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И сказали ему Ефремляне: зачем ты это сделал, что не позвал нас, когда шел воевать с Мадианитянами? И сильно ссорились с ним.

[Гедеон] отвечал им: сделал ли я что такое, как вы ныне? Не счастливее ли Ефрем добирал виноград, нежели Авиезер обирал?

В ваши руки предал Бог князей Мадиамских Орива и Зива, и что мог сделать я такое, как вы? Тогда успокоился дух их против него, когда сказал он им такие слова.

И пришел Гедеон к Иордану, и перешел сам и триста человек, бывшие с ним. Они были утомлены, преследуя [врагов].

И сказал он жителям Сокхофа: дайте хлеба народу, который идет за мною; они утомились, а я преследую Зевея и Салмана, царей Мадиамских.

Князья Сокхофа сказали: разве рука Зевея и Салмана уже в твоей руке, чтобы нам войску твоему давать хлеб?

И сказал Гедеон: за это, когда предаст Господь Зевея и Салмана в руки мои, я растерзаю тело ваше терновником пустынным и молотильными зубчатыми досками.

Оттуда пошел он в Пенуэл и то же сказал жителям его, и жители Пенуэла отвечали ему то же, что отвечали жители Сокхофа.

Он сказал и жителям Пенуэла: когда я возвращусь в мире, разрушу башню сию.

10 Зевей же и Салман были в Каркоре и с ними их ополчение до пятнадцати тысяч, все, что осталось из всего ополчения жителей востока; пало же сто двадцать тысяч человек, обнажающих меч.

11 Гедеон пошел к живущим в шатрах на восток от Новы и Иогбеги и поразил стан, когда стан стоял беспечно.

12 Зевей и Салман побежали; он погнался за ними и схватил обоих царей Мадиамских, Зевея и Салмана, и весь стан привел в замешательство.

13 И возвратился Гедеон, сын Иоаса, с войны от возвышенности Хереса.

14 И захватил юношу из жителей Сокхофа и выспросил у него; и он написал ему князей и старейшин Сокхофских семьдесят семь человек.

15 И пришел он к жителям Сокхофским, и сказал: вот Зевей и Салман, за которых вы посмеялись надо мною, говоря: разве рука Зевея и Салмана уже в твоей руке, чтобы нам давать хлеб утомившимся людям твоим?

16 И взял старейшин города и терновник пустынный и зубчатые молотильные доски и наказал ими жителей Сокхофа;

17 и башню Пенуэльскую разрушил, и перебил жителей города.

18 И сказал Зевею и Салману: каковы были те, которых вы убили на Фаворе? Они сказали: они были такие, как ты, каждый имел вид сынов царских.

19 [Гедеон] сказал: это были братья мои, сыны матери моей. Жив Господь! если бы вы оставили их в живых, я не убил бы вас.

20 И сказал Иеферу, первенцу своему: встань, убей их. Но юноша не извлек меча своего, потому что боялся, так как был еще молод.

21 И сказали Зевей и Салман: встань сам и порази нас, потому что по человеку и сила его. И встал Гедеон, и убил Зевея и Салмана, и взял пряжки, бывшие на шеях верблюдов их.

22 И сказали Израильтяне Гедеону: владей нами ты и сын твой и сын сына твоего, ибо ты спас нас из руки Мадианитян.

23 Гедеон сказал им: ни я не буду владеть вами, ни мой сын не будет владеть вами; Господь да владеет вами.

24 И сказал им Гедеон: прошу у вас одного, дайте мне каждый по серьге из добычи своей. (Ибо у [неприятелей] много было золотых серег, потому что они были Измаильтяне.)

25 Они сказали: дадим. И разостлали одежду и бросали туда каждый по серьге из добычи своей.

26 Весу в золотых серьгах, которые он выпросил, было тысяча семьсот золотых [сиклей], кроме пряжек, пуговиц и пурпуровых одежд, которые были на царях Мадиамских, и кроме [золотых] цепочек, которые были на шее у верблюдов их.

27 Из этого сделал Гедеон ефод и положил его в своем городе, в Офре, и стали все Израильтяне блудно ходить туда за ним, и был он сетью Гедеону и всему дому его.

