Bible Strands
Judges 8:4
Then Gideon and his three hundred men came to the Jordan and crossed it, exhausted yet still in pursuit.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Gideon and his three hundred men arrive at the Jordan River to cross it after defeating Midian's princes, immediately before requesting provisions from the men of Succoth.
The words — The verb עֹבֵר ('o.Ver) literally means "passing over," describing the physical crossing of the river, while וּ/שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאֹת הָ/אִישׁ (u./she.losh-ma'ot ha/'Ish) specifies the exact count of "three hundred men."
The thread — The motif of enduring physical exhaustion while pressing forward appears in the immediate context of pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna (Judges 8:5) and echoes later biblical calls to persevere despite weariness (2 Corinthians 4:16; Galatians 6:9).
Why it lands — The text requires acknowledging that sustained obedience continues through physical depletion rather than stopping when strength fails.
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 came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
Cross-references
- 2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.
- Galatians 6:9 Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
- 1 Samuel 14:28 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”
- 1 Samuel 30:10 because two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the brook. But David and four hundred men continued in pursuit.
- Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.
- 2 Corinthians 4:8 We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
- Judges 7:25 They also captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian; and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. So they pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.
- 1 Samuel 14:31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the people were very faint.