Judges 8
King James Version
8 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.
Jueces 8
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Derrota de Zeba y Zalmuna
8 Entonces los hombres de Efraín le dijeron: «¿Qué es esto que nos has hecho, al no llamarnos cuando fuiste a pelear contra Madián(A)?». Y lo criticaron duramente. 2 Pero él les dijo: «¿Qué he hecho yo ahora en comparación con ustedes? ¿No es mejor el rebusco de Efraín que la vendimia de Abiezer? 3 Dios ha entregado en manos de ustedes a los jefes de Madián, Oreb y Zeeb; ¿y qué pude hacer yo en comparación con ustedes?». Entonces se aplacó la ira[a] de ellos contra él cuando dijo esto[b].
4 Gedeón y los 300 hombres que iban con él llegaron al Jordán y lo cruzaron, cansados, pero continuando la persecución(B). 5 Entonces Gedeón dijo a los hombres de Sucot(C): «Les ruego que den pan[c] a la gente que me sigue, porque están cansados, y estoy persiguiendo a Zeba y a Zalmuna, reyes de Madián». 6 Pero los jefes de Sucot dijeron: «¿Están ya las manos[d] de Zeba y Zalmuna en tu poder[e] para que demos pan a tu ejército(D)?». 7 Gedeón respondió: «Muy bien[f], cuando el Señor haya entregado en mi mano a Zeba y a Zalmuna(E), trillaré[g] las carnes de ustedes con espinos y cardos del desierto».
8 De allí subió Gedeón a Peniel(F), y les habló de la misma manera; y los hombres de Peniel le respondieron tal como los de Sucot le habían contestado. 9 Y habló también a los hombres de Peniel: «Cuando yo vuelva sano y salvo[h], derribaré esta torre(G)». 10 Ahora bien, Zeba y Zalmuna estaban en Carcor, y sus ejércitos[i] con ellos, unos 15,000 hombres, los que habían quedado de todo el ejército[j] de los hijos del oriente. Porque los que habían caído eran 120,000 hombres que sacaban espada(H).
11 Gedeón subió por el camino de los que habitaban en tiendas al este de Noba y Jogbeha, y atacó[k] el campamento cuando el campamento estaba desprevenido[l]. 12 Cuando Zeba y Zalmuna huyeron, los persiguió. Capturó a los dos reyes de Madián, Zeba y Zalmuna, y llenó de terror a todo el ejército[m].
13 Después Gedeón, hijo de Joás, volvió de la batalla por la subida a Heres[n]. 14 Y capturó a un joven de[o] Sucot y lo interrogó. Entonces el joven le dio por escrito los nombres de los príncipes de Sucot y de sus ancianos, setenta y siete hombres. 15 Entonces Gedeón fue a los hombres de Sucot y les dijo: «Aquí están Zeba y Zalmuna, acerca de los cuales ustedes me injuriaron, diciendo: “¿Están ya las manos[p] de Zeba y Zalmuna en tu mano para que demos pan a tus hombres que están fatigados(I)?”». 16 Entonces tomó a los ancianos de la ciudad, y espinos del desierto y cardos, y con ellos castigó a[q] los hombres de Sucot. 17 Derribó la torre de Peniel(J) y mató a los hombres de la ciudad.
18 Después dijo a Zeba y a Zalmuna: «¿Qué clase de hombres eran los que ustedes mataron en Tabor?». «Eran como tú», respondieron ellos, «cada uno parecía hijo[r] de rey». 19 «Eran mis hermanos», dijo él, «hijos de mi madre. Vive el Señor, que si los hubieran dejado con vida, yo no les quitaría la vida a ustedes». 20 Y dijo a Jeter su primogénito: «Levántate y mátalos». Pero el joven no sacó la espada porque tenía temor, pues todavía era muchacho. 21 Entonces Zeba y Zalmuna dijeron: «Levántate tú y cae sobre nosotros; porque como es el hombre, así es su fortaleza[s]». Y se levantó Gedeón y mató a Zeba y a Zalmuna(K), y tomó los adornos de media luna que sus camellos llevaban al cuello(L).
Últimos años de Gedeón
22 Los hombres de Israel le dijeron a Gedeón: «Reina sobre nosotros, tú y tus hijos, y también el hijo de tu hijo, porque nos has librado de la mano de Madián». 23 Pero Gedeón les respondió: «No reinaré sobre ustedes, ni tampoco reinará sobre ustedes mi hijo. El Señor reinará sobre ustedes(M)».
24 «Quisiera pedirles[t]», Gedeón les dijo, «que cada uno de ustedes me dé un zarcillo[u] de su botín» (pues tenían zarcillos de oro, porque eran ismaelitas(N)). 25 «De cierto te los daremos», dijeron ellos. Y tendieron un manto, y cada uno de ellos echó allí un zarcillo de su botín.
