1 T hen 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.

And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him sharply.

2 B ut 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 said unto them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

3 G od 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.

God hath delivered into your hand 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 had said that.

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

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

5 H e 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.”

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

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

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

7 G ideon 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.”

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

8 H e 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.

And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

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

And he spake 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, 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.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the host of the children of the east; for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

11 G ideon 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.

And 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.

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

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

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

And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.

14 A nd 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.

And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men.

15 H e 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?’”

And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt 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 H e took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them.

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

17 H e tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

And he brake down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

18 T hen 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.”

Then 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.

19 H e 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.”

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

20 S o 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.

And he said unto Jether his first-born, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

21 T hen 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.

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 the crescents that were on their camels' necks.

22 T hen 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.”

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 saved us out of the hand of Midian.

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

And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Jehovah shall rule over you.

24 Y et 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.)

And Gideon said unto them, I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

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

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil.

26 T he 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.

And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.

27 G ideon 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

And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the harlot after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

28 S o 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.

So 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.

29 T hen Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.

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

30 N ow Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.

And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten; for he had many wives.

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

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

32 A nd 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.

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 T hen 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.

And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and played the harlot after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.

34 T hus 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;

And the children of Israel remembered not Jehovah their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

35 n or did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal ( that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.

neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.