Who were Zebah and Zalmunna in the Bible?

But he goes on without their help, and God gives the whole host of Midian, and Zebah and Zalmunna also, the kings, into his hands, and he executes judgment upon them.

To Gideon belongs the honour of destroying not the princes merely, but the kings of Midian. I suppose there being two would suggest the duplicity, the variety there is in the world, and the varied forms in which Satan presents himself.

But he goes on without their help, and God gives the whole host of Midian, and Zebah and Zalmunna also, the kings, into his hands, and he executes judgment upon them.

To Gideon belongs the honor of destroying not the princes merely, but the kings of Midian. I suppose there being two would suggest the duplicity, the variety there is in the world, and the varied forms in which Satan presents himself.

Zeba and Zalmunna were in Karkor, with15,000 men, for 120,000 of their army had been killed, an amazing decimation (v. 10). The 15,000 were evidently practically paralyzed with fear and unable to resist the assault of 300 men! They had traveled some miles, and felt secure from further conflict (v. 11), then when attacked were totally routed. Of course it was the Lord who gave the victory, and they took captive the two kings, Zeba and Zalmunna (v.12).

Returning from the battle, as they neared Succoth, Gideon caught a young man who was resident in that city, to learn from him who were the leaders and elders of Succoth. He was given 77names (v.14). Therefore he faced these leaders with the fact of his now having captured Zeba and Zalmunna, reminding them of their insulting words (v. 15), and "taught" them with thorns and briars of the wilderness, as he had promised (v. 16). This meant they were physically torn by the thorns and briars (v. 7), certainly a painful infliction, to say the least!

"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." (v. 10.)

"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. And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host." (vv. 11, 12.)

"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 fen an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword," v. 10.

365 "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. And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host," v. 11, 12.

"And Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from battle before the sun was up, and caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city," v. 13-17.

(c) Of the completion of the deliverance from Midian little can be yet said. Much depends here upon the names, the meaning of some of which is hard to determine. Zebah means "sacrifice"; Zalmunna apparently "shadow [shelter?] withheld." Karkor, from a root "to dig," expresses deep, soft, level ground" (Fausset) — generally is given as "deep ground;" Jogbehah, "elevation," or, "it is exalted;" Nobah, "barking." The scoffers of Succoth and Penuel meet their threatened judgment after Midian.

Zebah, sacrifice, would in this connection suggest not, of course, the way of approach to God, but that slaughter which the world delights to inflict on the people of God, without mercy, as Zalmunna, shade, or refuge denied would intimate. Therefore, upon them would be visited a like slaughter without mercy to shelter: For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath showed no mercy. This victory over Midian is made the pattern for the final overthrow of Israel's enemies, both in the prayer of the suffering remnant (Ps. 83), and in the accomplishment as predicted by Isaiah (chap. 9:4).

Zebah, "sacrifice," would in this connection suggest not, of course, the way of approach to God, but that "slaughter" which the world delights to inflict on the people of God, without mercy, as Zalmunna, "shade," or "refuge denied" would intimate. Therefore, upon them would be visited a like slaughter without mercy to shelter: "For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath showed no mercy." This victory over Midian is made the pattern for the final overthrow of Israel's enemies, both in the prayer of the suffering remnant (Ps. 83), and in the accomplishment as predicted by Isaiah (Isa. 9:4).

Following this Gideon asked Zeba and Zalmunna what kind of men they had killed at Tabor. This killing must have taken place some time before, but we have no record of it. They answered that those men resembled Gideon, their appearance being as sons of a king (v. 18). So Gideon tells them they were his own brothers, and if Zeba and Zalmunna had let them live, Gideon would not kill them (v. 19). Gideon may have been too partial in saying this, for these kings were enemies of God, which is more serious than their attitude toward individual Israelites who were Gideon's relatives.

He gave orders to his eldest son to kill the two kings, but being young, he was not a hardened warrior and would not attempt such work (v. 20). Zeba and Zalmunna then told Gideon he should kill them, for they say, "as a man is, so is his strength." Gideon responded by killing them both, then took as spoil the crescent ornaments that were on their camels' necks. There is some significance in this, little as we might perceive it.

"And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, and caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even, threescore and seventeen men. And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread. unto thy man that are weary? And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. And he beat down the. tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city." (vv. 13-17.)

"Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they. answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. And he said unto Jether his first-born, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks." (vv. 18-21.)