Chapter 8

And the men of Ephraim said⁴ unto him, Why hast thou served¹ us thus, that thou calledst² us not, when thou wentest¹ to fight⁹ with the Midianites? And they did chide⁴ with him sharply.

And he said⁴ unto them, What have I done¹ now in comparison of you? [Is] not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

God hath delivered¹ into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able¹ to do² in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated¹ toward him, when he had said¹⁵ that.

And Gideon came⁴ to Jordan, [and] passed over,⁶ he, and the three hundred men that [were] with him, faint, yet pursuing⁶ [them].

And he said⁴ unto the men of Succoth, Give,³ I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing⁶ after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

And the princes of Succoth said,⁴ [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give⁴ bread unto thine army?

And Gideon said,⁴ Therefore when the LORD hath delivered² Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear¹ your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

And he went up⁴ thence to Penuel, and spake¹⁷ unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered⁴ him as the men of Succoth had answered¹ [him].

And he spake⁴ also unto the men of Penuel, saying,² When I come again² in peace, I will break down⁴ this tower.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna [were] in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen ⁶²⁴⁰ thousand [men], all that were left¹² of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell⁶ an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew⁶ sword.

And Gideon went up⁴ by the way of them that dwelt⁷ in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote⁵⁵ the host: for the host was secure.

And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled,⁴ he pursued⁴ after them, and took⁴ the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited⁵² all the host.

And Gideon the son of Joash returned⁴ from battle before the sun [was up],

And caught⁴ a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired⁴ of him: and he described⁴ unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, [even] threescore and seventeen ⁷⁶⁵¹ men.

And he came⁴ unto the men of Succoth, and said,⁴ Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid¹⁴ me, saying,² [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give⁴ bread unto thy men [that are] weary?

And he took⁴ the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught⁵⁵ the men of Succoth.

And he beat down¹ the tower of Penuel, and slew⁴ the men of the city.

Then said⁴ he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men [were they] whom ye slew¹ at Tabor? And they answered,⁴ As thou [art], so [were] they; each one resembled the children of a king.

And he said,⁴ They [were] my brethren, [even] the sons of my mother: [as] the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive,⁵² I would not slay¹ you.

And he said⁴ unto Jether his firstborn, Up,³ [and] slay³ them. But the youth drew¹ not his sword: for he feared,¹ because he [was] yet a youth.

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said,⁴ Rise³ thou, and fall³ upon us: for as the man [is, so is] his strength. And Gideon arose,⁴ and slew⁴ Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away⁴ the ornaments that [were] on their camels' necks.

Then the men of Israel said⁴ unto Gideon, Rule³ thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered⁵² us from the hand of Midian.

And Gideon said⁴ unto them, I will not rule⁴ over you, neither shall my son rule⁴ over you: the LORD shall rule⁴ over you.

And Gideon said⁴ unto them, I would desire⁴ a request of you, that ye would give³ me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they [were] Ishmaelites.)

And they answered,⁴ We will willingly² give⁴ [them]. And they spread⁴ a garment, and did cast⁵⁵ therein every man the earrings of his prey.

And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested¹ 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.

And Gideon made⁴ an ephod thereof, and put⁵⁵ it in his city, [even] in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring⁴ after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

Thus was Midian subdued¹¹ before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up² their heads no more.¹ And the country was in quietness⁴ forty years in the days of Gideon.

And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went⁴ and dwelt⁴ in his own house.

And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten:⁶ for he had many wives.

And his concubine that [was] in Shechem, she also bare¹ him a son, whose name he called⁴ Abimelech.

And Gideon the son of Joash died⁴ in a good old age, and was buried¹¹ in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead,¹ that the children of Israel turned again,⁴ and went a whoring⁴ after Baalim, and made⁴ Baalberith their god.

And the children of Israel remembered¹ not the LORD their God, who had delivered⁵⁶ them out of the hands of all their enemies⁶ on every side:

Neither shewed¹ they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [namely], Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed¹ unto Israel.