Judges 8:2 Meaning and Explanation
“And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Gideon answers softly, praising Ephraim by saying their lesser share outshines his whole achievement.
What Does Judges 8:2 Mean?
Gideon responds not with defense but with a vinedresser's proverb. The gleaning is what is left after the harvest; the vintage is the full crop. He says Ephraim's leftovers surpass the entire harvest of his own clan, the Abiezrites, honoring their capture of Midian's princes.
A soft answer turns away wrath. Gideon, fresh from a God-given victory, refuses to grasp at glory and instead lifts up those who would tear him down. He shows that true greatness can afford to make itself small. In this self-forgetting humility there is a foretaste of the One who, though highest of all, took the lowest place to make peace.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 8:2
What does Judges 8:2 mean?
Gideon answers softly, praising Ephraim by saying their lesser share outshines his whole achievement.