Judges 8

8:1 The Ephraimites said to him, “Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us1 when you went to fight the Midianites!” They argued vehemently with him. 8:2 He said to them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraim’s leftover grapes2 are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest!3 8:3 It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?”4 When he said this, they calmed down.5

Gideon Tracks Down the Midianite Kings

8:4 Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River, and even though they were exhausted, they were still chasing the Midianites.6 8:5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Give7 some loaves of bread to the men8 who are following me,9 because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 8:6 The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give10 bread to your army?”11 8:7 Gideon said, “Since you will not help,12 after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh13 your skin14 with15 desert thorns and briers.” 8:8 He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request.16 The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had.17 8:9 He also threatened18 the men of Penuel, warning,19 “When I return victoriously,20 I will tear down this tower.”

8:10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies. There were about fifteen thousand survivors from the army of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand sword-wielding soldiers had been killed.21 8:11 Gideon went up the road of the nomads22 east of Nobah and Jogbehah and ambushed the surprised army.23 8:12 When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, Gideon24 chased them and captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He had surprised25 their entire army.

8:13 Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass26 of Heres. 8:14 He captured a young man from Succoth27 and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth’s officials and city leaders – seventy-seven men in all.28 8:15 He approached the men of Succoth and said, “Look what I have!29 Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me, saying, ‘You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?’”30 8:16 He seized the leaders31 of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then “threshed” the men of Succoth with them.32 8:17 He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city’s men.

8:18 He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Describe for me33 the men you killed at Tabor.” They said, “They were like you. Each one looked like a king’s son.”34 8:19 He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear,35 as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 8:20 He ordered Jether his firstborn son, “Come on!36 Kill them!” But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword,37 because he was still young. 8:21 Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon,38 “Come on,39 you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.”40 So Gideon killed41 Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.

Gideon Rejects a Crown but Makes an Ephod

8:22 The men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us – you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian’s power.”42 8:23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” 8:24 Gideon continued,43 “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.”44 (The Midianites45 had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) 8:25 They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.”46 So they47 spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it. 8:26 The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels.48 This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry,49 purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels.50 8:27 Gideon used all this to make51 an ephod,52 which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites53 prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it54 there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Gideon’s Story Ends

8:28 The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken.55 The land had rest for forty years during Gideon’s time.56 8:29 Then Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and settled down.57 8:30 Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives.58 8:31 His concubine,59 who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech.60 8:32 Gideon son of Joash died at a very61 old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Israel Returns to Baal-Worship

8:33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith62 their god. 8:34 The Israelites did not remain true63 to the Lord their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them. 8:35 They did not treat64 the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.

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