Gideon Defeats Zebah and Zalmunna
1 The men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “Why have you treated us this way, that you didn’t call for us when you went to fight with Midian?” They rebuked him sharply. 2 He said to them, “What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn’t the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 The Lord has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb! What was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger was abated toward him when he had said that.
4 Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
6 The princes of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”
7 Gideon said, “Therefore when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”
8 He went up there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 He spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come back in peace, I will break down this tower.”
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor and their armies with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the east, for 120,000 swordsmen fell.
11 Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah and struck the army, for the army felt secure. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them. He took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army. 13 Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. 14 He caught a young man from the men of Succoth and inquired of him, and he described for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, 77 men. 15 He came to the men of Succoth and said, “See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’ ” 16 He took the elders of the city, and with the thorns of the wilderness and briers, he disciplined the men of Succoth. 17 He broke down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?”
They answered, “They were like you. They all resembled the children of a king.”
19 He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”
20 He said to Jether his firstborn, “Get up and kill them!” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “You rise and fall on us, for as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took the crescents that were on the necks of their camels.
Gideon’s Ephod
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”
23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you. The Lord shall rule over you.”
24 Gideon said to them, “I do have a request: that you would each give me the earrings of his plunder.” (For they had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 They answered, “We will willingly give them.” They spread a garment, and every man threw the earrings of his plunder into it. 26 The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 43 pounds of gold, in addition to the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and in addition to the chains that were around their camels’ necks. 27 Gideon made an ephod out of it and put it in Ophrah, his city. Then all Israel played the prostitute with it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.
Forty Years of Peace
28 So Midian was subdued before the Israelites, and they raised their heads no more. The land had rest for 40 years in the days of Gideon.
29 Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Gideon had 70 sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives. 31 His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
Gideon’s Death
32 Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 As soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned back and played the prostitute following the Baals and made Baal Berith their god. 34 The Israelites did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side, 35 nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.