1 A nd 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.

Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “What is this you have done to us? Why did you not call us when you went to fight against Midian?” They were angry when they argued with him.

2 A nd he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of 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 to compare with you? Are not the grapes that are left of Ephraim better than all the grapes gathered of Abiezer?

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

God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hands. What was I able to do to compare with you?” They were no longer angry when he said that.

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

Then Gideon and the 300 men with him came to the Jordan and crossed it. They were tired but they kept going.

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

Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “I ask of you, give loaves of bread to the people who are following me. For they are tired and weak. I am going after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

6 A nd the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

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

7 A nd Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Gideon said, “The Lord will give Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand. Then I will beat your bodies with the thorns and thistles from the desert.”

8 A nd he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

From there he went up to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way. The men of Penuel gave him the same answer as the men of Succoth.

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

So he said to the men of Penuel, “When I return safe, 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 children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor. With them were their armies, about 15, 000 men. These were all who were left of the whole army of the people of the east. For 120, 000 men who fought with swords had been killed.

11 A nd Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host was secure.

Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah. And he fought against the army by surprise.

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

Zebah and Zalmunna ran away. Gideon went after them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna. The whole army was afraid.

13 A nd Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,

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

14 A nd caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.

He caught a young man from Succoth and asked him questions. The young man wrote down for him the rulers and leaders of Succoth, 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 thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?

Then Gideon came to the men of Succoth and said, “See, here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You laughed at me about these men, saying, ‘Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your weak and tired men?’”

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.

Then he took the leaders of the city and with thorns and thistles from the desert, he punished the men of Succoth.

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

Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

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

Gideon 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 looked like the son of a king.”

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

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

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

Then he said to Jether his first-born son, “Stand up and kill them.” But the boy did not pick up his sword. He was afraid because he was still a boy.

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.

Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Stand up yourself and kill us. For as the man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon stood up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna. And he took the religious objects that were on their camels’ necks.

22 T hen 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, and your grandson also. For you have set us free from the power of Midian.”

23 A nd Gideon said unto them, 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. And my son will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”

24 A nd Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

Gideon said to them, “I only ask that each of you give me the gold objects you have taken to be worn on the ear.” (They had objects to be worn on the ear because they were Ishmaelites.)

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

And they said, “For sure we will give them.” So they spread out a coat, and every one of them threw into it an object he had taken.

26 A nd the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

The gold objects Gideon had asked for were as heavy as 1, 700 pieces of gold money. He took the objects and purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian also. And he took the religious objects that were around the camels’ necks.

27 A nd Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

Gideon made it into a holy vest and put it in his city, Ophrah. All Israel worshiped it there. So it became a trap to Gideon and those of his house.

28 T hus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

Midian was put under the power of the people of Israel. They did not lift up their heads any more. And the land had peace for forty years, during the life of Gideon. The Death of Gideon

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

Joash’s son Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) went and lived in his own house.

30 A nd Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

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

31 A nd his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

The woman in Shechem who acted as his wife gave birth to Gideon’s son also. He was given the name 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.

Gideon the son of Joash died when he was very old. He was buried in the grave of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 A nd it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.

As soon as Gideon was dead, the people of Israel started again to worship the false gods of Baal. They made Baal-berith their god.

34 A nd the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:

The people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, Who had saved them from the power of all those around who hated them.

35 N either shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

They did not show kindness to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon). They did not remember all the good he had done to Israel.