שֹׁפְטִים 8

1 וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ אֶפְרַ֗יִם מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְבִלְתִּי֙ קְרֹ֣אות לָ֔נוּ כִּ֥י הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בְּמִדְיָ֑ן וַיְרִיב֥וּן אִתֹּ֖ו בְּחָזְקָֽה׃

Then the men of Ephraim asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn't you call us when you went to attack the Midianite?” They argued furiously with him.

2 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי עַתָּ֖ה כָּכֶ֑ם הֲלֹ֗וא טֹ֛וב עֹלְלֹ֥ות אֶפְרַ֖יִם מִבְצִ֥יר אֲבִיעֶֽזֶר׃

“Now what have I achieved in comparison to you?” Gideon replied. “Even Ephraim's left-over grapes are better than Abiezer's whole grape harvest!

3 בְּיֶדְכֶם֩ נָתַ֨ן אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י מִדְיָן֙ אֶת־עֹרֵ֣ב וְאֶת־זְאֵ֔ב וּמַה־יָּכֹ֖לְתִּי עֲשֹׂ֣ות כָּכֶ֑ם אָ֗ז רָפְתָ֤ה רוּחָם֙ מֵֽעָלָ֔יו בְּדַבְּרֹ֖ו הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

God handed over to you Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders. What have I managed to achieve in comparison to you?” When he told them this their animosity towards him died down.

4 וַיָּבֹ֥א גִדְעֹ֖ון הַיַּרְדֵּ֑נָה עֹבֵ֣ר ה֗וּא וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאֹ֤ות הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתֹּ֔ו עֲיֵפִ֖ים וְרֹדְפִֽים׃

Then Gideon crossed the Jordan with his three hundred men. Even though they were exhausted they continued the chase.

5 וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכֹּ֔ות תְּנוּ־נָא֙ כִּכְּרֹ֣ות לֶ֔חֶם לָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּרַגְלָ֑י כִּי־עֲיֵפִ֣ים הֵ֔ם וְאָנֹכִ֗י רֹדֵ֛ף אַחֲרֵ֛י זֶ֥בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֖ע מַלְכֵ֥י מִדְיָֽן׃

When they got to Succoth, Gideon asked the people there, “Please provide some bread to the men with me because they're worn out—I'm pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianite kings.”

6 וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שָׂרֵ֣י סֻכֹּ֔ות הֲ֠כַף זֶ֧בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֛ע עַתָּ֖ה בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ כִּֽי־נִתֵּ֥ן לִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖ לָֽחֶם׃

But the Succoth town leaders replied, “Why should we give your army bread when you haven't even captured Zebah and Zalmunna yet?”

7 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר גִּדְעֹ֔ון לָכֵ֗ן בְּתֵ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־זֶ֥בַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֖ע בְּיָדִ֑י וְדַשְׁתִּי֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם אֶת־קֹוצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִֽים׃

“In that case, once the Lord has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I'll return and thrash you with thorns and briers from the desert!” Gideon replied.

8 וַיַּ֤עַל מִשָּׁם֙ פְּנוּאֵ֔ל וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כָּזֹ֑את וַיַּעֲנ֤וּ אֹותֹו֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י פְנוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָנ֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכֹּֽות׃

He left and went to Penuel and asked them the same thing, but the people of Penuel answered the same way as the people of Succoth.

9 וַיֹּ֛אמֶר גַּם־לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י פְנוּאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בְּשׁוּבִ֣י בְשָׁלֹ֔ום אֶתֹּ֖ץ אֶת־הַמִּגְדָּ֥ל הַזֶּֽה׃ פ

So he told them, “When I return victorious, I'll demolish this tower!”

10 וְזֶ֨בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֜ע בַּקַּרְקֹ֗ר וּמַחֲנֵיהֶ֤ם עִמָּם֙ כַּחֲמֵ֤שֶׁת עָשָׂר֙ אֶ֔לֶף כֹּ֚ל הַנֹּ֣ותָרִ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל מַחֲנֵ֣ה בְנֵי־קֶ֑דֶם וְהַנֹּ֣פְלִ֔ים מֵאָ֨ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ שֹׁ֥לֵֽף חָֽרֶב׃

Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies of around fifteen thousand men. These were all who remained of the armies of the people of the East—one hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had already been killed.

11 וַיַּ֣עַל גִּדְעֹ֗ון דֶּ֚רֶךְ הַשְּׁכוּנֵ֣י בֽ͏ָאֳהָלִ֔ים מִקֶּ֥דֶם לְנֹ֖בַח וְיָגְבֳּהָ֑ה וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הָ֥יָה בֶֽטַח׃

Gideon took the caravan route to the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and he attacked their army, catching them offguard.

