Judges 8

1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, What is this thing that thou hast done unto us, not to call for us, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they quarrelled with him vehemently.

The men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “What is this you have done to us? You did not call us when you went to fight against Midian.” Then they had a violent argument with him.

2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi'ezer?

He said to them, “What have I done now compared to you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim's grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer?

3 Into your hand God delivered the princes of Midian, 'Oreb and Zeeb: and what have I been able to do in comparison with you? Then was their anger abated from him, when he had spoken this speech.

God has given you victory over the princes of Midian—Oreb and Zeeb! What have I accomplished compared to you?” Their anger toward him died down when he said this.

4 And Gid'on came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, and in pursuit.

Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over it, he and the three hundred men who were with him. They were exhausted, yet they still kept up the pursuit.

5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, a few loaves of bread unto the people that are in my train; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebach and Zalmunna,' the kings of Midian.

He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

6 And the princes of Succoth said, Is the sole of the foot of Zebach and Zalmunna' now already in thy hand, that we should give unto thy army bread?

Then the officials said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand? Why should we give bread to your army?”

7 And Gid'on said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebach and Zalmunna' into my hand, then will I thresh your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Gideon said, “When Yahweh has given us victory over Zebah and Zalmunna, I will tear your skin with the desert thorns and briers.”

8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke unto them in the same manner: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

He went up from there to Peniel and spoke to the people there in the same way, but the men of Peniel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered.

9 And he said also unto the men of Penuel thus, When I return again in peace, I will break down this tower.

He spoke also to the men of Peniel and said, “When I come again in peace, I will pull down this tower.”

10 Now Zebach and Zalmunna' were in Karkor, and their camps with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that had been left of all the camp of the children of the east; but those who had fallen were one hundred and twenty thousand men that drew the sword.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army, about fifteen thousand men, all who remained out of the entire army of the people of the East, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword.

11 And Gid'on went up by the way of those that dwelt in tents, to the east of Nobach and Yogbehah, and smote the camp; but the camp thought itself secure.

Gideon went up the road taken by tent dwellers, past Nobah and Jogbehah. He defeated the enemy army, because they were not expecting an attack.

12 And Zebach and Zalmunna' fled; but he pursued after them, and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebach and Zalmunna', and all the camp he discomfited.

Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and as Gideon pursued them, he captured the two kings of Midian—Zebah and Zalmunna—and set their whole army into a panic.

13 And Gid'on the son of Joash returned from the battle before the rising of the sun,

Gideon, son of Joash, returned from the battle going through the pass of Heres.

14 And he caught a young man of the people of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men.

He caught a young man of Succoth and questioned him. The young man wrote down the names of seventy-seven officials and elders of Succoth.

15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold here are Zebach and Zalmunna', with whom ye derided me, saying, Is the sole of the foot of Zebach and Zalmunna' now already in thy hand, that we should give unto thy weary men bread?

Gideon came to the men of Succoth and said, “Look at Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you mocked me and said, 'Have you already conquered Zebah and Zalmunna? We do not know that we should give bread to your army.'”

16 And he took the elders of the city, and the thorns of the wilderness and briers, and chastised with them the men of Succoth.

Gideon took the elders of the city, and he punished the men of Succoth with the desert thorns and briers.

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

Then he pulled down the tower of Peniel and killed the men of that city.

18 And he said unto Zebach and Zalmunna', What kind of men were those whom ye slew at Tabor! And they answered, As thou art, so were they; one was in form like that of the children of a king.

Then Gideon said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?” They answered, “As you are, so were they. Every one of them looked like the son of a king.”

19 And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother; as the Lord liveth, if ye had spared them alive, I would not slay you.

Gideon said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Yahweh lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.”

20 And he said unto Yether his first-born, Rise up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword; for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth.

He said to Jether (his firstborn), “Get up and kill them!” But the young man did not draw his sword for he was afraid, because he was still a young boy.

21 Then said Zebach and Zalmunna', Rise thou, and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gid'on arose, and slew Zebach and Zalmunna'; and he took away the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Get up yourself and kill us! For as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon rose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna. He also took off the crescent-shaped ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

22 And the men of Israel said unto Gid'on, Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast delivered us out of the hand of Midian.

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson—because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.”

23 And Gid'on said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.

Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, neither will my son rule over you. Yahweh will rule over you.”

24 And Gid'on said unto them, I would ask one request of you, that ye should give me every man the earring of his booty; for they had had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: Every one of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” (The Midianites had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

25 And they answered, We will willingly give. And they spread out a garment, and they cast therein every man the earring of his booty.

They answered, “We are glad to give them to you.” They spread out a cloak and every man threw on it the earrings from his plunder.

26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he had requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; besides the crescent ornaments, and ear-drops, and purple garments that were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.

The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold. This plunder was in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple clothing that was worn by the kings of Midian, and in addition to the chains that had been around their camels' necks.

27 And Gid'on made thereof an ephod, and set it up in his city, in 'Ophrah: and all Israel went astray after it thither; and it became a snare unto Gid'on, and to his house.

Gideon made an ephod out of the earrings and put it in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there. It became a trap for Gideon and for those in his house.

28 And Midian was humbled before the children of Israel, so that they lifted not up their head any more. And the country was quiet forty years in the days of Gid'on.

So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel and they did not raise their heads up again. So the land had peace for forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 And Yerubba'al the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

Jerub Baal, son of Joash, went and lived in his own house.

30 And Gid'on had seventy sons begotten of his body; for he had many wives.

Gideon had seventy sons who were his descendants, for he had many wives.

31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he gave him the name, Abimelech.

His concubine, who was in Shechem, also bore him a son, and Gideon gave him the name Abimelech.

32 And Gid'on the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in 'Ophrah of the Abi'ezrites.

Gideon, son of Joash, died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, at Ophrah of the clan of Abiezer.

33 And it came to pass, when Gid'on was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went astray after the Be'alim, and made themselves Ba'al-berith for a god.

It came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, the people of Israel turned again and prostituted themselves by worshiping the Baals. They made Baal-Berith their god.

34 And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side.

The people of Israel did not remember to honor Yahweh, their God, who had rescued them from the hand of all their enemies on every side.

35 Neither showed they kindness to the house of Yerubba'al, namely, Gid'on, in accordance with all the good which he had done unto Israel.

They did not keep their promises to the house of Jerub Baal (that is, Gideon), in return for all the good he had done in Israel.