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Gideon Captures Two Kings

When Gideon and his three hundred men came to the Jordan River, they were ·tired [exhausted], but they chased the enemy across to the other side. Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give my soldiers some loaves of bread because they are ·very tired [exhausted]. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

But the ·leaders [princes; officials] of Succoth said, “Why should we give your soldiers bread? ·You haven’t caught Zebah and Zalmunna yet [L Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your hand?].”

Then Gideon said, “·The Lord will surrender [L When the Lord surrenders] Zebah and Zalmunna to me. After that, I will ·whip [beat; tear; L thresh] your skin with thorns and briers from the ·desert [wilderness].”

Gideon left Succoth and went up to the city of Peniel and ·asked them for food [L spoke this to them]. But the people of Peniel gave him the same answer as the people of Succoth. So Gideon said to the men of Peniel, “·After I win the victory [L When I return in peace], I will return and pull down this tower.”

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Then Gideon and the three hundred men who were with him came (A)to the Jordan and crossed over, exhausted yet still pursuing. And he said to the men of (B)Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are [a]following me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” But the leaders of Succoth said, “[b](C)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” So Gideon said, “For this answer, (D)when the Lord has handed over to me Zebah and Zalmunna, I will [c]thrash your [d]bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” Then he went up from there to [e](E)Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered. So he said also to the men of [f]Penuel, “When I return safely, (F)I will tear down this tower.”

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 8:5 Lit at my feet
  2. Judges 8:6 Lit Is the palm of...; i.e., are you so sure of victory that
  3. Judges 8:7 Or trample
  4. Judges 8:7 Lit flesh
  5. Judges 8:8 In Gen 32:30, Peniel
  6. Judges 8:9 Lit Penuel, saying,