JPS - Judges - 8

8:1  And the men of Ephraim said unto him: 'Why hast thou served us thus, that thou didst not call us when thou wentest to fight with Midian?' And they did chide with him sharply.

8:2  And he said unto them: 'What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

8:3  G-d hath delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?' Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

8:4  And Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing.

8:5  And he said unto the men of Succoth: 'Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.'

8:6  And the princes of Succoth said: 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy power, that we should give bread unto thine army?'

8:7  And Gideon said: 'Therefore when HaShem hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.'

8:8  And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke unto them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

8:9  And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel, saying: 'When I come back in peace, I will break down this tower.'

8:10  Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the host of the children of the east; for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

8:11  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.

8:12  And Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.

8:13  And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.

8:14  And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him; and he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men.

8:15  And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said: 'Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying: Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy power, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?'

8:16  And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

8:17  And he broke down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

8:18  Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna: 'Where are the men whom ye slew at Tabor?' And they answered: 'As thou art, so were they; of one form with the children of a king.'

8:19  And he said: 'They were my brethren, the sons of my mother; as HaShem liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.'

8:20  And he said unto Jether his first-born: 'Up, and slay them.' But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

8:21  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 the crescents that were on their camels' necks.

8:22  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 saved us out of the hand of Midian.'

8:23  And Gideon said unto them: 'I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; HaShem shall rule over you.'

8:24  And Gideon said unto them: 'I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil.' --For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.

8:25  And they answered: 'We will willingly give them.' And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil.

8:26  And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

8:27  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah; and all Israel went astray after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

8:28  So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

8:29  And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

8:30  And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten; for he had many wives.

8:31  And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech.

8:32  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.

8:33  And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again went astray after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.

8:34  And the children of Israel remembered not HaShem their G-d, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

8:35  neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown unto Israel.