Judges 8:2 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

What have I done now? &c. What I have done in cutting off some of the common soldiers is not to be compared with your destroying their princes. I began the war, but you have finished it. Gideon here shows a noble temper of mind, which deserves admiration and imitation. Though in the midst of a most glorious victory, in which he was the chief instrument; yet, for the sake of the common good, that there might be no dissension, nor the help of the Ephraimites be wanting to distress the enemy, he receives their reproaches without anger, and even humbles himself before them, making himself of no account in comparison with them, and magnifying their service as greatly superior to his own. He disarms their insolence by his humility; their anger by his meekness; “a singular instance,” says Dr. Dodd, “of modesty and prudence in a man of Gideon's courage.” Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim What you have gleaned, or done after me; better than the vintage of Abi-ezer? That is, of the Abi-ezrites, to whom he modestly ascribes the honour of the victory, and does not arrogate it to himself. It is not improbable but this might be a proverbial expression in those days, whereby it was customary to commend the smallest action of one as superior to the greatest of another. And the proverb, perhaps, was founded on fact, namely, that more grapes were usually gleaned in the large and extensive country occupied by the Ephramites, than the whole vintage of the small district belonging to Abi-ezer afforded. Be this as it will, the proverb is here applied with all the propriety imaginable, and its meaning is obvious. It is as if he had said, These scattered parties which you have gleaned and picked up at the fords of Jordan are much more considerable than those which I and my whole host have destroyed.