28 Так смирились Мадианитяне пред сынами Израиля и не стали уже поднимать головы своей, и покоилась земля сорок лет во дни Гедеона.

29 И пошел Иероваал, сын Иоасов, и жил в доме своем.

30 У Гедеона было семьдесят сыновей, происшедших от чресл его, потому что у него много было жен.

31 Также и наложница, жившая в Сихеме, родила ему сына, и он дал ему имя Авимелех.

32 И умер Гедеон, сын Иоасов, в глубокой старости, и погребен во гробе отца своего Иоаса, в Офре Авиезеровой.

33 Когда умер Гедеон, сыны Израилевы опять стали блудно ходить вслед Ваалов и поставили себе богом Ваалверифа;

34 и не вспомнили сыны Израилевы Господа Бога своего, Который избавлял их из руки всех врагов, окружавших их;

35 и дому Иероваалову, [или] Гедеонову, не сделали милости за все благодеяния, какие он сделал Израилю.

The men of Ephraim asked Gideon, “Why did you treat us this way? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight against Midian?” They were very angry at Gideon.

But he answered them, “I have not done as well as you! The small part you did was better than all that my people of Abiezer did. God allowed you to capture Oreb and Zeeb, the princes of Midian. How can I compare what I did with what you did?” When the men of Ephraim heard Gideon’s answer, they were not as angry anymore.

Gideon Captures Two Kings

Then Gideon and his 300 men came to the Jordan River. They were tired, but they chased the enemy across to the other side. Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give my soldiers some bread. They are very tired. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

But the leaders of Succoth said, “Why should we give your soldiers bread? You haven’t caught Zebah and Zalmunna yet.”

Then Gideon said, “The Lord will help me capture Zebah and Zalmunna. After that, I will whip your skin with thorns and briers from the desert.”

Gideon left Succoth and went to the city of Peniel. He asked the men there for food. It was just as he had asked the men of Succoth. And the men of Peniel gave him the same answer as the men of Succoth. So Gideon said to the men of Peniel, “After I win the victory, I will come back here. And I will pull down this tower.”

10 Zebah and Zalmunna and their army were in the city of Karkor. Their army had about 15,000 men. They were all who were left of the army of the peoples of the east. Already 120,000 soldiers of that army had been killed.

11 Gideon used the road of those who live in tents. This road is east of Nobah and Jogbehah. Gideon attacked the enemy army when they did not expect it. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian, ran away. But Gideon chased and captured them. Gideon and his men defeated the enemy army.

13 Then Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle. He and his men returned by the Pass of Heres. 14 Gideon captured a young man from Succoth and asked him some questions. The young man wrote down for Gideon the names of 77 men. They were the officers and elders of Succoth.

Gideon Punishes Succoth

15 Then Gideon came to Succoth. He said to the men of that city, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You made fun of me by saying, ‘Why should we give bread to your tired men? You have not caught Zebah and Zalmunna yet.’” 16 So Gideon took the elders of the city. He punished them with thorns and briers from the desert. 17 He also pulled down the tower of Peniel. Then he killed the men in that city.

18 Gideon spoke to Zebah and Zalmunna. He said, “You killed some men on Mount Tabor. What were those men like?”

Zebah and Zalmunna answered, “They were like you. Each one of them seemed like a prince.”

19 Gideon said, “Those were my brothers, my mother’s sons. As surely as the Lord lives, I would not kill you if you had spared them.” 20 Then Gideon turned to Jether, his oldest son. Gideon said to him, “Kill them.” But Jether was only a boy and was afraid. So he did not take out his sword.

21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on. Kill us yourself. As the saying goes, ‘It takes a man to do a man’s job.’” So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna. Then he took the decorations off their camels’ necks.

Gideon Makes an Idol

22 The people of Israel said to Gideon, “You saved us from the Midianites. So now, rule over us. We want you, your son and your grandson to rule over us.”

23 But Gideon told them, “The Lord will be your ruler. I will not rule over you. And my son will not rule over you.” 24 He said, “I want you to do this one thing for me. I want each of you to give me a gold earring from the things you took in the fighting.” (The Ishmaelite men wore gold earrings. And some Ishmaelites had been defeated in the battle.)

