1 T he men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you treated us this way, that you didn’t call us when you went to fight with Midian?” They rebuked him sharply.

ثُمَّ قالَ الأفرايِمِيُّونَ لِجِدْعُونَ: «ما هَذا الَّذِي فَعَلْتَهُ بِنا؟ أنتَ لَمْ تَدْعُنا عِنْدَما ذَهَبْتَ لِمُقاتَلَةِ المِدْيانِيِّينَ.» وَجادَلُوهُ بِغَضَبٍ.

2 H e said to them, “What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn’t the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

فَقالَ لَهُمْ جِدْعُونُ: «ما الَّذِي فَعَلْتُهُ بِالمُقارَنَةِ مَعَكُمْ؟ فَحَتَّى القَلِيلُ الَّذِي فَعَلْتُمُوهُ، أكثَرُ أهَمِّيَّةً مِنْ كُلِّ ما فَعَلَتْهُ قَبِيلَتِي أبِيعَزَرَ.

3 G od has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb! What was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللهُ عَلَى قائِدَيِ جَيشِ المِدْيانِيِّينَ، غُرابٍ وَذِئْبٍ. فَما الَّذِي فَعَلْتُهُ بِالمُقارَنَةِ مَعَكُمْ؟» فَلَمّا قالَ هَذا، هَدَأ غَضَبُهُمْ. جِدْعُونُ يَأْسِرُ مَلِكَ المِدْيانِيِّين

4 G ideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.

عِنْدَما وَصَلَ جِدْعُونُ إلَى نَهْرِ الأُردُنِّ، عَبَرَ مَعَ رِجالِهِ الثَّلاثِ مِئَةٍ إلَى الجانِبِ الآخَرِ. كانُوا مُنْهَكِينَ، غَيرَ أنَّهُمْ طارَدُوا العَدُوَّ.

5 H e said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

فَقالَ لِأهلِ سَكُّوتَ: «أرجُو أنْ تُعطُوا أرغِفَةً مِنَ الخُبْزِ لِلقُوّاتِ الَّتِي مَعِي، فَقَدْ أعياهُمُ الجُوعُ، وَأنا أُطارِدُ مَلِكَيِّ المِديانِيِّينَ زَبَحَ وَصَلْمُنّاعَ.»

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

لَكِنَّ رُؤَساءَ سُكُّوتَ قالُوا لَهُ: «هَلْ أسَرْتَ زَبَحَ وَصَلْمُنّاعَ حَتَّى نُعطِي جَيشَكَ خُبزاً؟»

7 G ideon said, “Therefore when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”

فَقالَ جِدْعُونُ: «بِسَبَبِ هَذا، عِنْدَما يُعِينُنِي اللهُ عَلَى القَبْضِ عَلَى زَبَحَ وَصَلْمُنّاعَ، سَأضرِبُ لَحْمَكُمْ بِالأشواكِ وَالأغصانِ الشّائِكَةِ.»

8 H e went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

وَانطَلَقَ مِنْ هُناكَ إلَى فَنُوئِيلَ، وَطَلَبَ مِنْهُمُ الأمْرَ نَفْسَهُ، فَأجابَهُ أهلُ فَنُوئِيلَ كَما أجابَ أهلُ سُكُّوتَ.

9 H e spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”

فَقالَ جِدْعُونُ لِأهلِ فَنُوئِيلَ: «عِنْدَما أعُودُ مُنتَصِراً، سَأهدِمُ هَذا البُرْجَ.»

10 N ow Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty thousand men who drew sword.

وَكانَ زَبَحُ وَصَلْمُنّاعُ فِي مَدِينَةِ قَرْقَرَ مَعَ جَيشِهِما البالِغِ نَحْوَ خَمسَةَ عَشَرَ ألفِ رَجُلٍ. وَهُمْ جَمِيعُ الَّذِينَ تَبَقَّوْا مِنْ جَيشِ أهلِ المَشْرِقِ. فَقَدْ قُتِلَ مِئَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ ألفاً مِنْ حَمَلَةِ السُّيُوفِ.

11 G ideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army; for the army was secure.

وَمَضَى جِدْعُونُ وَرِجالُهُ وَمَرَّوا بِطَرِيقِ ساكِنِي الخِيامِ، إلَى الغَربِ مِنْ مَدِينَتَيِّ نُوبَحَ وَيُجْبَهَةَ. وَهاجَمُوا الجَيشَ بَغْتَةً.

