1 ¶ 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.

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 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?

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 G od 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.

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

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 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.

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

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

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 unto 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 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.

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 those that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote the camp, for the camp was secure.

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

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 before the sun was up

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

14 a nd 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.

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 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?

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 and briars of the wilderness, 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 L ikewise he beat 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 ¶ 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.

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; as the LORD lives, 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 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.

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 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.

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 ¶ 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.

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 T hus 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.

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

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

30 A nd Gideon had seventy sons that came 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, whose name he called 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 Abiezrites.

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 as soon as Gideon was dead that the sons of Israel turned again and fornicated after the Baalim and made Baalberith 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 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,

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 n either were they merciful with the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the good which he had done unto 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.