1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served
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 Ephraim better 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 was abated toward him,
when he had said that.
4 And
Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred
men 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 pursuing after Zebah
and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 And
the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in
thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7 And
Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into
mine hand, then I will tear 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
Penuel answered 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 twenty
thousand men that drew sword.
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 Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of
Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13 And
Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
14 And
caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described
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 give bread 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 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 one resembled the children of a king.
19 And
he said, They were my brethren, even the
sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, 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 youth drew not his
sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
21 Then
Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his
strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the
ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
22 Then
the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son,
and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
23 And
Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over
you: the LORD shall rule over you.
24 And
Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me
every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 And
they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment,
and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
26 And
the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven
hundred shekels of
gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on
the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about
their camels' necks.
27 And
Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in
Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a
snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
28 Thus
was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their
heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of
Gideon.
29 And
Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And
Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 And
his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son,
whose name he called Abimelech.
32 And
Gideon the son of Joash died 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 whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
34 And
the children of Israel remembered 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.
