1
And the men of Ephraimsaid unto him, Why hast thouserved us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
2
And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraimbetter than the vintage of Abiezer?
3
God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian,Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger[a] was abated toward him, when he had saidthat.
4
And Gideoncame to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the threehundredmen that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
5
And he said unto the men of Succoth,Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuingafterZebah and Zalmunna,kings of Midian.
6
And the princes of Succothsaid, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should givebread unto thine army?
7
And Gideonsaid, Therefore when the LORD hath deliveredZebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear[b] your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuelanswered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.
9
And he spake also unto the men of Penuel,saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen*thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twentythousandmen that drewsword.
11
And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
12
And when Zebah and Zalmunnafled, he pursuedafter them, and took the twokings of Midian,Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited[c] all the host.
13
And Gideon the son of Joashreturned from battlebefore the sun was up,
14
And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described[d] unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen*men.
15
And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should givebread unto thy men that are weary?
16
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught[e] the men of Succoth.
17
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18
Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna,What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each oneresembled[f] the children of a king.
19
And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORDliveth,if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
20
And he said unto Jether his firstborn,Up, and slay them. But the youthdrew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
21
Then Zebah and Zalmunnasaid, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideonarose, and slewZebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments[g] that were on their camels'necks.
22
Then the men of Israelsaid unto Gideon,Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son'sson also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
23
And Gideonsaid unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my sonrule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
24
And Gideonsaid unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had goldenearrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
25
And they answered, We will willinglygive them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
26
And the weight of the goldenearrings that he requested was a thousand and sevenhundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars,[h] and purpleraiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels'necks.
27
And Gideonmade an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoringafter it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
28
Thus was Midiansubduedbefore the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietnessfortyyears in the days of Gideon.
29
And Jerubbaal the son of Joashwent and dwelt in his own house.
30
And Gideon had threescore and tensons of his bodybegotten: for he had manywives.
31
And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called[i]Abimelech.
32
And Gideon the son of Joashdied in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoringafterBaalim, and madeBaalberith their god.
34
And the children of Israelremembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
35
Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.