The Book of Judges (WEB)
8:1 The men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you served us thus, that you didn't call us, when
you went to fight with Midian? They did chide with him sharply. 8:2He 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? 8:3God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and
what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he
had said that. 8:4Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men who
were with him, faint, yet pursuing. 8:5He 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. 8:6The princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in
your hand, that we should give bread to your army? 8:7Gideon 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. 8:8He went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them in like manner; and
the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 8:9He spoke also to the men
of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. 8:10Now Zebah and
Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were
left of all the host of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty thousand men who
drew sword. 8:11Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and
Jogbehah, and struck the host; for the host was secure. 8:12Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he
pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all
the host. 8:13Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. 8:14He caught
a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of
Succoth, and the elders of it, seventy-seven men. 8:15He came to the men of Succoth, and said, See
Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and
Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary? 8:16He took
the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of
Succoth. 8:17He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city. 8:18Then said he to
Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom you killed at Tabor? They answered,
As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. 8:19He said, They were my
brothers, the sons of my mother: as Yahweh lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill
you. 8:20He said to Jether his firstborn, Up, and kill them. But the youth didn't draw his sword; for
he feared, because he was yet a youth. 8:21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise you, 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. 8:22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule you over
us, both you, and your son, and your son's son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of
Midian. 8:23Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you:
Yahweh shall rule over you. 8:24Gideon said to them, I would make a request of you, that you
would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they
were Ishmaelites.) 8:25They answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment, and did
cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil. 8:26The weight of the golden ear-rings 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. 8:27Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in
Ophrah: and all Israel played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to
his house. 8:28So 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. 8:29Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and
lived in his own house. 8:30Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body; for he had many
wives. 8:31His concubine who was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he named him
Abimelech. 8:32Gideon 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. 8:33It happened, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the
children of Israel turned again, and played the prostitute after the Baals, and made Baal-berith
their god. 8:34The children of Israel didn't remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them
out of the hand of all their enemies on every side; 8:35neither shown they kindness to the house of
Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
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