And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
The men from the tribe of Ephraim said to Gideon, 'Why did you treat us this way? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight against the Midianites?' And they argued with him angrily.
The Ephraimites were upset with Gideon because he didn't invite them to join the initial battle against the Midianites, and they confronted him about it.
📚 Historical Context
This verse takes place during the time of the Judges in ancient Israel, when the nation was loosely governed by tribal leaders amid frequent conflicts with neighboring peoples. Gideon had just led a miraculous victory against the Midianites with a small army chosen by God, as described in the previous chapters, highlighting God's power rather than human strength. The Ephraimites, a prominent tribe, felt excluded and insulted because Gideon did not initially call them to join the battle, revealing ongoing tensions and rivalries among the Israelite tribes.
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