And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
And he said to them, 'What have I accomplished compared to what you have done? Aren't the leftover grapes that Ephraim gathered better than the whole harvest that Abiezer collected?'
Gideon is humbly telling the tribe of Ephraim that their small contribution was actually more valuable than his own greater efforts.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Judges, Gideon had just led a successful battle against the Midianites with a small army, and the Ephraimites were upset because they hadn't been called to join the fight earlier. Gideon responded with humility to defuse their anger, using a metaphor from grape harvesting to praise their contributions as more significant than his own clan's efforts. This exchange highlights the importance of tribal unity in ancient Israel during a time of ongoing conflicts with neighboring enemies.
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