with their army, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East; for there had fallen a hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now Zebah  and Zalmunna  [were] in Karkor,  and their hosts  with them, about fifteen  thousand  [men], all that were left  of all the hosts  of the children  of the east:  for there fell  an hundred  and twenty  thousand  men  that drew  sword. 

What does Judges 8:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 8:1-12 - A Soft Answer Turneth Away Wrath
The fleeing host made for the three fords of the Jordan, and with all haste Gideon summoned the tribes to anticipate them. The way of the victor was not without its drawbacks and discouragements. Ephraim was wroth; Succoth and Penuel were contemptuous; his own men were faint, though pursuing. But the faith that had won the great victory never wavered. Gideon "endured as seeing Him who is invisible." From the eternal source of patience and hope he derived the grace of continuance. This is what Paul also learned and taught in after-years, 2 Corinthians 6:4, etc.
When the soul is leaning on God, drawing on his resources and affirming his sufficient grace, it can afford to answer Ephraim pleasantly; it will not shrink from rebuking cowardice in Penuel and Succoth; and it will hold on its victorious way, until the last enemy is destroyed and it enters the presence of God to receive the "Well done!" Discouraged soul, get alone, shut your door on all other thoughts, and say over and over to God the words with which the good Asaph ends Psalms 73:23-28. Let these fill your heart with music till you are strong again. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 8

1  Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites
4  Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon's army
10  Zebah and Zalmunna are taken
13  Succoth and Penuel are destroyed
17  Gideon revenges his brothers's death on Zebah and Zalmunna
22  He refuses government
24  His ephod the cause of idolatry
28  Midian subdued
29  Gideon's children, and death
33  The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude

What do the individual words in Judges 8:10 mean?

Now Zebah and Zalmunna [were] at Karkor and their armies with them about five [and] ten thousand all who were left of all the army of the sons of the East for had fallen a hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword
וְזֶ֨בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֜ע בַּקַּרְקֹ֗ר וּמַחֲנֵיהֶ֤ם עִמָּם֙ כַּחֲמֵ֤שֶׁת עָשָׂר֙ אֶ֔לֶף כֹּ֚ל הַנּ֣וֹתָרִ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל מַחֲנֵ֣ה בְנֵי־ קֶ֑דֶם וְהַנֹּ֣פְלִ֔ים מֵאָ֨ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ שֹׁ֥לֵֽף חָֽרֶב

וְזֶ֨בַח  Now  Zebah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: one of the two kings of Midian who commanded the great invasion of Palestine and finally were defeated by Gideon.
וְצַלְמֻנָּ֜ע  and  Zalmunna  [were] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צַלְמֻנָּע  
Sense: a Midianite king slain by Gideon.
בַּקַּרְקֹ֗ר  at  Karkor 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קַרְקֹר  
Sense: a place east of the Jordan in Gilead where Zebah and Zalmunna were again routed by Gideon.
וּמַחֲנֵיהֶ֤ם  and  their  armies 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
עִמָּם֙  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
כַּחֲמֵ֤שֶׁת  about  five 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Number, masculine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
עָשָׂר֙  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
אֶ֔לֶף  thousand 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
הַנּ֣וֹתָרִ֔ים  who  were  left 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָתַר  
Sense: to be left over, remain, remain over, leave.
מִכֹּ֖ל  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מַחֲנֵ֣ה  the  army 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
בְנֵי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קֶ֑דֶם  of  the  East 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.
וְהַנֹּ֣פְלִ֔ים  for  had  fallen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
מֵאָ֨ה  a  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים  and  twenty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, common plural
Root: עֶשְׂרִים  
Sense: twenty, twentieth.
אֶ֛לֶף  thousand 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
אִ֖ישׁ  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
שֹׁ֥לֵֽף  who  drew 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַף  
Sense: to draw out or off, take off.
חָֽרֶב  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.