12 Z ebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued them. He took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army.

فَهَرَبَ زَبَحُ وَصَلْمُنّاعُ. فَلَحِقَ بِهِما جِدْعُونُ، وَأسَرَ المَلِكَينِ المِدْيانِيِّينِ، زَبَحَ وَصَلْمُنّاعَ. وَأوقَعَ الذُّعْرَ فِي صُفُوفِ جَيشِهِما.

13 G ideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.

ثُمَّ عادَ جِدْعُونُ بْنُ يُوآشَ مِنَ المَعرَكَةِ مارّاً بِطَرِيقِ عَقَبَةِ حارَسَ.

14 H e caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and its elders, seventy-seven men.

وَأمسَكَ بِشابٍّ مِنْ أهلِ سُكُّوتَ وَاستَجوَبَهُ. فَكَشَفَ لِجِدْعُونَ أسْماءَ رُؤَساءِ سُكَّوتَ، وَكانُوا سَبعَةً وَسَبعِينَ رَجُلاً.

15 H e came to the men of Succoth, and said, “See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’”

فَجاءَ جِدْعُونُ إلَى أهلِ سُكُّوتَ، وَقالَ لَهُمْ: «ها هُما زَبَحُ وَصَلْمُنّاعُ اللَّذانِ عَيَّرْتُمُونِي بِهِما فَقُلْتُمْ: ‹هَلْ أسَرْتَ زَبَحَ وَصَلْمُنّاعَ لِكَي نُعطِيَ رِجالَكَ المُنهَكِينَ خُبزاً؟›»

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

فَأخَذَ جِدْعُونُ أشواكاً بِرِّيَّةً وَأغْصاناً شائِكَةً، وَضَرَبَ بِها شُيُوخَ مَدِينَةِ سُكُّوتَ.

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

وَهَدَمَ بُرْجَ فَنُوئِيلَ، وَقَتَلَ أهلَ المَدِينَةِ.

18 T hen he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. Each one resembled the children of a king.”

وَقالَ لَزَبَحَ وَصَلْمُنّاعَ: «ماذا عَنْ الرِّجالِ الَّذِينَ قَتَلْتُماهُمْ عَلَى جَبَلِ تابُورَ؟» فَقالا: «كانُوا مِثلَكَ تَماماً، بَدا كُلُّ واحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ كَالأميرِ.»

19 H e said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Yahweh lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.”

فَقالَ جِدْعُونُ: «كانُوا إخْوَتِي أبناءَ أُمِّي. وَأنا أقُسِمُ باللهِ الحَيِّ، لَوْ أنَّكُما حافَظْتُما عَلَى حَياتِهِمْ، ما كُنْتُ لِأقتُلَكُما.»

20 H e said to Jether his firstborn, “Get up, and kill them!” But the youth didn’t draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth.

ثُمَّ قالَ لِبِكرِهِ يَثَرٍ: «قُمِ! اقتُلْهُما!» لَكِنَّ الوَلَدَ لَمْ يَسْتَلَّ سَيفَهُ لِأنَّهُ كانَ صَغيرَ السِنِّ فَخَافَ.

21 T hen Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks.

فَقالَ زَبَحُ وَصَلْمُنّاعُ لِجِدْعُونَ: «قُمْ أنْتَ وَاقتُلْنا بِنَفسِكَ! فَالقَويُّ نِدٌّ للقَويَّ.» فَقامَ جِدْعُونُ وَقَتَلَ زَبَحَ وَصَلْمُنّاعَ. وَنَزَعَ القَلائِدَ الهِلالِيَّةَ الَّتِي عَلَى أعْناقِ جِمالِهِما. جَدْعُونُ يَصْنَعُ ثَوبَ الكَهَنُوت

22 T hen the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, and your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.”

حِينَئِذٍ، قالَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ لِجِدْعُونَ: «احكُمْنا أنتَ وَابْنُكَ وَحَفِيدُكَ. فَقَدْ خَلَّصْتَنا مِنْ سَيطَرَةِ المِدْيانِيِّينَ.»

