Psalms 83:11

Psa 83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

Ver. 11. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb] Oreb signifieth a crow, Zeeb a wolf. Zebah a cut-throat, Zalmunna a forbidder of shadow, or quiet, to his subjects; fit names for tyrants and persecutors of God’s people.

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.

12. (Psa 83:11). Make them, (even) their nobles, like Oreb and like Zeeb ; and like Zebah and like Zalmunnah all their princes. He asks not only that the masses of the enemy may fare like those of Midian, but that their chief men may be utterly destroyed as the kings and chiefs of Midian were by Gideon. See Jdg 7:25; Jdg 8:5-21. The appeal to the historical associations of the people is greatly strengthened by this recital of familiar names. The first word properly means set or place them, i.e. put them in the same condition.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 11. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb] They were two of the chiefs, or generals, of the Midianites; and were slain in the pursuit of the Midianites, by the men of Ephraim; and their heads brought to Gideon on the other side of Jordan. Jdg 7:24-25.

Yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna] These were kings of Midian, who were encamped at Karkor with fifteen thousand men, whom Gideon attacked there, and defeated, and took the kings prisoners; and finding that they had killed his own brothers slew them both. See Jdg 8:10-21. Of the Midianites there fell at this time one hundred and twenty thousand men.

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

11. The Psalmist returns to Gideon’s victory. Oreb and Zeeb (‘Raven’ and ‘Wolf’) were the princes, i.e. generals, of the Midianites (Jdg_7:25; Isa_10:26); Zebah and Zalmunna were the kings of Midian (Jdg_8:5 ff., Jdg_8:12; Jdg_8:18 ff.).

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.

Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb,.... Two princes of Midian, who were slain, the one at the rock Oreb, and the other at the winepress of Zeeb, so called after their names, Jdg 7:25,

yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna; kings of Midian, slain by Gideon, Jdg 8:21.

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

Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb - These were princes or rulers of the Midianites, slain by Gideon, the one on the rock Oreb, and the other at the wine-press of Zeeb. Jdg 7:25. The prayer here is, that the enemies who had conspired against the land of Israel might be utterly destroyed.

Yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna - The word here rendered princes means properly anointed, and was given to princes, kings, prophets, and priests, as anointed, or as set apart by anointing to their office. Zebah and Zalmunna were kings of Midian, slain also by Gideon. See Jdg 8:5, Jdg 8:21.

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

Ver. 11. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb. Smite the great ones as well as the common ruck. Suffer not the ringleaders to escape. As Oreb fell at the rock and Zeeb at the winepress, so do thou mete out vengeance to Zion's foes wherever thou mayest overtake them. They boastfully compare themselves to ravens and wolves; let them receive the fate which is due to such wild beasts.

Yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunnua. These were captured and slain by Gideon, despite their claiming to have been anointed to the kingdom. Zebah became a sacrifice, and Zalmunna was sent to those shadowy images from which his name is derived. The psalmist seeing these four culprits hanging in history upon a lofty gallows, earnestly asks that others of a like character may, for truth and righteousness' sake, share their fate.

Ver. 11. The word nobles is placed in antithesis with the names Oreb and Zeeb. The word mykyrg nobles, denotes properly liberal, munificent, and beneficent men, such as princes and potentates ought to be among men, but the names Oreb and Zeeb have the very opposite signification, for the one signifies a raven, the other a wolf. When into such rapacious and truculent beasts their nobles have degenerated, as a just reward the hostile shock shall come upon them. Hermann Venema.

None.

Psalms 83:12*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

11. Like Oreb, and… Zeeb—Two leading Midianitish princes. Jdg_7:25.

Zebah, and… Zalmunna—Two kings of the Midianites. Jdg_8:11-12; Jdg_8:21

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

Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb. "Oreb" and "Zeeb," the leaders of the Midianitish host, were taken prisoners and slain by the Ephraimites who pursued after Midian. (Jud_1:7:25) Yea, all their princes as Zeba, and as Zalmunna. Zeba and Zalmunna were the kings of Midian slain by Gideon himself. (Jud_1:8:21)

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

General Information:

The writer continues to remind God of other enemies he has defeated for Israel in the past. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Oreb ... Zeeb ... Zebah ... Zalmunna

These are all names of kings. (See: How to Translate Names)

They said

Here "They" refers to Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna.

the pastures of God

This speaks about the land of Israel as if it were land for sheep to graze and God were the shepherd watching over it. (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

noble

prince

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

They were destroyed in En-Dor I do not know which of the wars took place in En-Dor, that of Gideon or that of Barak.

dung Heb. דמן, scattered dung, as translated by Jonathan.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.