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24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down to oppose[a] Midian, and capture from them the waters up to Beth Barah and the Jordan.” He called out all the men of Ephraim, and they captured the waters up to Beth Barah and the Jordan. 25 And they captured the two commanders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they chased Midian; and they brought the heads[b] of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from beyond the Jordan.

Gideon Pursues Zebah and Zalmunna

The men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against the Midianites?”[c] And they quarreled with him severely. And he said to them, “What I have done now in comparison with you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? God has given into your hand the commanders of Midian, Oreb, and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?” And their anger[d] against him subsided when he said that.[e]

Footnotes

  1. Judges 7:24 Or “meet”
  2. Judges 7:25 Hebrew “head”
  3. Judges 8:1 Hebrew “Midianite”
  4. Judges 8:3 Literally “spirit”
  5. Judges 8:3 Literally “he said this thing/word”

24 Gideon dispatched messengers throughout the mountainous region[a] of Ephraim, notifying them, “Come down to fight Midian. Capture the water crossings[b] as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan River before they can get to them.” 25 They captured two Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. While they were pursuing the Midianites, they executed Oreb at Oreb’s Rock and Zeeb at Zeeb’s Winepress, and then they carried the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from the east bank[c] of the Jordan River.

Gideon Assuages the Anger of Ephraim

Later on, the descendants of Ephraim spoke to Gideon.[d] They argued vehemently, “What are you doing to us? You never called us! But you went out to fight Midian!”

“What have I accomplished compared to you?” he responded. “Isn’t what’s left from Ephraim’s harvest better than the best vintage of Abiezer? God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the leaders of Midian, into your control. What was I able to do compared to you?” When he said this, their anger calmed down.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 7:24 Or the hill country
  2. Judges 7:24 The Heb. lacks crossings
  3. Judges 7:25 Lit. the other side
  4. Judges 8:1 Lit. him