Easton's Bible Dictionary Man-killer, or sacrifice, one of the two kings who led the vast host of the Midianites who invaded the land of Israel, and over whom Gideon gained a great and decisive victory (Judges 8). Zebah and Zalmunna had succeeded in escaping across the Jordan with a remnant of the Midianite host, but were overtaken at Karkor, probably in the Hauran, and routed by Gideon. The kings were taken alive and brought back across the Jordan; and confessing that they had personally taken part in the slaughter of Gideon's brothers, they were put to death (Comp. 1 Samuel 12:11; Isaiah 10:26; Psalm 83:11). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ZEBAH AND ZALMUNNA ze'-ba (zebhach, "victim"), zal-mun'-a (tsalmunna`, "protection refused"): Two Midianite kings or chiefs whom Gideon slew (Judges 8:4-21 Psalm 83:11 (Hebrew text, verse 12)). The name zebhach (Zebee) is very much like that of ze'ebh (Zeb, "Zeeb" in the Septuagint). Moore (Judgess, 220) says that tsalmunna` is probably "a genuine Midianite name"; Noldeke conjectured that it contains that of a deity (ts(a)lm), and a compound form tslmshzbh, is found in an inscription from Teima, a place East of the Midianite capital (Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum, II, cxiiiff). The narrative of Judges 8:4-21 is not to be connected with that of 8:1-3. Budde (Kurzer Hand-Comm. z. Altes Testament, XXII) would join 8:4 to 6:34; Moore (ICC) following Budde's earlier work (1890) would connect it with a part of 7:22b, describing the direction of the flight, while Nowack (Hand-Komm.) regards the battle of 8:11 as the same as that of 7:11 if; he then takes the latter part of 8:11 to refer to the place of the camp at night. There are many difficulties in forming a natural connection for the verses. It may be noted that in 8:18 Gideon is not "the least in my father's house," as he represents himself to be in 6:15. The whole section tells of a daring raid made by Gideon upon the Midianites. Some of his own kin had been slain by Midianite hordes at Ophrah (Judges 8:18 f), and, stirred by this, Gideon went in hot pursuit with 300 men (Judges 8:4). He requested provisions for his men from the people of Succoth and Penuel, but was refused this. He then went on and caught the Midianites unawares at Karkor (Judges 8:10) and captured their two chiefs. He then had his revenge on the two towns, and returned probably to his home with the two notable prisoners. These he determined to slay to avenge the death of his own kinsmen, and called upon his eldest son to perform this solemn public duty that he owed to the dead. His son, apparently only a boy, hesitated, and he did the deed himself. W. R. Smith (Lectures on the Religion of the Semites, 2nd edition, 417, note) compares with this call to Gideon's son the choice of young men or lads as sacrificers in Exodus 24:5, and says that the Saracens also charged lads with the execution of their captives. The narrative reminds one of David's romantic life in 1 Samuel 25; 1 Samuel 27; 30. It is throughout a characteristic picture of the life of the early Hebrews in Palestine, for whom it was a sacred duty to avenge the dead. It affords a splendid illustration of what is meant by the spirit of Yahweh coming upon, or rather "clothing itself with" (Revised Version margin) Gideon (Judges 6:34); compare also Saul's call to action (1 Samuel 11:1-11), and also Judges 19 f. David Francis Roberts

Multi-Version Concordance Zebah (9 Occurrences) Judges 8:5 He said to the men of Succoth, "Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Judges 8:6 The princes of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Judges 8:7 Gideon said, "Therefore when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Judges 8:10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty thousand men who drew sword. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Judges 8:12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Judges 8:15 He came to the men of Succoth, and said, "See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying,'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?'" (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Judges 8:18 Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, "What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?" They answered, "They were like you. Each one resembled the children of a king." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Judges 8:21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Rise and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength." Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels' necks. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Psalms 83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb; yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)