25 So the people of Israel said to Gideon, “We will gladly give you what you want.” So they put a coat down on the ground. Each man threw an earring onto the coat. 26 The gold earrings weighed about 43 pounds. This did not count the weight of the other gifts the people gave to Gideon. They gave him decorations, necklaces and purple robes. These were things that the kings of Midian had worn. The people also gave him chains from the camels of the kings of Midian. 27 Gideon used the gold to make an idol. He put the idol in his hometown of Ophrah. All the people of Israel were unfaithful to God and worshiped the idol. It became a trap that caused Gideon and his family to sin.

The Death of Gideon

28 So Midian was forced to be under the rule of Israel. Midian did not cause trouble anymore. And the land had peace for 40 years, as long as Gideon was alive.

29 Gideon son of Joash went to his home to live. 30 He had 70 sons of his own. He had many sons because he had many wives. 31 Gideon had a slave woman who lived in Shechem. He also had a son by her. He named that son Abimelech. 32 So Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age. He was buried in the tomb of Joash, his father. That tomb is in Ophrah, where the Abiezrites live.

33 As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel were again unfaithful to God. They followed the Baal gods. They made Baal-of-the-Agreement their god. 34 The Israelites did not remember the Lord their God. He had saved them from all their enemies who were living all around them. 35 And Jerub-Baal, also called Gideon, had done many good things for Israel. But Israel was not kind to the family of Gideon for these things.

Zebah and Zalmunna

Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon,(A) “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight Midian?(B)(C) And they challenged him vigorously.(D)

But he answered them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer?(E) God gave Oreb and Zeeb,(F) the Midianite leaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?” At this, their resentment against him subsided.

Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan(G) and crossed it. He said to the men of Sukkoth,(H) “Give my troops some bread; they are worn out,(I) and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna,(J) the kings of Midian.”

But the officials of Sukkoth(K) said, “Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread(L) to your troops?”(M)

Then Gideon replied, “Just for that, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna(N) into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.”

From there he went up to Peniel[a](O) and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Sukkoth had. So he said to the men of Peniel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower.”(P)

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen.(Q) 11 Gideon went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah(R) and Jogbehah(S) and attacked the unsuspecting army. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army.

13 Gideon son of Joash(T) then returned from the battle by the Pass of Heres.(U) 14 He caught a young man of Sukkoth and questioned him, and the young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven officials of Sukkoth,(V) the elders(W) of the town. 15 Then Gideon came and said to the men of Sukkoth, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me by saying, ‘Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your exhausted men?(X)’” 16 He took the elders of the town and taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson(Y) by punishing them with desert thorns and briers. 17 He also pulled down the tower of Peniel(Z) and killed the men of the town.(AA)

18 Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?(AB)

“Men like you,” they answered, “each one with the bearing of a prince.”

19 Gideon replied, “Those were my brothers, the sons of my own mother. As surely as the Lord lives,(AC) if you had spared their lives, I would not kill you.” 20 Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, “Kill them!” But Jether did not draw his sword, because he was only a boy and was afraid.

21 Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come, do it yourself. ‘As is the man, so is his strength.’” So Gideon stepped forward and killed them, and took the ornaments(AD) off their camels’ necks.

Gideon’s Ephod

22 The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

23 But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule(AE) over you.” 24 And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring(AF) from your share of the plunder.(AG)” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites(AH) to wear gold earrings.)

25 They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. 26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels,[b] not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains(AI) that were on their camels’ necks. 27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod,(AJ) which he placed in Ophrah,(AK) his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare(AL) to Gideon and his family.(AM)

Gideon’s Death

28 Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head(AN) again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace(AO) forty years.

29 Jerub-Baal(AP) son of Joash(AQ) went back home to live. 30 He had seventy sons(AR) of his own, for he had many wives. 31 His concubine,(AS) who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek.(AT) 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age(AU) and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals.(AV) They set up Baal-Berith(AW) as their god(AX) 34 and did not remember(AY) the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. 35 They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal(AZ) (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them.(BA)

Footnotes

  1. Judges 8:8 Hebrew Penuel, a variant of Peniel; also in verses 9 and 17
  2. Judges 8:26 That is, about 43 pounds or about 20 kilograms

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.

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?

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.

And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.