“And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.”
The men of Ephraim quarrel with Gideon — Why have you treated us this way, not calling us when you went to fight Midian? Ephraim's complaint echoes vanity and wounded pride (קָנִא, qana, jealousy). Yet Gideon's diplomatic response—that their capture of Oreb and Zeeb exceeded his achievement—temporarily mollifies them. The cycle shows how fragile tribal unity remains despite military victory.
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