KJV ORIGINAL
God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
God has given you victory over the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. What could I have accomplished compared to what you have done? When he said this, their anger toward him cooled down.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Gideon wisely defuses a conflict by giving credit to others and downplaying his own role, which calms their anger.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Gideon's famous victory over the Midianites with just 300 men. The men of Ephraim were angry because Gideon hadn't called them to join the initial battle, but they had helped by capturing and killing two Midianite princes. Gideon uses diplomatic wisdom to prevent what could have escalated into civil war among the Israelite tribes.
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