1
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.
r'b'D;h -h'm ~Iy;r.p,a vyia wy'lea .Wr.ma{Y;w ? yiK .Wn'l twa{r.q yiT.lib.l .Wn'L 'tyif'[ h,Z;h ? h'q.z'x.B w{Tia !.Wbyir.y;w !'y.dim.B ~ex'Lih.l 'T.k;l'h
2
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?
aw{l]h ~,k'K h'T;[ yityif'[ -h,m ~,hyel]a r,ma{Y;w ? r,z,[yib]a ryic.bim ~Iy;r.p,a tw{l.l{[ bw{j
3
"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.
ber{[ -t,a !'y.dim yer'f -t,a ~yih{l/a !;t'n ~,k.d,y.B ? z'a ~,k'K tw{f][ yiT.l{k'Y -h;m.W bea.z -t,a.w ? h,Z;h r'b'D;h w{r.B;d.B wy'l'[em ~'x.Wr h't.p'r
4
Then
Gideon and the
300 * men who were with him
came to the
Jordan and
crossed over,
weary yet
pursuing.
tw{aem -v{l.v.W a.Wh reb{[ h'neD.r;Y;h !w{[.dig a{b'Y;w ? ~yip.d{r.w ~yipey][ w{Tia r,v]a vyia'h
5
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."
tw{r.KiK a'n -.Wn.T tw{KUs yev.n;a.l r,ma{Y;w ? ~eh ~yipey][ -yiK y'l.g;r.B r,v]a ~'['l ~,x,l ? yek.l;m ['NUm.l;c.w x;b,z yer]x;a @ed{r yik{n'a.w ? !'y.dim
6
The
leaders of
Succoth said, "Are the
hands of
Zebah and
Zalmunna already in your
hands, that we should
give bread to your
army?"
h'T;[ ['NUm.l;c.w x;b,z @;k]h tw{KUs yer'f r,ma{Y;w ? ~,x'l '$]a'b.cil !eTin -yiK '$,d'y.B
7
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."
x;b,z -t,a h'wh.y tet.B !ek'l !w{[.diG r,ma{Y;w ? ~,k.r;f.B -t,a yiT.v;d.w yid'y.B ['NUm.l;c -t,a.w ? ~yin\q.r;B;h -t,a.w r'B.diM;h yecw{q -t,a
8
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.
ta{z'K ~,hyel]a reB;d.y;w lea.Wn.P ~'Vim l;[;Y;w ? .Wn'[ r,v]a;K lea.Wn.p yev.n;a w{tw{a .Wn][;Y;w ? tw{KUs yev.n;a
9
So he
spoke also to the
men of
Penuel,
saying, "When I
return safely, I will
tear down this tower."
yib.Wv.B r{mael lea.Wn.p yev.n;a.l -m;G r,ma{Y;w ? h,Z;h l'D.giM;h -t,a #{T,a ~w{l'v.b
10
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 * *.
t,vem]x;K ~'Mi[ ~,hyen]x;m.W r{q.r;Q;B ['NUm.l;c.w x;b,z.w ? ~,d,q -yen.b hen]x;m l{Kim ~yir'tw{N;h l{K @,l,a r'f'[ ? @el{v vyia @,l,a ~yir.f,[.w h'aem ~yil.p{N;h.w ? b,r'x
11
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.
~,d,Qim ~yil'h\a'b yen.Wk.V;h .$,r,D !w{[.diG l;[;Y;w ? h,n]x;M;h.w h,n]x;M;h -t,a .$;Y;w h'h\B.g'y.w x;b{n.l ? x;j,b h'y'h
12
When
Zebah and
Zalmunna fled, he
pursued them and
captured the
two kings of
Midian,
Zebah and
Zalmunna, and
routed the
whole army.
~,hyer]x;a @{D.riY;w ['NUm.l;c.w x;b,z .Ws.Wn'Y;w ? x;b,z -t,a !'y.dim yek.l;m yen.v -t,a d{K.liY;w ? dyir/x,h h,n]x;M;h -l'k.w ['NUm.l;c -t,a.w
13
Then
Gideon the
son of
Joash returned from the
battle by the
ascent of
Heres.
h'm'x.liM;h -nim v'aw{y -n,B !w{[.diG b'v'Y;w ? s,r'x,h hel][;m.lim
14
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.
b{T.kiY;w .Whel'a.viY;w tw{KUs yev.n;aem r;[;n -d'K.liY;w ? ~yi[.biv 'hy,neq.z -t,a.w tw{KUs yer'f -t,a wy'lea ? vyia h'[.biv.w
15
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?' "
x;b,z heNih r,ma{Y;w tw{KUs yev.n;a -l,a a{b'Y;w ? @;k]h r{mael yitw{a ~,T.p;rex r,v]a ['NUm.l;c.w ? '$y,v'n]a;l !eTin yiK '$,d'y.B h'T;[ ['NUm.l;c.w x;b,z ? ~,x'l ~yipe[.Y;h
16
He
took the
elders of the
city, and
thorns of the
wilderness and
briers, and he
disciplined the
men of
Succoth with them.
r'B.diM;h yecw{q -t,a.w ryi['h yen.qiz -t,a x;QiY;w ? tw{KUs yev.n;a tea ~,h'B [;d{Y;w ~yin\q.r;B;h -t,a.w
17
He
tore down the
tower of
Penuel and
killed the
men of the
city.
yev.n;a -t,a g{r]h;Y;w #'t'n lea.Wn.P l;D.gim -t,a.w ? ryi['h
18
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."
