Judges 8
Revised Geneva Translation
8 Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you treated us in such a way that you did not call us when you went to fight with the Midianites?” And they chided with him sharply.
2 To whom he said, “Now what have I done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
3 “God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?” And when he had thus spoken, then their spirits abated toward him.
4 And Gideon came to Jordan to pass over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, weary, yet pursuing.
5 And he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give morsels of bread to the people who follow me (for they are weary), so that I may follow after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.”
6 And the princes of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands, so that we should give bread to your army?”
7 Gideon then said, “In that case, when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”
8 And he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them likewise. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.
9 And he also said to the men of Penuel, “When I come back in peace, I will break down this tower.”
10 Now, Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor. And their armies with them, about fifteen thousand, all who were left of all the armies of those of the East. For a hundred-twenty thousand men were killed who drew swords.
11 And Gideon went through those who dwelt in tabernacles on the eastern side of Nobah and Jogbehah and struck the camp. For the army was careless.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he followed after them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.
13 So Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from battle while the Sun was high,
14 and took a servant of the men of Succoth and inquired of him. And he wrote down the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.
15 And he came to the men of Succoth, and said, “Behold, Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, so that we should give bread to your weary men?’”
16 Then he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers and tore the men of Succoth with them.
17 Also, he broke down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What manner of men were they whom you slew at Tabor?” And they answered, “They were the same as you. One was like the children of a king.”
19 And he said, “They were my brethren, my mother’s children. As the LORD lives, if you had saved their lives, I would not kill you.”
20 Then he said to Jether, his firstborn son, “Up and kill them!” But the boy did not draw his sword. For he feared because he was still young.
21 Then, Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise and fall upon us! For as the man is, so is his strength!” And Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Reign over us, you and your son and your son’s son. For you have delivered us out of the hand of Midian.”
23 And Gideon said to them, “I will not reign over you. Nor shall my child reign over you. The LORD shall reign over you.”
24 Again, Gideon said to them, “I would ask a request of you: that you would give me the earrings from each man’s plunder (for they had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites).”
25 And they answered, “We will give them.” And they spread a garment and cast in the earrings from each man’s plunder.
26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he required was one thousand, seven hundred shekels of gold, besides collars and jewels and purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around the camels’ necks.
27 And Gideon made an ephod out of it and put it in Ophrah, his city. And all Israel went a whoring there after it (which was the destruction of Gideon and his House).
28 Thus was Midian brought low before the children of Israel, so that they no longer lifted up their heads. And the country was quiet for forty years during the days of Gideon.
29 Then Jerubbaal, the son of Joash, went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gideon had seventy sons begotten from his body; for he had many wives.
31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 So Gideon, the son of Joash, died at a good age, and was buried in the sepulcher of Joash, his father, in Ophrah, of the father of the Abiezrites.
33 But when Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Baal and made Baal-Berith their god.
34 And the children of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, Who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side.
35 Nor did they show mercy on the House of Jerubbaal (Gideon), according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
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