23 G ideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. Yahweh shall rule over you.”

فَقالَ جِدْعُونُ لَهُمْ: «لَنْ أحكُمَكُمْ لا أنا وَلا ابْنِي، فَاللهُ هُوَ الَّذِي سَيَحكُمُكُمْ.»

24 G ideon said to them, “I do have a request, that you would each give me the earrings of his plunder.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

ثُمَّ قالَ جِدْعُونُ لَهُمْ: «فَلْيُعطِنِي كُلُّ واحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ حَلَقاً غَنِمَهُ فِي القِتالِ.» فَقَدْ كانَتْ لِلعَدُوِّ أحلاقٌ ذَهَبِيَّةٌ إذْ كانُوا إسْماعِيلِيِّينَ.

25 T hey answered, “We will willingly give them.” They spread a garment, and every man threw the earrings of his plunder into it.

فَقالُوا لَهُ: «سَنُعطِيكَ ما تُرِيدُ.» فَفَرَشُوا ثَوباً وَرَمَى كُلُّ واحِدٍ فِيهِ حَلَقاً غَنِمَهُ فِي القِتالِ.

26 T he weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

فَكانَ وَزْنُ الأحلاقِ الذَّهَبِيَّةِ الَّتِي طَلَبَها نَحْوَ ألْفٍ وَسَبْعَ مِئَةِ مِثْقالٍ. هَذا عَدا القَلائِدِ الهِلالِيَّةِ وَالجَواهِرِ الدَّمعِيَّةِ وَالأثوابِ الأَرجُوانِيَّةِ لِمُلُوكِ مِدْيانَ، وَالقَلائِدِ الَّتِي تُوضَعُ عَلَى أعْناقِ الجِمالِ.

27 G ideon made an ephod out of it, and put it in Ophrah, his city. Then all Israel played the prostitute with it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

فَصَنَعَ جِدْعُونُ مِنْ هَذا الذَّهَبِ تِمثالاً لابِساً ثَوباً كَهَنُوتِّياً، وَعَلَّقَهُ فِي مَدِينَتِهِ عَفْرَةَ. وَخانَ جَمِيعُ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ اللهَ، وَعَبَدُوا هَذا التِّمثالَ هُناكَ، فَصارَ فَخّاً لِجِدْعُونَ وَأهلِ بَيتِهِ. مَوتُ جِدْعُون

28 S o Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

وَخَضَعَ المِدْيانِيُّونَ لِبَنِي إسْرائِيلَ، وَلَمْ يَعُودُوا يَرفَعُونَ رُؤُوسَهُمْ! فَاسْتَراحَتِ الأرْضُ مِنَ الحُرُوبِ مُدَّةَ أربَعِينَ سَنَةً، طَوالَ حَياةِ جِدْعُونَ.

29 J erubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.

وَذَهَبَ يَرُبَّعَلُ بْنُ يُوآشَ لِيَسكُنَ فِي بَيتِهِ.

30 G ideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives.

أنْجَبَ جِدْعُونُ سَبعِينَ ابْناً، فَقَدْ كانَتْ لَهُ زَوجاتٌ كَثِيراتٌ.

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

وَأنجَبَتْ لَهُ جارِيَتُهُ الَّتِي فِي شَكيمَ ابْناً، فَسَمّاهُ أبِيمالِكَ.

32 G ideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

وَماتَ جِدْعُونُ بْنُ يُوآشَ شَيخاً، وَدُفِنَ فِي ضَرِيحِ يُوآشَ أبِيهِ فِي عَفْرَةَ، بَلْدَةِ الأبِيعَزَرِيِّينَ.

33 A s soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again, and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god.

وَما إنْ ماتَ جِدْعُونُ حَتَّى تَراجَعَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ، وَخانُوا اللهَ بِأنْ عَبَدُوا البَعلَ. وَاتَّخَذُوا مِنْ بَعلِ بَرِيثَ إلَهاً لَهُمْ.

34 T he children of Israel didn’t remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

فَنَسِيَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ إلَهَهُمْ الَّذِي أنقَذَهُمْ مِنْ سَيطَرَةِ كُلِّ أعدائِهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ناحِيَةٍ.

35 n either did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.

وَلَمْ يُظهِرُوا وَلاءً لِعائِلَةِ يَرُبَّعَلَ لِقاءَ كُلِّ ما صَنَعَهُ مِنْ خَيرٍ لِبَنِي إسْرائِيلَ.