Suci 8

1 Tada Efrajimovi ljudi rekoše Gideonu: “Kako si postupio prema nama: nisi nas pozvao kada si pošao u boj protiv Midjanaca?” I žestoko mu prigovoriše.

And the men of Ephraim said to him, Why hast thou done this to us, that thou didst call us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did contend with him sharply.

2 On im odgovori: “Pa što sam ja učinio kad se usporedim s vama? Nije li Efrajimovo pabirčenje bolje od Abiezerove berbe?

And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

3 U vaše je ruke Jahve predao knezove midjanske, Oreba i Zeeba. Može li se usporediti moje djelo s onim što ste vi učinili?” Na te riječi utiša se njihova srdžba prema njemu.

God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then, when he had said that, their anger toward him abated.

4 Kad je Gideon došao do Jordana, prijeđe ga, ali i on i tri stotine ljudi s njim bijahu iznemogli i gladni.

And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

5 Stoga reče ljudima iz Sukota: “Dajte kruha ljudima koji idu za mnom, iznemogli su. Ja gonim Zebaha i Salmunu, kraljeve midjanske.”

And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

6 Ali mu sukotski glavari odgovoriše: “Zar je Zebahova i Salmunina šaka već u tvojoj ruci da dademo kruha tvojoj vojsci?”

And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy army?

7 Gideon im reče: “Dobro! Kad mi Jahve preda u ruke Zebaha i Salmunu, iskidat ću vam meso trnjem i dračem pustinjskim.”

And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

8 Odatle ode u Penuel i zatraži isto od Penuelaca, a oni mu odgovore kao što su mu odgovorili i Sukoćani.

And he went up from there to Penuel, and spoke to them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

9 On zaprijeti i Penuelcima: “Kad se vratim kao pobjednik, porušit ću ovu kulu.”

And he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

10 Zebah i Salmuna bijahu u Karkoru i vojska njihova s njima, oko petnaest tisuća ljudi, što ih god osta od vojske sinova Istoka; sto dvadeset tisuća ratnika bijaše palo.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

11 Gideon pođe putem kojim prolaze oni što žive pod šatorima, istočno od Nobaha i Jogbohe, te potuče vojsku kad stajaše bezbrižna.

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 Zebah i Salmuna pobjegoše. On ih pogna i uhvati dva kralja midjanska, Zebaha i Salmunu. A vojsku im svu uništi.

And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and overcame all the host.

13 Poslije bitke Gideon, sin Joašev, vrati se preko Hareške uzvisine.

And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun had risen,

14 I uhvati nekog momka iz Sukota te ga uze ispitivati; a on mu popisa imena sukotskih knezova i starješina, sedamdeset i sedam ljudi.

And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and its elders, even seventy and seven men.

15 Potom Gideon ode Sukoćanima i reče: “Evo Zebaha i Salmune zbog kojih ste mi se rugali govoreći: 'Je li Zebahova i Salmunina šaka već u tvojoj ruci pa da dademo kruha tvojim iznemoglim ljudima?'”

And he came to the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye upbraided me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy men that are weary?

16 I uhvati starješine gradske, nabra pustinjskog trnja i drača da ih oćute leđa Sukoćana.

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 Poruši Penuelsku kulu i pobi građane.

And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

18 Onda reče Zebahu i Salmuni: “Kakvi bijahu ljudi koje pobiste na Taboru?” “Bili su nalik na te”, odgovoriše. “Svaki bijaše kao kraljev sin.”

Then said he to 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 “To su bila moja braća, sinovi moje matere”, reče Gideon. “Tako mi Jahve, da ste ih ostavili na životu, ne bih vas ubio.”

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

20 Potom zapovjedi svom prvencu Jeteru: “Ustani, pogubi ih!” Ali dječak ne izvuče mača: bojao se, bijaše još mlad.

And he said to Jether his firstborn, Arise, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

21 Tada rekoše Zebah i Salmuna: “Ustani ti i navali na nas, jer kakav je čovjek, onakva mu i snaga.” I ustavši, Gideon pogubi Zebaha i Salmunu i uze mjesečiće što su visjeli o vratu njihovih deva.

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 away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

22 Izraelci rekoše Gideonu: “Vladaj nad nama, ti, sin tvoj i unuk tvoj, jer si nas ti izbavio iz ruku Midjanaca.”

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

23 Ali im Gideon odgovori: “Ne, neću ja vladati nad vama, a ni moj sin; Jahve će biti vaš vladar.”

And Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

24 Još im reče Gideon: “Jedno samo od vas tražim: da mi svaki dade prsten od svog plijena.” Pobijeđeni su nosili zlatne prstenove jer bijahu Jišmaelci.

And Gideon said to them, I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his spoil. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

25 “Vrlo rado”, odgovore oni. On nato razastrije svoj plašt, a svaki od njih baci od svog plijena po prsten.

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and cast into it every man the earrings of his spoil.

26 Težina zlatnih prestenova što ih je zaiskao iznosila je tisuću i sedam stotina zlatnih šekela, osim mjesečića, naušnica i skrletnih haljina koje su nosili midjanski kraljevi i osim lančića što bijahu oko vrata njihovih deva.

And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; besides ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

27 Gideon načini od toga efod i postavi ga u svome gradu Ofri. I sav Izrael udari za njim u nevjeru i bijaše to zamka Gideonu i njegovu domu.

And Gideon made of it an ephod, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went there playing the harlot with it: which thing became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

28 Tako su Midjanci bili poniženi pred Izraelcima. Više ne dizahu glave i zemlja bi mirna četrdeset godina, koliko još potraja vijek Gideonov.

Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they raised their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 Jerubaal, sin Joašev, otišao je i živio u svojoj kući.

And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

30 Gideon je imao sedamdeset sinova koji su potekli od njega jer je imao mnogo žena.

And Gideon had seventy sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

31 Njegova inoča koja je živjela u Šekemu rodi mu sina komu nadjenu ime Abimelek.

And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

32 Gideon, sin Joašev, umrije u dubokoj starosti; sahraniše ga u grobu njegova oca Joaša u Abiezerovoj Ofri.

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 Po Gideonovoj smrti Izraelci okrenuše u preljub s baalima te postaviše sebi za boga Baal-Berita.

And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went playing the harlot with Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.

34 Izraelci se nisu više sjećali Jahve, svoga Boga, koji ih je izbavio iz ruku svih njihovih neprijatelja unaokolo.

And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side:

35 I nisu iskazivali zahvalnost domu Jerubaala Gideona za dobro što ga je učinio Izraelu.

Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.