1 And the men{H376} of Ephraim{H669} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, Why hast thou{H4100} served{H6213}{(H8804)} us thus{H1697}, that thou calledst{H7121}{(H8800)} us not, when thou wentest{H1980}{(H8804)} to fight{H3898}{(H8736)} with the Midianites{H4080}? And they did chide{H7378}{(H8799)} with him sharply{H2394}.

2 And he said{H559}{(H8799)} unto them, What have I done{H6213}{(H8804)} now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning{H5955} of the grapes of Ephraim{H669} better{H2896} than the vintage{H1210} of Abiezer{H44}?

3 God{H430} hath delivered{H5414}{(H8804)} into your hands{H3027} the princes{H8269} of Midian{H4080}, Oreb{H6159} and Zeeb{H2062}: and what was I able{H3201}{(H8804)} to do{H6213}{(H8800)} in comparison of you? Then their anger{H7307} was abated{H7503}{(H8804)} toward him, when he had said{H1697} that{H1696}{(H8763)}.

4 And Gideon{H1439} came{H935}{(H8799)} to Jordan{H3383}, and passed over{H5674}{(H8802)}, he, and the three{H7969} hundred{H3967} men{H376} that were with him, faint{H5889}, yet pursuing{H7291}{(H8802)} them.

5 And he said{H559}{(H8799)} unto the men{H582} of Succoth{H5523}, Give{H5414}{(H8798)}, I pray you, loaves{H3603} of bread{H3899} unto the people{H5971} that follow{H7272} me; for they be faint{H5889}, and I am pursuing{H7291}{(H8802)} after{H310} Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759}, kings{H4428} of Midian{H4080}.

6 And the princes{H8269} of Succoth{H5523} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Are the hands{H3709} of Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759} now in thine hand{H3027}, that we should give{H5414}{(H8799)} bread{H3899} unto thine army{H6635}?

7 And Gideon{H1439} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Therefore when the LORD{H3068} hath delivered{H5414}{(H8800)} Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759} into mine hand{H3027}, then I will tear{H1758}{(H8804)} your flesh{H1320} with the thorns{H6975} of the wilderness{H4057} and with briers{H1303}.

8 And he went up{H5927}{(H8799)} thence to Penuel{H6439}, and spake{H1696}{(H8762)} unto them likewise{H2063}: and the men{H582} of Penuel{H6439} answered{H6030}{(H8799)} him as the men{H582} of Succoth{H5523} had answered{H6030}{(H8804)} him.

9 And he spake{H559}{(H8799)} also unto the men{H582} of Penuel{H6439}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, When I come again{H7725}{(H8800)} in peace{H7965}, I will break down{H5422}{(H8799)} this tower{H4026}.

10 Now Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759} were in Karkor{H7174}, and their hosts{H4264} with them, about fifteen{H2568}{H6240} thousand{H505} men, all that were left{H3498}{(H8737)} of all the hosts{H4264} of the children{H1121} of the east{H6924}: for there fell{H5307}{(H8802)} an hundred{H3967} and twenty{H6242} thousand{H505} men{H376} that drew{H8025}{(H8802)} sword{H2719}.

11 And Gideon{H1439} went up{H5927}{(H8799)} by the way{H1870} of them that dwelt{H7931}{(H8803)} in tents{H168} on the east{H6924} of Nobah{H5025} and Jogbehah{H3011}, and smote{H5221}{(H8686)} the host{H4264}: for the host{H4264} was secure{H983}.

12 And when Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759} fled{H5127}{(H8799)}, he pursued{H7291}{(H8799)} after{H310} them, and took{H3920}{(H8799)} the two{H8147} kings{H4428} of Midian{H4080}, Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759}, and discomfited{H2729}{(H8689)} all the host{H4264}.

13 And Gideon{H1439} the son{H1121} of Joash{H3101} returned{H7725}{(H8799)} from battle{H4421} before{H4608} the sun{H2775} was up,

14 And caught{H3920}{(H8799)} a young man{H5288} of the men{H582} of Succoth{H5523}, and enquired{H7592}{(H8799)} of him: and he described{H3789}{(H8799)} unto him the princes{H8269} of Succoth{H5523}, and the elders{H2205} thereof, even threescore and seventeen{H7657}{H7651} men{H376}.

15 And he came{H935}{(H8799)} unto the men{H582} of Succoth{H5523}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Behold Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759}, with whom ye did upbraid{H2778}{(H8765)} me, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Are the hands{H3709} of Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759} now in thine hand{H3027}, that we should give{H5414}{(H8799)} bread{H3899} unto thy men{H582} that are weary{H3287}?

16 And he took{H3947}{(H8799)} the elders{H2205} of the city{H5892}, and thorns{H6975} of the wilderness{H4057} and briers{H1303}, and with them he taught{H3045}{(H8686)} the men{H582} of Succoth{H5523}.

17 And he beat down{H5422}{(H8804)} the tower{H4026} of Penuel{H6439}, and slew{H2026}{(H8799)} the men{H582} of the city{H5892}.