~yiv'n]a'h h{pyea ['NUm.l;c -l,a.w x;b,z -l,a r,ma{Y;w ? ~,hw{m.k '$w{m'K .Wr.ma{Y;w rw{b't.B ~,T.g;r]h r,v]a ? .$,l,M;h yen.B r;a{t.K d'x,a
19
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."
h'wh.y -y;x ~eh yiMia -yen.B y;x;a r;ma{Y;w ? ~,k.t,a yiT.g;r'h a{l ~'tw{a ~,tIy]x;h .Wl
20
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.
@;l'v -a{l.w ~'tw{a g{r]h ~.Wq w{rw{k.B r,t,y.l r,ma{Y;w ? r;['n .WN,dw{[ yiK aer'y yiK w{B.r;x r;[;N;h
21
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.
.Wn'B -[;g.p.W h'T;a ~.Wq ['NUm.l;c.w x;b,z r,ma{Y;w ? g{r]h;Y;w !w{[.diG ~'q'Y;w w{t'r.Wb.G vyia'k yiK ? ~yin{r]h;F;h -t,a x;QiY;w ['NUm.l;c -t,a.w x;b,z -t,a ? ~,hyeL;m.g<01581'> yera..W;c.B r,v]a
22
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."
.Wn'B -l'v.m !w{[.diG -l,a lea'r.fIy -vyia .Wr.ma{Y;w ? .Wn'T.[;vw{h yiK '$,n.B -n,B ~;G '$.niB -m;G h'T;a -m;G ? !'y.dim d;Yim
23
But
Gideon said to them, "I will not
rule over you,
nor shall my
son rule over you; the
LORD shall
rule over you."
~,k'B yin]a l{v.m,a -a{l !w{[.diG ~,hel]a r,ma{Y;w ? ~,k'B l{v.mIy h'wh.y ~,k'B yin.B l{v.mIy -a{l.w
24
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.)
yil -.Wn.t.W h'lea.v ~,Kim h'l]a.v,a !w{[.diG ~,hel]a r,ma{Y;w ? yem.zin(For -yiK w{l'l.v(For ~,z,n vyia ? ~eh ~yilae[.m.vIy yiK ~,h'l b'h'z
25
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.
h'l.miF;h -t,a .Wf.r.piY;w !eTin !w{t'n .Wr.ma{Y;w ? w{l'l.v ~,z,n vyia h'M'v .Wkyil.v;Y;w
26
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.
@,l,a l'a'v r,v]a b'h'Z;h yem.zin l;q.vim yih.y;w ? ~yin{r]h;F;h -nim d;b.l b'h'z tw{aem -[;b.v.W ? !'y.dim yek.l;m l;[,v !'m'G.r;a'h yed.gib.W tw{pij.N;h.w ? ~,hyeL;m.g<01581'> yera..W;c.B r,v]a tw{q'n]['h -nim d;b.l.W
27
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.
w{tw{a geC;Y;w dw{pea.l !w{[.dig w{tw{a f;[;Y;w ? wy'r]x;a lea'r.fIy -l'k .Wn.ziY;w h'r.p'[.B w{ryi[.b ? veqw{m.l w{tyeb.l.W !w{[.dig.l yih.y;w ~'v
28
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.
.Wp.s'y a{l.w lea'r.fIy yen.B yen.pil !'y.dim [;n'KiY;w ? h'n'v ~yi['B.r;a #,r'a'h j{q.viT;w ~'va{r taef'l ? !w{[.dig yemyiB
29
Then
Jerubbaal the
son of
Joash went and
lived in his own
house.
w{tyeb.B b,veY;w v'aw{y -n,B l;[;BUr.y .$,leY;w
30
Now
Gideon had seventy sons who were his
direct descendants, for he
had many wives.
w{ker.y yea.c{y ~yin'B ~yi[.biv .Wy'h !w{[.dig.l.W ? w{l .Wy'h tw{B;r ~yiv'n -yiK
31
His
concubine who was in
Shechem also bore him a
son, and he
named * him
Abimelech.
ayih -m;g w{L -h'd.l'y ~,k.viB r,v]a w{v.g;lyip.W ? .$,l,myib]a w{m.v -t,a ~,f'Y;w !eB
32
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.
h'bw{j h'byef.B v'aw{y -n,B !w{[.diG t'm'Y;w ? yib]a h'r.p'[.B wyib'a v'aw{y r,b,q.B reb'QiY;w ? yir.z,['h
33
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.
lea'r.fIy yen.B .Wb.Wv'Y;w !w{[.diG tem r,v]a;K yih.y;w ? l;[;B ~,h'l .Wmyif'Y;w ~yil'[.B;h yer]x;a .Wn.ziY;w ? ~yih{lael tyir.B
34
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;
~,hyeh{l/a h'wh.y -t,a lea'r.fIy yen.B .Wr.k'z a{l.w ? byib'Sim ~,hyeb.y{a -l'K d;Yim ~'tw{a lyiC;M;h
35
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.
!w{[.diG l;[;BUr.y tyeB -mi[ d,s,x .Wf'[ -a{l.w ? lea'r.fIy -mi[ h'f'[ r,v]a h'bw{J;h -l'k.K