Mga Hukom 8
Magandang Balita Biblia
Nalupig ang mga Midianita
8 Pagkatapos, pumunta kay Gideon ang mga kalalakihan ng Efraim. “Bakit mo kami ginanito? Bakit hindi mo kami tinawag bago ninyo lusubin ang mga Midianita?” pagalit nilang tanong.
2 “Ang nagawa ko ay hindi maipapantay sa nagawa ninyo. Ang maliit ninyong nagawa ay higit pa sa nagawa ng angkan namin,” sagot ni Gideon. 3 “Niloob(A) ng Diyos na sa inyong mga kamay mahulog ang dalawang pinunong Midianitang sina Oreb at Zeeb. Alin sa mga nagawa ko ang maipapantay riyan?” Nang marinig nila ito, napawi ang kanilang galit.
4 Si Gideon at ang tatlong daan niyang tauhan ay nakatawid na ng Ilog Jordan. Pagod na pagod na sila ngunit patuloy pa rin nilang hinahabol ang mga Midianita. 5 Nang umabot sila sa Sucot, nakiusap siya sa mga tagaroon, “Maaari po bang bigyan ninyo ng makakain ang aking mga tauhan? Latang-lata na sila sa gutom at hinahabol pa namin ang dalawang hari ng mga Midianita na sina Zeba at Zalmuna.”
6 Ngunit sumagot ang mga taga-Sucot, “Bakit namin kayo bibigyan ng pagkain? Hindi pa naman ninyo nabibihag sina Zeba at Zalmuna.”
7 Dahil dito, sinabi ni Gideon, “Kayo ang bahala. Kapag nahuli na namin sina Zeba at Zalmuna, hahagupitin ko kayo ng latigong tinik na mula sa halamang disyerto.” 8 Pagkasabi nito'y nagtuloy sila sa Penuel at doon humingi ng pagkain. Ngunit ang sagot ng mga tagaroon ay tulad din ng sagot ng mga taga-Sucot. 9 Sinabi niya sa kanila, “Tinitiyak ko sa inyong kami'y matagumpay na makakabalik dito. Pagbalik namin, gigibain ko ang tore ninyo.”
10 Sina Zeba at Zalmuna ay nasa Carcor noon, kasama ang nalalabi nilang kawal na 15,000 sapagkat 120,000 na ang napapatay sa kanila. 11 Dumaan sina Gideon sa gilid ng ilang, sa silangan ng Noba at Jogbeha, saka biglang sumalakay. 12 Tatakas sana sina Zeba at Zalmuna, ngunit nahuli sila nina Gideon. Dahil dito, nataranta ang mga kawal ng dalawang haring Midianita.
13 Nang magbalik sina Gideon mula sa labanan, sa Pasong Heres sila nagdaan. 14 Nakahuli sila ng isang binatang taga-Sucot. Itinanong niya rito kung sinu-sino ang mga opisyal at pinuno ng Sucot, at isa-isa namang isinulat nito. Umabot ng pitumpu't pito ang kanyang naisulat. 15 Pagkatapos, pinuntahan ni Gideon ang mga ito at tinanong, “Natatandaan ba ninyo nang ako'y humingi sa inyo ng pagkain? Sinabi ninyo sa akin na hindi ninyo kami bibigyan ng pagkain hanggang hindi namin nahuhuli sina Zeba at Zalmuna, kahit na noo'y lupaypay na kami sa gutom. Bihag na namin sila ngayon!” 16 At nagpakuha siya ng mga tinikang sanga ng kahoy at sa pamamagitan nito'y pinarusahan ang mga pinuno ng Sucot. 17 Pagkatapos, giniba niya ang tore sa Penuel at pinatay ang mga kalalakihan roon.
18 Pagkaraan, tinanong niya sina Zeba at Zalmuna, “Anong hitsura ng mga lalaking pinatay ninyo sa Tabor?”
“Kamukha mo silang lahat, parang mga anak ng hari,” sagot nila.