18 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} he unto Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759}, What{H375} manner of men{H582} were they whom ye slew{H2026}{(H8804)} at Tabor{H8396}? And they answered{H559}{(H8799)}, As thou{H3644} art, so were they; each one{H259} resembled{H8389} the children{H1121} of a king{H4428}.

19 And he said{H559}{(H8799)}, They were my brethren{H251}, even the sons{H1121} of my mother{H517}: as the LORD{H3068} liveth{H2416}, if{H3863} ye had saved them alive{H2421}{(H8689)}, I would not slay{H2026}{(H8804)} you.

20 And he said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Jether{H3500} his firstborn{H1060}, Up{H6965}{(H8798)}, and slay{H2026}{(H8798)} them. But the youth{H5288} drew{H8025}{(H8804)} not his sword{H2719}: for he feared{H3372}{(H8804)}, because he was yet a youth{H5288}.

21 Then Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Rise{H6965}{(H8798)} thou, and fall{H6293}{(H8798)} upon us: for as the man{H376} is, so is his strength{H1369}. And Gideon{H1439} arose{H6965}{(H8799)}, and slew{H2026}{(H8799)} Zebah{H2078} and Zalmunna{H6759}, and took away{H3947}{(H8799)} the ornaments{H7720} that were on their camels{H1581}' necks{H6677}.

22 Then the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Gideon{H1439}, Rule{H4910}{(H8798)} thou over us, both thou, and thy son{H1121}, and thy son's{H1121} son{H1121} also: for thou hast delivered{H3467}{(H8689)} us from the hand{H3027} of Midian{H4080}.

23 And Gideon{H1439} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto them, I will not rule{H4910}{(H8799)} over you, neither shall my son{H1121} rule{H4910}{(H8799)} over you: the LORD{H3068} shall rule{H4910}{(H8799)} over you.

24 And Gideon{H1439} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto them, I would desire{H7592}{(H8799)} a request{H7596} of you, that ye would give{H5414}{(H8798)} me every man{H376} the earrings{H5141} of his prey{H7998}.(For they had golden{H2091} earrings{H5141}, because they were Ishmaelites{H3459}.)

25 And they answered{H559}{(H8799)}, We will willingly{H5414}{(H8800)} give{H5414}{(H8799)} them. And they spread{H6566}{(H8799)} a garment{H8071}, and did cast{H7993}{(H8686)} therein every man{H376} the earrings{H5141} of his prey{H7998}.

26 And the weight{H4948} of the golden{H2091} earrings{H5141} that he requested{H7592}{(H8804)} was a thousand{H505} and seven{H7651} hundred{H3967} shekels of gold{H2091}; beside ornaments{H7720}, and collars{H5188}, and purple{H713} raiment{H899} that was on the kings{H4428} of Midian{H4080}, and beside the chains{H6060} that were about their camels{H1581}' necks{H6677}.

27 And Gideon{H1439} made{H6213}{(H8799)} an ephod{H646} thereof, and put{H3322}{(H8686)} it in his city{H5892}, even in Ophrah{H6084}: and all Israel{H3478} went thither a whoring{H2181}{(H8799)} after{H310} it: which thing became a snare{H4170} unto Gideon{H1439}, and to his house{H1004}.

28 Thus was Midian{H4080} subdued{H3665}{(H8735)} before{H6440} the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478}, so that they lifted up{H5375}{(H8800)} their heads{H7218} no more{H3254}{(H8804)}. And the country{H776} was in quietness{H8252}{(H8799)} forty{H705} years{H8141} in the days{H3117} of Gideon{H1439}.

29 And Jerubbaal{H3378} the son{H1121} of Joash{H3101} went{H3212}{(H8799)} and dwelt{H3427}{(H8799)} in his own house{H1004}.

30 And Gideon{H1439} had threescore and ten{H7657} sons{H1121} of his body{H3409} begotten{H3318}{(H8802)}: for he had many{H7227} wives{H802}.

31 And his concubine{H6370} that was in Shechem{H7927}, she also bare{H3205}{(H8804)} him a son{H1121}, whose name{H8034} he called{H7760}{(H8799)} Abimelech{H40}.

32 And Gideon{H1439} the son{H1121} of Joash{H3101} died{H4191}{(H8799)} in a good{H2896} old age{H7872}, and was buried{H6912}{(H8735)} in the sepulchre{H6913} of Joash{H3101} his father{H1}, in Ophrah{H6084} of the Abiezrites{H33}.

33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon{H1439} was dead{H4191}{(H8804)}, that the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} turned again{H7725}{(H8799)}, and went a whoring{H2181}{(H8799)} after{H310} Baalim{H1168}, and made{H7760}{(H8799)} Baalberith{H1170} their god{H430}.

34 And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} remembered{H2142}{(H8804)} not the LORD{H3068} their God{H430}, who had delivered{H5337}{(H8688)} them out of the hands{H3027} of all their enemies{H341}{(H8802)} on every side{H5439}:

35 Neither shewed{H6213}{(H8804)} they kindness{H2617} to the house{H1004} of Jerubbaal{H3378}, namely, Gideon{H1439}, according to all the goodness{H2896} which he had shewed{H6213}{(H8804)} unto Israel{H3478}.