12 וַיָּנ֗וּסוּ זֶ֚בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּלְכֹּ֞ד אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י ׀ מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן אֶת־זֶ֙בַח֙ וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וְכָל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הֶחֱרִֽיד׃

Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, but he chased after the two Midianite kings and captured them, defeating the whole of their terrified army.

13 וַיָּ֛שָׁב גִּדְעֹ֥ון בֶּן־יֹואָ֖שׁ מִן־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה מִֽלְמַעֲלֵ֖ה הֶחָֽרֶס׃

Then Gideon, son of Joash, returned from the battle through the Heres Pass.

14 וַיִּלְכָּד־נַ֛עַר מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכֹּ֖ות וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֑הוּ וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב אֵלָ֜יו אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י סֻכֹּות֙ וְאֶת־זְקֵנֶ֔יהָ שִׁבְעִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה אִֽישׁ׃

There he captured a young man from Succoth and questioned him. The man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven leaders and elders of Succoth.

15 וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכֹּ֔ות וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֖ה זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֑ע אֲשֶׁר֩ חֵרַפְתֶּ֨ם אֹותִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲ֠כַף זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֤ע עַתָּה֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ כִּ֥י נִתֵּ֛ן לַאֲנָשֶׁ֥יךָ הַיְּעֵפִ֖ים לָֽחֶם׃

Gideon went and said to the Sukkoth town leaders, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, the ones you taunted me about when you said, ‘Why should we give your exhausted army bread when you haven't even captured Zebah and Zalmunna yet?’”

16 וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר וְאֶת־קֹוצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣דַע בָּהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכֹּֽות׃

So he took the town elders of Succoth and taught them a lesson using thorns and briers from the desert.

17 וְאֶת־מִגְדַּ֥ל פְּנוּאֵ֖ל נָתָ֑ץ וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֖ג אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעִֽיר׃

He also demolished the tower of Peniel and killed the men of the town.

18 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־זֶ֙בַח֙ וְאֶל־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע אֵיפֹה֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲרַגְתֶּ֖ם בְּתָבֹ֑ור וַֽיֹּאמְרוּ֙ כָּמֹ֣וךָ כְמֹוהֶ֔ם אֶחָ֕ד כְּתֹ֖אַר בְּנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Then Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What were they like, the men you killed at Tabor?” “They looked like you,” they answered. “Each of them had the stature of a prince.”

19 וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַחַ֥י בְּנֵֽי־אִמִּ֖י הֵ֑ם חַי־יְהוָ֗ה ל֚וּ הַחֲיִתֶ֣ם אֹותָ֔ם לֹ֥א הָרַ֖גְתִּי אֶתְכֶֽם׃

“Those were my brothers, my mother's sons,” Gideon burst out. “As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I wouldn't kill you!”

20 וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְיֶ֣תֶר בְּכֹורֹ֔ו ק֖וּם הֲרֹ֣ג אֹותָ֑ם וְלֹא־שָׁלַ֨ף הַנַּ֤עַר חַרְבֹּו֙ כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א כִּ֥י עֹודֶ֖נּוּ נָֽעַר׃

He told Jether, his oldest son, “Go on, kill them!” But the boy refused to draw his sword, because he was young and afraid.

21 וַיֹּ֜אמֶר זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֗ע ק֤וּם אַתָּה֙ וּפְגַע־בָּ֔נוּ כִּ֥י כָאִ֖ישׁ גְּבוּרָתֹ֑ו וַיָּ֣קָם גִּדְעֹ֗ון וַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־זֶ֣בַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־הַשַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃

Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on, you do it! Show yourself a man and kill us!” So Gideon went over and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments from the necks of their camels.

22 וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־גִּדְעֹ֔ון מְשָׁל־בָּ֙נוּ֙ גַּם־אַתָּ֔ה גַּם־בִּנְךָ֖ גַּ֣ם בֶּן־בְּנֶ֑ךָ כִּ֥י הֹושַׁעְתָּ֖נוּ מִיַּ֥ד מִדְיָֽן׃

Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “You must become our ruler, you, your son, and your grandson; because you've saved us from the Midianites.”

23 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ גִּדְעֹ֔ון לֹֽא־אֶמְשֹׁ֤ל אֲנִי֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בְּנִ֖י בָּכֶ֑ם יְהוָ֖ה יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶֽם׃

“I won't be your ruler, and my son won't either,” Gideon replied. “The Lord will be your ruler.”

