Interpretation Helps for Judges 8-9

Here is what I found on some of the passages in today's reading that sometimes had me wondering what was being said. Hopefully this helps you as well:

• In Judges 8:18-21 after Gideon captures the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna, he asks them "What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?" They answer that they killed men like Gideon "each one with the bearing of a prince." This is referring to their killing of his brothers in previous raids not mentioned.
• Gideon tells his oldest son to kill the kings, but he didn't want to do it. The jeer of the kings, "As is the man, so is his strength," is referring to the thought that a man's strength was his firstborn.
• In 8:24 it talks about Gideon collecting some of the plunder from his victory over the Midianites, only then it notes, "It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings." Ishmael was Abraham's son by Hagar and Midian was Abraham's son by Keturah; sometimes the terms are used interchangeably (see my January 18th post).
• In 9:22-23 it says, "After Abimelech had governed Israel three years"--"Israel" meaning those of Israel who acknowledged him as their leader, mostly the people of Shechem--"God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem." This perhaps refers to a spirit of distrust or bitterness. The Hebrew for "spirit" is often used to describe an attitude or disposition. In fact, the 2011 NIV translates this verse as "God stirred up animosity between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem."
• In Gaal's rebellious speech against Abimelech in 9:28-29 he says, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should be subject to him? . . Serve the men of  Hamor, Shechem's father!" See Genesis 34. Hamor, father of the Shechem who had raped Jacob's daughter, was the founder of the city of Shechem. Gaal was basically saying, "Who is this guy and why should we be subject to him? Let's throw him out and take back our own rule!"