8
1 The
men of Ephraim
said to him, “Why
have you treated
us this way,
that you didn’t
call us when
you went to
fight with Midian?”
They rebuked him
sharply.
2 He said
to them, “What
have I now
done in comparison
with you? Isn’t
the gleaning of
the grapes
of Ephraim better
than the vintage
of Abiezer?
3 God
has delivered into
your hand the
princes of Midian,
Oreb and Zeeb!
What was I
able to do
in comparison with
you?” Then their
anger was abated
toward him when
he had said
that.
4 Gideon
came to the
Jordan and passed
over, he and
the three
hundred men who
were with him,
faint, yet
pursuing.
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.”
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?”
7 Gideon
said, “Therefore
when the LORD
has delivered
Zebah and Zalmunna
into my hand,
then I will
tear your flesh
with the thorns
of the wilderness
and with briers.”
8 He
went up there
to Penuel, and
spoke to them
in the same
way; and the men
of Penuel answered
him as the men
of Succoth had
answered.
9 He spoke
also to the men
of Penuel, saying, “When
I come again
in peace, I
will break down
this tower.”
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.
11 Gideon
went up by
the way of
those who lived
in tents on
the east of
Nobah and Jogbehah,
and struck the
army; for the
army felt secure.
12 Zebah
and Zalmunna fled
and he pursued
them. He took
the two kings
of Midian, Zebah
and Zalmunna,
and confused all
the army.
13 Gideon
the son of
Joash returned
from the battle
from the ascent
of Heres.
14 He
caught a young
man of the
men of Succoth,
and inquired of
him; and he
described for him
the princes of
Succoth, and its
elders, seventy-seven
men.
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?’ ”
16 He
took the elders
of the city,
and thorns of
the wilderness and
briers, and with
them he taught
the men of
Succoth.
17 He
broke down the
tower of Penuel,
and killed the men
of the city.
18 Then
he said to Zebah
and Zalmunna, “What kind
of men were
they whom you
killed at Tabor?”
They answered, “They
were like you.
They all resembled
the children of
a king.”
19 He said, “They
were my brothers,
the sons of
my mother. As the
LORD lives, if
you had saved
them alive, I
would not kill
you.”
20 He said
to Jether his
firstborn, “Get up
and kill them!”
But the
youth didn’t draw
his sword; for
he was afraid,
because he was
yet a youth.
21 Then
Zebah and
Zalmunna said, “You
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.
22 Then
the men of
Israel said to
Gideon, “Rule over
us, both you,
your son, and
your son’s son
also; for you
have saved us
out of the
hand of Midian.”
23 Gideon said
to them, “I
will not rule
over you, neither
shall my son
rule over you.
The LORD shall
rule over you.”
24 Gideon said
to them, “I do
have a request:
that you would
each give me
the earrings of
his plunder.” (For
they had golden
earrings, because
they were
Ishmaelites.)
25 They answered, “We
will willingly
give them.” They
spread a garment,
and every man
threw the earrings
of his plunder
into it.
26 The
weight of the
golden earrings
that he requested
was one thousand
and seven hundred
shekels
of gold, in
addition to
the crescents, and
the pendants, and
the purple clothing that
was on the
kings of Midian,
and in addition
to the chains
that were about
their camels’
necks.
27 Gideon
made an ephod out
of it, and
put it in
Ophrah, his city.
Then all Israel
played the
prostitute with it
there; and it
became a snare
to Gideon and
to his house.
28 So
Midian was subdued
before the
children of Israel,
and they lifted
up their heads
no more. The
land had rest forty
years in the
days of Gideon.
29 Jerubbaal
the son of
Joash went and
lived in his own
house.
30 Gideon
had seventy
sons conceived from
his body, for
he had many wives.
31 His
concubine who was
in Shechem also
bore him a
son, and he
named him Abimelech.
32 Gideon
the son of
Joash died in
a good old
age, and was
buried in the
tomb of Joash
his father, in
Ophrah of
the Abiezrites.
33 As soon
as Gideon was
dead, the children
of Israel turned
again and played
the prostitute following
the Baals, and
made Baal Berith
their god.
34 The
children of
Israel didn’t remember
the LORD their
God, who had
delivered them out
of the hand
of all their
enemies on every
side;
35 neither
did they show
kindness to the
house of Jerubbaal,
that is, Gideon,
according to all
the goodness which
he had shown
to Israel.