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.

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 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?

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

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

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.”

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 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?”

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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 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?’”

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

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

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

Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed 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.”

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 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.”

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 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.

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 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.

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 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 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 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.”

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 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.)

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 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 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 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.

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 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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

31 H is concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him 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 at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, 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 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.

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 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;

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 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.

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.