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.

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 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?

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

Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan and crossed over, weary 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.”

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

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 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.

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 S o he said to the men of Penuel, “When I return safe, I will tear 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. 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, 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 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.

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 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.

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

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

Then Gideon the 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 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 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?’”

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 T hen he took the leaders of the city and with thorns and thistles from the desert, he punished 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 T hen he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed 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 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 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.”

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 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.

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 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 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 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, both you and your son, also your son’s son, 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.”

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 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.)

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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

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

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

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

Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, 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.

His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.