26 El peso de los zarcillos de oro que él pidió fue de 1,700 siclos (19.4 kilos) de oro, sin contar los adornos de media luna, los pendientes y los vestidos de púrpura que llevaban los reyes de Madián y sin contar los collares que llevaban sus camellos al cuello. 27 Gedeón hizo de ello un efod(O), y lo colocó en Ofra, su ciudad, con el cual todo Israel se prostituyó allí, y esto vino a ser ruina[v] para Gedeón y su casa. 28 Pero Madián fue sometido delante de los israelitas, y ya no volvieron a levantar cabeza. Y el país tuvo descanso por cuarenta años en los días de Gedeón.
29 Entonces Jerobaal(P), hijo de Joás, fue y habitó en su casa. 30 Y tuvo setenta hijos(Q) que fueron sus descendientes directos[w], porque tuvo muchas mujeres. 31 La concubina que tenía en Siquem también le dio un hijo, y le puso por nombre Abimelec. 32 Gedeón, hijo de Joás, murió a una edad avanzada y fue sepultado en el sepulcro de su padre Joás, en Ofra de los abiezeritas.
33 Al morir Gedeón, los israelitas volvieron a prostituirse con los Baales(R) e hicieron a Baal Berit su dios(S). 34 Así que los israelitas se olvidaron del Señor su Dios(T) que los había librado de manos de todos sus enemigos en derredor. 35 Tampoco mostraron bondad a la casa de Jerobaal(U), es decir, Gedeón, conforme a todo el bien que él había hecho a Israel.
Footnotes
- 8:3 Lit. el espíritu.
- 8:3 Lit. esta palabra.
- 8:5 Lit. tortas de pan.
- 8:6 Lit. ¿Está la palma.
- 8:6 Lit. tus manos.
- 8:7 Lit. Porque así.
- 8:7 U hollaré.
- 8:9 O en paz.
- 8:10 O campamentos.
- 8:10 O campamento.
- 8:11 Lit. e hirió.
- 8:11 O seguro.
- 8:12 O campamento.
- 8:13 O antes de subir el sol.
- 8:14 Lit. un joven de los hombres de.
- 8:15 Lit. ¿Está la palma.
- 8:16 Lit. hizo que conocieran.
- 8:18 Lit. como la apariencia de hijos.
- 8:21 O valentía.
- 8:24 Lit. pedirles una petición.
- 8:24 O una nariguera, y así en los vers. 25 y 26.
- 8:27 Lit. trampa.
- 8:30 Lit. que vinieron de sus lomos.
Judges 8
English Standard Version
Gideon Defeats Zebah and Zalmunna
8 (A)Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they accused him fiercely. 2 And he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not (B)the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? 3 (C)God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?” (D)Then their anger[a] against him subsided when he said this.
4 And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and (E)the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing. 5 So he said to the men of (F)Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6 And the officials of Succoth said, (G)“Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, (H)that we should give bread to your army?” 7 So Gideon said, “Well then, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, (I)I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” 8 And from there he went up to (J)Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 And he said to the men of Penuel, (K)“When I come again in peace, (L)I will break down this tower.”
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army, about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of (M)the people of the East, for there had fallen 120,000 men (N)who drew the sword. 11 And Gideon went up by the way of the tent dwellers east of (O)Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the army, for the army felt (P)secure. 12 And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them (Q)and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and he threw all the army into a panic.
13 Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres. 14 And he captured a young man of Succoth and questioned him. And he wrote down for him the officials and elders of Succoth, seventy-seven men. 15 And he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, (R)‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are exhausted?’” 16 And he took the elders of the city, and he took thorns of the wilderness and briers and with them taught the men of Succoth a lesson. 17 (S)And he broke down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Where are the men whom you killed at (T)Tabor?” They answered, “As you are, so were they. Every one of them resembled the son of a king.” 19 And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. (U)As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.” 20 So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise and kill them!” But the young man did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a young man. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself and fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength.” And Gideon arose and (V)killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took (W)the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
Gideon's Ephod
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; (X)the Lord will rule over you.” 24 And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, (Y)because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, “We will willingly give them.” And they spread a cloak, and every man threw in it the earrings of his spoil. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels[b] of gold, besides (Z)the crescent ornaments and (AA)the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were around the necks of their camels. 27 And Gideon (AB)made an ephod of it and put it in his city, (AC)in Ophrah. And all Israel (AD)whored after it there, and it became a (AE)snare to Gideon and to his family. 28 So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel, and they raised their heads no more. (AF)And the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon.
The Death of Gideon
29 (AG)Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had (AH)seventy sons, his own offspring,[c] for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine (AI)who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died (AJ)in a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, (AK)at Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 (AL)As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and (AM)whored after the Baals and made (AN)Baal-berith their god. 34 And the people of Israel (AO)did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side, 35 (AP)and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.
Footnotes
- Judges 8:3 Hebrew their spirit
- Judges 8:26 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
- Judges 8:30 Hebrew who came from his own loins
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