Judges 8:14

Jdg 8:14 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.

Ver. 14. And he described unto him the princes.] Who had denied him refreshing in his pursuit of the enemy, and were therefore to be punished; though it is seldom seen that princes fall alone, since their sins do much harm, (I.) By imitation; (2.) By imputation: for pleotuntur Achivi, as 2Sa 24:1-25

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jdg 8:14. He described unto him, &c. — Hebrews יכתב, jichtob, he wrote down, probably the names and dwellings, and perhaps also the qualities of the great men of the city, and of the judges, who were the persons that derided Gideon, and whom alone he intended to punish, and not all the people who were not guilty.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, described.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

he described--wrote the names of the seventy princes or elders. It was from them he had received so inhospitable a treatment.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 14. He described unto him the princes of Succoth] The young man probably gave him the names of seventy persons, the chief men of Succoth, who were those who were most concerned in refusing him and his men the refreshment he requested.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(14) Caught a young man.—Comp. Jdg_1:24.

Described.—Marg. writ, i.e.: the boy wrote down their names (LXX., apegrapsato; Vulg., descripsit).

Threescore and seventeen.—Perhaps a sort of local Sanhedrin of Seventy (Num_11:16), with their presiding sheykhs. The number shows that Succoth was a place of considerable importance.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. he described for him] he wrote down (and gave) unto him. The knowledge of writing must have been widely spread even at this early period. Cf. the similar incidents in Jdg_1:24 f.; 1Sa_30:11-16.

the elders] Cf. Jdg_8:16; the leading inhabitants and representatives of a district or city, e.g. Jdg_11:5-11; they constituted the local authority and transacted public business, e. g. 1Ki_21:8; 1Ki_21:11. Elders and princes—the latter perhaps the executive of the local authority—are mentioned together in 2Ki_10:1; Psa_105:22; Ezr_10:8; Ezr_10:14.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him,.... Just before he came to the city, he spied a young man which belonged to it, and laid hold on him, and inquired of him about the chief magistrates of the city, who they were, what their names, and their places of abode:

and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even seventy seven men; by which it appears that this was no inconsiderable city to have so many princes and elders in it; these the young man described to Gideon, what sort of men they were, what their names, and where they dwelt: or "he wrote unto him" (y); wrote down their names, and what part of the city they dwelt in; or Gideon took down in writing for himself their names and places of abode from the young man, that he might not forget: and in this Gideon showed great wisdom, and strict justice; being desirous to punish only the delinquents, and not the innocent with the wicked, the people with their rulers; for though he asked bread of the men of Succoth, the answer was returned in the ill natured manner it was by the princes.

(y) "et scripsit ad eum", Montanus, Piscator; "et scripsit sibi", Pagninus, Munster; so some in Drusius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The written (see the margin) list would enable Gideon to punish the guilty and spare the innocent people. Succoth was governed by a sanhedrim or council of seventy elders (compare Num 11:16), with perhaps seven others of superior rank called princes.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He told him their names and qualities.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. Described unto him the princes — Literally, wrote for him the princes. The young man probably gave him the names of the chiefs and elders in writing, and all other necessary information.

Threescore and seventeen men — Succoth must have been an important city to have so many princes and elders.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He described. Rather, he wrote down, i.e. gave him a list of the princes and elders.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He described - He told him their names and qualities.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.