1 A nd the men of Ephraim said to him, What is this thing thou hast done to us, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they disputed with him sharply.

Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “ What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him vigorously.

2 A nd he said to them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?

But 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?

3 I nto your hands hath God delivered the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their spirit was appeased toward him, when he said that word.

God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.

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

Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing.

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

He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

6 A nd the chief men of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in thy hand, that we should give bread to thine army?

The leaders of Succoth said, “ Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?”

7 A nd Gideon said, Therefore when Jehovah delivers Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briars.

Gideon said, “ All right, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will thrash your bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”

8 A nd he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke to them in like manner. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

He went up from there to Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered.

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

So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I return safely, I will tear down this tower.”

10 N ow Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their camp with them, about fifteen thousand, all that were left of the whole camp of the children of the east; for there had fallen a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about 15, 000 men, all who were left of the entire army of the sons of the east; for the fallen were 120, 000 swordsmen.

11 A nd Gideon went up by the way of them that dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the camp; for the camp was at its ease.

Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the camp when the camp was unsuspecting.

12 A nd Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued after them, and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the camp.

When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

13 A nd Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle, from the ascent of Heres.

Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres.

14 A nd he caught a youth of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him; and he wrote down for him the chief men of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy-seven men.

And he captured a youth from Succoth and questioned him. Then the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

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

He came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘ Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’”

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

He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them.

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

He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

18 T hen said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What sort of men were they that ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the sons of a king.

Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” And they said, “They were like you, each one resembling the son of a king.”

19 A nd he said, They were my brethren, the sons of my mother. Jehovah liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

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

So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

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

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise up yourself, and fall on us; for as the man, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks.

22 A nd the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast saved us from the hand of Midian.

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

23 A nd Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Jehovah will rule over you.

But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

24 A nd Gideon said to them, I would desire a request of you: give me every man the earrings of his booty; for they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

Yet Gideon said to them, “I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

25 A nd they said, We will willingly give. And they spread a garment, and cast therein every man the earrings of his booty.

They said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil.

26 A nd the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand seven hundred of gold; besides the moons, and eardrops, and the purple garments that were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.

The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1, 700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks.

27 A nd Gideon made an ephod of them, and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel went thither a whoring after it; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household. Forty Years of Peace

28 A nd Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 A nd Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his house.

Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.

30 N ow Gideon had seventy sons who had come out of his loins, for he had many wives.

Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.

31 A nd his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he gave him the name of Abimelech.

His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.

32 A nd 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 Abi-ezrites.

And Gideon the son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 A nd it came to pass when Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after the Baals, and set up Baal-Berith as their god.

Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god.

34 A nd the children of Israel remembered not Jehovah their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side.

Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;

35 A nd they shewed no kindness to the house of Jerubbaal-Gideon, according to all the good that he had done to Israel.

nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal ( that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.