Bible Strands
Judges 8:23
But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD shall rule over you.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Gideon addresses the Israelites immediately after they petition him and his descendants to establish a hereditary monarchy following their deliverance from Midian.
The words — The Hebrew verbs אֶמְשֹׁל (ʾem.shol) and יִמְשֹׁל (yim.shol) both stem from the root מָשַׁל (to rule) and form a direct negation of Gideon’s personal reign and his son’s future reign.
The thread — This refusal of human kingship aligns with Isaiah 33:22’s assertion that the LORD alone serves as Judge, lawgiver, and King, and stands in direct contrast to the later Israelite demand for a monarch recorded in 1 Samuel 10:19 and 12:12.
Why it lands — The verse explicitly states that God retains sovereign authority, requiring readers to reject human political solutions and submit to divine governance rather than elevating any earthly dynasty.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.
- 1 Samuel 12:12 But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king.
- 1 Samuel 10:19 But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers with you for your joy, because it is by faith that you stand firm.
- Judges 2:18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them.
- Judges 10:18 And the rulers of Gilead said to one another, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all who live in Gilead.”
- Judges 11:9 But Jephthah asked them, “If you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me, will I really be your leader?”
- 1 Samuel 8:6 But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
- 1 Peter 5:3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
- Isaiah 63:19 We have become like those You never ruled, like those not called by Your name.