Judges 8
1. And the men of Ephraim said * unto him, Why hast thou served * us thus,that thou calledst * us not, when thou wentest * to fight * with the Midianites? And they did chide * with him sharply.
2. And he said * unto 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. 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 their anger was abated * toward him, when he had said that * .
4. And Gideon came * to Jordan,and passed over * , he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint,yet pursuing * them.
5. And he said * unto the men of Succoth, Give * , I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing * after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6. And the princes of Succoth said * , Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give * bread unto thine army?
7. And Gideon said * , Therefore when the LORD hath delivered * Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear * your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8. And he went up * thence to Penuel, and spake * unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered * him as the men of Succoth had answered * him.
9. And he spake * also unto the men of Penuel, saying * , When I come again * in peace, I will break down * this tower.
10. 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. 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. And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled * , he pursued * after them, and took * the two kings of Midian,Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited * all the host.
13. And Gideon the son of Joash returned * from battle before the sun was up,
14. And caught * a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired * of him: and he described * unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
15. And he came * unto the men of Succoth, and said * , Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid * me, saying * , Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give * bread unto thy men that are weary?
16. 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. And he beat down * the tower of Penuel, and slew * the men of the city.
18. Then said * he unto 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. 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. And he said * unto Jether his firstborn, Up * , and slay * them. But the youth drew * not his sword: for he feared * , because he was yet a youth.
21. 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. Then the men of Israel said * unto 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. And Gideon said * unto them, I will not rule * over you, neither shall my son rule * over you: the LORD shall rule * over you.
24. And Gideon said * unto them, I would desire * a request of you, that ye would give * me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings,because they were Ishmaelites.)
25. And they answered * , We will willingly * give * them. And they spread * a garment, and did cast * therein every man the earrings of his prey.
26. And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested * 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.
27. And Gideon made * an ephod thereof, and put * it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring * after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
28. Thus was Midian subdued * before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up * their heads no more * . And the country was in quietness * forty years in the days of Gideon.
29. And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went * and dwelt * in his own house.
30. And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten * : for he had many wives.
31. And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare * him a son, whose name he called * Abimelech.
32. 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. And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead * , that the children of Israel turned again * , and went a whoring * after Baalim, and made * Baalberith their god.
34. And the children of Israel remembered * not the LORD their God, who had delivered * them out of the hands of all their enemies * on every side:
35. Neither shewed * they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon,according to all the goodness which he had shewed * unto Israel.
