(KJV) Judges 8¹

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⥃Gideon Defeats Zebah and Zalmunna

[1] And the men² of Ephraim said unto him, Why³ hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. [2] And he said unto them, What⁴ have I done now in comparison of you? [Is] not the⁵ gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi–ezer⁶? [3] God⁷ hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then⁸ their anger⁹ was abated toward him, when he had said that.

[4] And Gideon came to Jordan, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men that [were] with him, faint¹⁰, yet pursuing [them]. [5] And he said unto the men of Succoth¹¹, Give, I pray you, loaves¹² of bread unto the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

[6] [¶]And the princes of Succoth said, [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?¹³ [7] And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear¹⁴ your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

[8] [¶]And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered [him].¹⁵ [9] And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come¹⁶ again in peace, I will break¹⁷ down this tower.

[10] [¶]Now Zebah and Zalmunna [were] in Karkor¹⁸, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand [men], all that were left of all the hosts of the children¹⁹ of the east: for there fell an hundred²⁰ and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

[11] [¶]And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah²¹ and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure²². [12] And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took²³ the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited²⁴ all the host.

[13] [¶]And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before²⁵ the sun [was up], [14] And caught²⁶ a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described²⁷ unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, [even] threescore and seventeen men. [15] And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid²⁸ me, saying, [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men [that are] weary? [16] And he took the elders²⁹ of the city, and thorns³⁰ of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught³¹ the men of Succoth. [17] And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.³²

[18] Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men [were they] whom ye slew at Tabor³³? And they answered, As thou [art³⁴], so [were] they; each one resembled³⁵ the children of a king. [19] And he said, They [were] my brethren, [even] the sons of my mother: [as] the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. [20] And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, [and] slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he [was] yet a youth.³⁶ [21] Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou³⁷, and fall upon us: for as the man [is], [so is] his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew³⁸ Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments³⁹ that [were] on their camels’ necks.

⥃Gideon’s Ephod

[22] Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou⁴⁰ over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. [23] And Gideon said unto them, I will⁴¹ not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord⁴² shall rule over you.

[24] [¶]And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me⁴³ every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because⁴⁴ they [were] Ishmaelites.) [25] And they answered, We will willingly give [them]. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. [26] And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand⁴⁵ and seven hundred [shekels] of gold; beside ornaments, and collars⁴⁶, and purple⁴⁷ raiment that [was] on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains⁴⁸ that [were] about their camels’ necks. [27] And Gideon made an ephod⁴⁹ thereof, and put it in his city, [even] in Ophrah⁵⁰: and all Israel went thither a whoring⁵¹ after it: which thing became a snare⁵² unto Gideon, and to his house.

⥃Forty Years of Peace

[28] [¶]Thus was Midian⁵³ subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years⁵⁴ in the days of Gideon.

[29] And Jerubbaal⁵⁵ the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house⁵⁶. [30] And Gideon had threescore⁵⁷ and ten sons of his body begotten⁵⁸: for he had many wives⁵⁹. [31] And his concubine⁶⁰ that [was] in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called⁶¹ Abimelech⁶².

⥃Gideon’s Death

[32] [¶]And Gideon the son of Joash died in⁶³ a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah⁶⁴ of the Abi–ezrites. [33] And it came to pass, as soon⁶⁵ as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went⁶⁶ a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal–berith⁶⁷ their god. [34] And the children of Israel remembered⁶⁸ not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: [35] Neither shewed⁶⁹ they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal⁷⁰, [namely], Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

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