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.

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 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?

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 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.

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

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

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.”

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 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?”

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, “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.”

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 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.

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

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 on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army; for the army was secure.

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

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

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

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

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.

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 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?’”

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 H e took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught 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 H e broke 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 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.”

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 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.”

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 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.

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 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.

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 son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand 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 G ideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. Yahweh shall 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 do have a request, that you would each give me the earrings of his plunder.” (For they had golden earrings, 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 T hey answered, “We will willingly give them.” They spread a garment, and every man threw the earrings of his plunder into it.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 erubbaal the son of Joash 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 conceived from his body, for he had many wives.

Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.

31 H is concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him 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 in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, 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 children of Israel turned again, and played the prostitute following the Baals, and 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 children of Israel didn’t remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

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