²³ The men of Israel were summoned from ^(A)Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.

²⁴ Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down ^[a]against Midian and ^(B)take the waters before them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.

Zebah and Zalmunna Routed

8 Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “^(A)What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him vigorously. ² But he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? ³ God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their ^[a]anger toward him subsided when he said ^[b]that.

⁴ Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came ^(B)to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing. ⁵ He said to the men of ^(C)Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” ⁶ The leaders of Succoth said, “^[c](D)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?” ⁷ Gideon said, “^[d]All right, ^(E)when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will ^[e]thrash your ^[f]bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” ⁸ He went up from there to ^[g](F)Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered. ⁹ So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I return safely, ^(G)I will tear down this tower.”