1 T hen 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.

And the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, Why have you treated us like this, not calling us when you went to fight with Midian? And they quarreled with him furiously.

2 B ut 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?

And 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 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.

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

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

And Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the 300 men with him, faint yet pursuing.

5 G ideon 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.”

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

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

And the princes of Succoth said, Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?

7 G ideon 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.”

And Gideon said, For that, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness!

8 F rom 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.

And he went from there up to Penuel and made the same request, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had done.

9 S o he said to the men of Penuel, “When I return safe, I will tear down this tower.”

And said to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

10 N ow 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.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army—about 15, 000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120, 000 men who drew the sword.

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

And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp, for the army thought itself secure.

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

And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and terrified all the army.

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

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

14 H e 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.

And he caught a young man of Succoth and inquired of him, and wrote down for him the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

15 T hen 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?’”

And he came to the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you scoffed at me, saying, Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are faint?

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

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

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

18 G ideon 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.”

Then said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? And they replied, They were like you, each of them resembled the son of a king.

19 G ideon 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.”

And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

20 T hen 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.

And said to Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword, for he feared because he was yet a lad.

21 Z ebah 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.

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise yourself and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna and took the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

22 T hen 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.”

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

23 B ut Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you. And my son will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”

And 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 G ideon 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.)

And Gideon said to them, Let me make a request of you—every man of you give me the earrings of his spoil. For had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.

25 A nd 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.

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and every man cast on it the earrings of his spoil.

26 T he 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.

And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1, 700 shekels of gold, besides the crescents and pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

27 G ideon 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.

And Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city of Ophrah, and all Israel paid homage to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.

28 M idian 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

Thus was Midian subdued before the Israelites so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had peace and rest for forty years in the days of Gideon.

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

Jerubbaal (Gideon) son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

30 G ideon had seventy sons born to him, for he had many wives.

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

31 T he woman in Shechem who acted as his wife gave birth to Gideon’s son also. He was given the name Abimelech.

And his concubine, who was in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelech.

32 G ideon 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.

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

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

As soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned again and played the harlot after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god.

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

And the Israelites did not remember the Lord their God, Who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

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

Neither did they show kindness to the family of Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, in return for all the good which he had done for Israel.