King James Version

What Does Judges 8:33 Mean?

“And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.”

Context

And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. called: Heb. set

And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.

And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:

Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(33) Turned again.—*Ad vomitum recdierunt *(Serarius) (Psalm 106:13; Psalm 106:21). **Went a whoring after Baalim.**—It was shown again afterwards, in the reign of Ahab, how rapidly unauthorised symbols degenerate into positive idolatry. After all that had occurred it would have been impossible for a Jerubbaal to be a Baal-worshipper, but his little deflection from the appointed ritual soon became a wide divergence from the national faith. **Made Baal-berith their god.**—Baal-berith means “Lord of the covenant.” The Hebrew will bear the meaning given it by some of the versions: “They made a covenant with Baal that he should be their god” (comp. Joshua 24:25, Heb.), but the E.V. is probably correct. Bochart vainly tries to represent Baal-berith as some female deity of Berytus.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Judges 8:33 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.