24 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם גִּדְעֹ֗ון אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤ה מִכֶּם֙ שְׁאֵלָ֔ה וּתְנוּ־לִ֕י אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֣זֶם שְׁלָלֹ֑ו כִּֽי־נִזְמֵ֤י זָהָב֙ לָהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים הֵֽם׃

Then Gideon said, “I have a request to ask of you: that each of you give me an earring from your plunder.” (Their enemies were Ishmaelites and wore gold earrings.)

25 וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ נָתֹ֣ון נִתֵּ֑ן וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁלִ֣יכוּ שָׁ֔מָּה אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֥זֶם שְׁלָלֹֽו׃

“We'll happily give them to you,” they replied. They spread out a cloak, and each of them threw on it earrings from their plunder.

26 וַיְהִ֗י מִשְׁקַ֞ל נִזְמֵ֤י הַזָּהָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔ל אֶ֥לֶף וּשְׁבַע־מֵאֹ֖ות זָהָ֑ב לְ֠בַד מִן־הַשַּׂהֲרֹנִ֨ים וְהַנְּטִפֹ֜ות וּבִגְדֵ֣י הָאַרְגָּמָ֗ן שֶׁעַל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּלְבַד֙ מִן־הָ֣עֲנָקֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃

The weight of the earrings he'd asked for was 1,700 shekels, not including the ornaments, the pendants, and the purple garments worn by the Midianite kings or the chains that were round their camels' necks.

27 וַיַּעַשׂ֩ אֹותֹ֨ו גִדְעֹ֜ון לְאֵפֹ֗וד וַיַּצֵּ֨ג אֹותֹ֤ו בְעִירֹו֙ בְּעָפְרָ֔ה וַיִּזְנ֧וּ כָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אַחֲרָ֖יו שָׁ֑ם וַיְהִ֛י לְגִדְעֹ֥ון וּלְבֵיתֹ֖ו לְמֹוקֵֽשׁ׃

From the gold Gideon made an ephod, which he placed in his hometown of Ophrah. All Israel prostituted themselves there by worshiping it as an idol, and it became a trap to Gideon and his family.

28 וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מִדְיָ֗ן לִפְנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א יָסְפ֖וּ לָשֵׂ֣את רֹאשָׁ֑ם וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֛רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בִּימֵ֥י גִדְעֹֽון׃ פ

This is how the Midianites was subjugated before the Israelites and did not gain power again. So the land was at peace for forty years during the lifetime of Gideon.

29 וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ יְרֻבַּ֥עַל בֶּן־יֹואָ֖שׁ וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּבֵיתֹֽו׃

Jerub-baal, son of Joash, went home, living his own house.

30 וּלְגִדְעֹ֗ון הָיוּ֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים בָּנִ֔ים יֹצְאֵ֖י יְרֵכֹ֑ו כִּֽי־נָשִׁ֥ים רַבֹּ֖ות הָ֥יוּ לֹֽו׃

Gideon had seventy sons, all his own, because he had many wives.

31 וּפִֽילַגְשֹׁו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם יָֽלְדָה־לֹּ֥ו גַם־הִ֖יא בֵּ֑ן וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־שְׁמֹ֖ו אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃

His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also had a son. He named him Abimelech.

32 וַיָּ֛מָת גִּדְעֹ֥ון בֶּן־יֹואָ֖שׁ בְּשֵׂיבָ֣ה טֹובָ֑ה וַיִּקָּבֵ֗ר בְּקֶ֙בֶר֙ יֹואָ֣שׁ אָבִ֔יו בְּעָפְרָ֖ה אֲבִ֥י הָֽעֶזְרִֽי׃ פ

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

33 וַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ מֵ֣ת גִּדְעֹ֔ון וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּזְנ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַבְּעָלִ֑ים וַיָּשִׂ֧ימוּ לָהֶ֛ם בַּ֥עַל בְּרִ֖ית לֵאלֹהִֽים׃

But as soon as Gideon died, the Israelites went back to prostituting themselves, worshiping before the Baals. They made Baal-berith their god.

34 וְלֹ֤א זָֽכְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם הַמַּצִּ֥יל אֹותָ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד כָּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם מִסָּבִֽיב׃

They forgot about the Lord their God, who had saved them from all their enemies that surrounded them.

35 וְלֹֽא־עָשׂ֣וּ חֶ֔סֶד עִם־בֵּ֥ית יְרֻבַּ֖עַל גִּדְעֹ֑ון כְּכָל־הַטֹּובָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

They did not show any respect to the family of Jerub-baal (Gideon) for all the good he had done for Israel.