1 A nd the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, Why have you treated us like this, not calling us when you went to fight with Midian? And they quarreled with him furiously.

¶ And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus that thou didst not call us when thou didst go to fight against Midian? And they chided with him sharply.

2 A nd he said to them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

And he replied unto them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

3 G od has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger toward him was abated when he had said that.

God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him when he spoke that word.

4 A nd Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the 300 men with him, faint yet pursuing.

¶ And Gideon came to pass the Jordan, he and the three hundred men that were with him, faint from the pursuit.

5 A nd he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

And he said unto those of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint that I may pursue after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

6 A nd the princes of Succoth said, Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?

And the principals of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand that we should give bread unto thy army?

7 A nd Gideon said, For that, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness!

And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns and the briers of the wilderness.

8 A nd he went from there up to Penuel and made the same request, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had done.

And he went up from there to Penuel and spoke unto them likewise; and those of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

9 A nd said to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

10 N ow Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army—about 15, 000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120, 000 men who drew the sword.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the sons of the east, for one hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword had been slain.

11 A nd Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp, for the army thought itself secure.

And Gideon went up by the way of those that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote the camp, for the camp was secure.

12 A nd Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and terrified all the army.

And as Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna and terrified all the host.

13 T hen Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres.

And Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from the battle before the sun was up

14 A nd he caught a young man of Succoth and inquired of him, and wrote down for him the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

and caught a young man of the men of Succoth and enquired of him; and he described unto him the principals of Succoth and the elders thereof, seventy-seven men.

15 A nd he came to the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you scoffed at me, saying, Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are faint?

And he came unto the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?

16 A nd he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

And he took the elders of the city and thorns and briars of the wilderness, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

17 A nd he broke down the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the city.

Likewise he beat down the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the city.

18 T hen said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? And they replied, They were like you, each of them resembled the son of a king.

¶ Then he said unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were those whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the sons of a king.

19 A nd he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

And he said, They were my brethren, the sons of my mother; as the LORD lives, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

20 A nd said to Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword, for he feared because he was yet a lad.

And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Rise up and slay them. But the youth did not draw his sword, for he feared because he was yet a youth.

21 T hen Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise yourself and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna and took the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou and fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

22 T hen the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us—you and your son and your son’s son also—for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.

¶ Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son and thy son’s son also, for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

23 A nd Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.

But Gideon replied, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.

24 A nd Gideon said to them, Let me make a request of you—every man of you give me the earrings of his spoil. For had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.

And Gideon said unto them, I desire to make a request of you that ye each one would give me the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

25 A nd they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and every man cast on it the earrings of his spoil.

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and each one cast therein the earrings of his prey.

26 A nd the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1, 700 shekels of gold, besides the crescents and pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, without the ornaments and collars and purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian and without the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

27 A nd Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city of Ophrah, and all Israel paid homage to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.

And Gideon made an ephod of them and kept it in his city of Ophrah, and all Israel fornicated after it in that place, and it became a snare unto Gideon and to his house.

28 T hus was Midian subdued before the Israelites so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had peace and rest for forty years in the days of Gideon.

Thus Midian was broken before the sons of Israel so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the land rested forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 J erubbaal (Gideon) son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

¶ And Jerubbaal, the son of Joash, went and dwelt in his own house.

30 N ow Gideon had seventy sons born to him, for he had many wives.

And Gideon had seventy sons that came out of his loins, for he had many wives.

31 A nd his concubine, who was in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelech.

And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

32 G ideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

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.

33 A s soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned again and played the harlot after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god.

And it came to pass as soon as Gideon was dead that the sons of Israel turned again and fornicated after the Baalim and made Baalberith their god.

34 A nd the Israelites did not remember the Lord their God, Who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

And the sons of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side,

35 N either did they show kindness to the family of Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, in return for all the good which he had done for Israel.

neither were they merciful with the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the good which he had done unto Israel.