19 Sinabi ni Gideon, “Sila'y mga kapatid ko at mga anak ng aking ina. Saksi si Yahweh, ang Diyos na buháy,[a] kung hindi ninyo sila pinatay ay hindi ko rin sana kayo papatayin.” 20 At sinabi niya sa pinakamatanda niyang anak na si Jeter, “Patayin mo sila!” Palibhasa'y bata, natakot itong bumunot ng tabak at pumatay ng tao.
21 Dahil dito, sinabi nina Zeba at Zalmuna kay Gideon, “Bakit hindi ikaw ang pumatay sa amin? Mga tunay na lalaki lamang ang maaaring pumatay ng tao.” Kaya sila'y pinatay ni Gideon at kinuha ang mga palamuti sa leeg ng kanilang mga kamelyo.
22 Pagkatapos, nagtipun-tipon ang mga Israelita at sinabi nila kay Gideon, “Ikaw rin lamang ang nagligtas sa amin sa mga Midianita, ikaw na at ang iyong angkan ang maghari sa amin!”
23 Sumagot si Gideon, “Hindi ako ni ang aking mga anak ang dapat maghari sa inyo. Si Yahweh ang dapat maghari sa inyo. 24 Ngunit mayroon akong hihilingin sa inyo: Ibigay ninyo sa akin ang mga hikaw na nasamsam ninyo mula sa kanila.” (Nakahikaw ng ginto ang mga Midianita sapagkat iyon ang ugali ng mga taong taga-disyerto.)
25 Sumagot sila, “Buong puso naming ibibigay sa iyo.” Naglatag sila sa lupa ng isang malapad na damit at inilagay roon ang lahat ng nasamsam nilang hikaw. 26 Nang timbangin nila ang mga hikaw na ginto, ito'y umabot ng animnapung libra, hindi pa kasama ang mga hiyas, kuwintas, at mga kulay ubeng kasuotan ng mga hari ng Midian. Hindi rin kasama roon ang mga palamuti sa leeg ng mga kamelyo. 27 Mula sa gintong nasamsam, si Gideon ay nagpagawa ng isang diyus-diyosan at dinala sa Ofra na kanyang lunsod. Ang mga Israelita'y tumalikod sa Diyos at naglingkod sa diyus-diyosang ipinagawa ni Gideon. Ito ang naging malaking kapulaan kay Gideon at sa kanyang sambahayan.
28 Lubusang natalo ng Israel ang Midian at ito'y hindi na nakabawi. Nagkaroon ng kapayapaan sa Israel sa loob ng apatnapung taon, habang nabubuhay si Gideon.
Ang Pagkamatay ni Gideon
29 Umuwi si Gideon[b] sa sarili niyang bahay at doon nanirahan. 30 Pitumpu ang kanyang naging anak sapagkat marami siyang asawa. 31 Mayroon pa siyang isang asawang-lingkod sa Shekem na nagkaanak ng isang lalaki na pinangalanan niyang Abimelec. 32 Matandang-matanda na nang mamatay si Gideon na anak ni Joas. Inilibing siya sa libingan ng kanyang ama sa Ofra, ang bayan ng angkan ni Abiezer.
33 Mula nang mamatay si Gideon, ang mga Israelita'y hindi na namuhay nang tapat sa Diyos. Sa halip, naglingkod sila sa mga Baal, at ang kanilang kinilalang diyos ay si Baal-berit. 34 Hindi na sila naglingkod sa Diyos nilang si Yahweh na nagligtas sa kanila sa mga kaaway na nakapalibot sa kanila. 35 Hindi sila tumanaw ng utang na loob sa sambahayan ni Gideon sa lahat ng kabutihang ginawa nito para sa Israel.
Footnotes
- Mga Hukom 8:19 Saksi si Yahweh, ang Diyos na buháy: o kaya'y Hangga't si Yahweh ay nabubuhay .
- Mga Hukom 8:29 Gideon: o kaya'y Jerubaal .
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
- Judges 8:3 Hebrew spirit.
- Judges 8:4 Or, to pass
- Judges 8:7 Hebrew thresh.
- Judges 8:12 Hebrew terrified.
- Judges 8:14 Or, wrote down
- Judges 8:24 Or, nose-rings
- Judges 8:31 Hebrew set.
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