Judges 8 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Gideon Pursues Zebah and Zalmunna

Then the men^H376 of Ephraim^H669 said^H559 to him, “What^H4100 is this^H2088 thing^H1697 you have done^H6213 to us, not calling^H7121 us when^H3588 you went^H1980 to fight^H3898 against Midian^H4080?” And they strongly^H2394 contended^H7378 with him.

Jdg 8:2

Jdg 8:2But he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?

Jdg 8:3

Jdg 8:3“God has given the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their [fn]anger toward him subsided when he spoke this word.

Jdg 8:4

Then Gideon^H1439 and the 300^H7969^H3967 men^H376 who^H834 were with him came^H935 to the Jordan^H3383 and crossed^H5674 over^H5674, weary^H5889 yet pursuing^H7291.

Jdg 8:5

Jdg 8:5And he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

Jdg 8:6

Jdg 8:6But the princes of Succoth said, “[fn]Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?”

Jdg 8:7

Jdg 8:7And Gideon said, “Thus, when Yahweh has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will [fn]thrash your [fn]bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”

Jdg 8:8

Jdg 8:8So he went up from there to [fn]Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered.

Jdg 8:9

Jdg 8:9So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I return safely, I will tear down this tower.”

Jdg 8:10

Now Zebah^H2078 and Zalmunna^H6759 were in Karkor^H7174, and their camps^H4264 with them, about 15,000^H2568^H6240^H505 men, all^H3605 who were left^H3498 of the entire^H3605 camp^H4264 of the sons^H1121 of the east^H6924; for the fallen^H5307 were 120,000^H3967^H6242^H505 men^H376 who drew^H8025 the sword^H2719.

Jdg 8:11

Jdg 8:11And Gideon went up by the way of those who dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah and struck the camp when the camp was [fn]unsuspecting.

Jdg 8:12

Jdg 8:12Then Zebah and Zalmunna fled. And he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and he threw the whole camp into utter fright.

Jdg 8:13

Then Gideon^H1439 the son^H1121 of Joash^H3060 returned^H7725 from the battle^H4421 [fn]by the ascent^H4608 of Heres^H2776.

Jdg 8:14

Jdg 8:14And he captured a youth from the men of Succoth and questioned him. So the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

Jdg 8:15

Jdg 8:15Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you reproached me, saying, ‘[fn]Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’”

Jdg 8:16

Jdg 8:16Then he took the elders of the city as well as thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he [fn]taught the men of Succoth a lesson.

Jdg 8:17

Jdg 8:17And he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

Jdg 8:18

Then he said^H559 to Zebah^H2078 and Zalmunna^H6759, “What^H375 kind^H375 of men^H376 were they whom^H834 you killed^H2026 at Tabor^H8396?” And they said^H559, “They were like^H3644 you, each one^H259 [fn]resembling^H8389 the son^H1121 of a king^H4428.”

Jdg 8:19

Jdg 8:19And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Yahweh lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

Jdg 8:20

Jdg 8:20So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth.

Jdg 8:21

Jdg 8:21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise up yourself, and smite us; for as the man, so is his might.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks.

Gideon Makes an Ephod

Jdg 8:22

Then the men^H376 of Israel^H3478 said^H559 to Gideon^H1439, “Rule^H4910 over us, both^H1571 you and your son^H1121, also^H1571 your son’s^H1121 son^H1121, for you have saved^H3467 us from the hand^H3027 of Midian^H4080.”

Jdg 8:23

Jdg 8:23But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; Yahweh shall rule over you.”

Jdg 8:24

Jdg 8:24Yet Gideon said to them, “I would [fn]make one request of you, that each of you give me [fn]an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

Jdg 8:25

Jdg 8:25And they said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil.

Jdg 8:26

Jdg 8:26And the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks.

Jdg 8:27

Jdg 8:27Then Gideon made it into an ephod and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

Jdg 8:28

Jdg 8:28So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.

The Death and Burial of Gideon

Jdg 8:29

Then Jerubbaal^H3378 the son^H1121 of Joash^H3060 went^H1980 and lived^H3427 in his own house^H1004.

Jdg 8:30

Jdg 8:30Now Gideon had seventy sons who [fn]were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.

Jdg 8:31

Jdg 8:31And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he [fn]named him Abimelech.

Jdg 8:32

Jdg 8:32Then Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Jdg 8:33

Then it happened^H1961, as soon^H834 as Gideon^H1439 was dead^H4191, that the sons^H1121 of Israel^H3478 turned^H7725 back^H7725 and played^H2181 the^H2181 harlot^H2181 with the Baals^H1168 and made^H7760 Baal-berith^H1170 their god^H430.