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Judges 8
Legacy Standard Bible

Gideon Pursues Zebah and Zalmunna

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 strongly contended with him. 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 grape harvest of Abiezer? 3 God has given the princes 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 spoke this word.

4 Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came (B)to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing. 5 And 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 But the princes of Succoth said, “[b](D)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?” 7 And Gideon said, “Thus, (E)when Yahweh has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will [c]thrash your [d]bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” 8 So he went up from there to [e](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.”

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their camps with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of the entire camp of the sons of the east; (H)for the fallen were 120,000 men who drew the sword. 11 And Gideon went up by the way of those who dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah and struck the camp when the camp was [f]unsuspecting. 12 Then Zebah and Zalmunna fled. And he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and he threw the whole camp into utter fright.

13 Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle [g]by the ascent of Heres. 14 And he captured a youth from the men of Succoth and questioned him. So the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. 15 Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you reproached me, saying, ‘[h](I)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’” 16 Then he took the elders of the city as well as thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he [i]taught the men of Succoth a lesson. 17 (J)And he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” And they said, “They were like you, each one [j]resembling the son of a king.” 19 And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Yahweh lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 20 So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise up yourself, and smite us; for as the man, so is his might.” (K)So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and (L)took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks.

Gideon Makes an Ephod

22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; (M)Yahweh shall rule over you.” 24 Yet Gideon said to them, “I would [k]make one request of you, that each of you give me [l]an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings because they were (N)Ishmaelites.) 25 And they said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil. 26 And the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks. 27 Then Gideon made it into (O)an ephod and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household. 28 So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.

The Death and Burial of Gideon

29 Then (P)Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had (Q)seventy sons who [m]were his direct descendants, for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he [n]named him Abimelech. 32 Then Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 Then it happened, as soon as Gideon was dead, (R)that the sons of Israel turned back and played the harlot with the Baals and made (S)Baal-berith their god. 34 Thus the sons of Israel (T)did not remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; 35 (U)nor did they show lovingkindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 8:3 Lit spirit
  2. Judges 8:6 Lit Is the palm
  3. Judges 8:7 Or trample
  4. Judges 8:7 Lit flesh
  5. Judges 8:8 In Gen 32:30, Peniel
  6. Judges 8:11 Or secure
  7. Judges 8:13 Or from
  8. Judges 8:15 Lit Is the palm
  9. Judges 8:16 Lit made the men...to know
  10. Judges 8:18 Lit like the form of the sons
  11. Judges 8:24 Lit request a request
  12. Judges 8:24 Or a nose ring
  13. Judges 8:30 Lit came from his loins
  14. Judges 8:31 Lit appointed his name
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Judges 8
American Standard 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 Midian? And they did chide with him sharply. 2 And he said unto them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their [a]anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

4 And Gideon came to the Jordan, [b]and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when Jehovah hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will [c]tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 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 host of the children of the east; for there fell a 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 Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and [d]discomfited all the host.

13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. 14 And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he [e]described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy 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 brake 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, the sons of my mother: as Jehovah liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20 And he said unto Jether his first-born, 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 the crescents 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 saved us out of the hand of Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Jehovah shall rule over you. 24 And Gideon said unto them, I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the [f]ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, 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 ear-rings of his spoil. 26 And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and besides 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 played the harlot after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 28 So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest 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, and he [g]called his name 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 played the harlot after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not Jehovah their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side; 35 neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 8:3 Hebrew spirit.
  2. Judges 8:4 Or, to pass
  3. Judges 8:7 Hebrew thresh.
  4. Judges 8:12 Hebrew terrified.
  5. Judges 8:14 Or, wrote down
  6. Judges 8:24 Or, nose-rings
  7. Judges 8:31 Hebrew set.
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Judges 8
New King James Version

Gideon Subdues the Midianites

8 Now (A)the men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?” And they reprimanded him sharply.

2 So he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the [a]gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than [b]the vintage of (B)Abiezer? 3 (C)God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their (D)anger toward him subsided when he said that.

4 When Gideon came (E)to the Jordan, he and (F)the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit. 5 Then he said to the men of (G)Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.”

6 And the leaders of Succoth said, (H)“Are[c] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that (I)we should give bread to your army?”

7 So Gideon said, “For this cause, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, (J)then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!” 8 Then he went up from there (K)to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I (L)come back in peace, (M)I will tear down this tower!”

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand, all who were left of (N)all the army of the people of the East; for (O)one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword had fallen. 11 Then Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of (P)Nobah and Jogbehah; and he [d]attacked the army while the camp felt (Q)secure. 12 When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them; and he (R)took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

13 Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, from the Ascent of Heres. 14 And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth and interrogated him; and he wrote down for him the leaders of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. 15 Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you (S)ridiculed me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your weary men?’ ” 16 (T)And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he [e]taught the men of Succoth. 17 (U)Then he tore down the tower of (V)Penuel and killed the men of the city.

18 And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at (W)Tabor?”

So they answered, “As you are, so were they; each one resembled the son of a king.”

19 Then he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 20 And he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them!” But the youth would not draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

21 So Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and kill us; for as a man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and (X)killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

Gideon’s Ephod

22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, (Y)“Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have (Z)delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; (AA)the Lord shall rule over you.” 24 Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to [f]make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” For they had golden earrings, (AB)because they were Ishmaelites.

25 So they answered, “We will gladly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the earrings from his plunder. 26 Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks. 27 Then Gideon (AC)made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, (AD)Ophrah. And all Israel (AE)played the harlot with it there. It became (AF)a snare to Gideon and to his house.

28 Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. (AG)And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.

Death of Gideon

29 Then (AH)Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 30 Gideon had (AI)seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives. 31 (AJ)And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. 32 Now Gideon the son of Joash died (AK)at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, (AL)in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 So it was, (AM)as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again (AN)played the harlot with the Baals, (AO)and made Baal-Berith their god. 34 Thus the children of Israel (AP)did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; 35 (AQ)nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 8:2 Few grapes left after the harvest
  2. Judges 8:2 The whole harvest
  3. Judges 8:6 Lit. Is the palm
  4. Judges 8:11 Lit. struck
  5. Judges 8:16 disciplined
  6. Judges 8:24 Lit. request a request
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Judges 8
New International Version

Zebah and Zalmunna

8 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)

2 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) 3 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.

4 Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan(G) and crossed it. 5 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.”

6 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)

7 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.”

8 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. 9 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
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