Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The men of Ephraim said to him, "Why have you done this to us, not calling us when you went to fight against the Midianites?" And they argued with him violently.

1Then the men of Ephraim said to him, "What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they contended with him vigorously.

2So he said to them, "What have I done now compared to you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?

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 vintage of Abiezer?

3God handed over to you Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian. What was I able to do compared to you?" When he said this, their anger against him subsided.

3"God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?" Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.

4Gideon and the three hundred men came to the Jordan and crossed it. They were exhausted but still in pursuit.

4Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing.

5He said to the men of Succoth, "Please give some loaves of bread to the troops under my command, because they are exhausted, for I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."

5He 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."

6But the princes of Succoth asked, "Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands that we should give bread to your army?"

6The leaders of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?"

7Gideon replied, "Very well, when the LORD has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will tear your flesh with thorns and briers from the wilderness!"

7Gideon said, "All right, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will thrash your bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

8He went from there to Penuel and asked the same thing from them. The men of Penuel answered just as the men of Succoth had answered.

8He went up from there to Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered.

9He also told the men of Penuel, "When I return safely, I will tear down this tower!"

9So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, "When I return safely, I will tear down this tower."

10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and with them was their army of about fifteen thousand men, who were all those left of the entire army of the Qedemites. Those who had been killed were one hundred twenty thousand armed men.

10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of the entire army of the sons of the east; for the fallen were 120,000 swordsmen.

11Gideon traveled on the caravan route east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked their army while the army felt secure.

11Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the camp when the camp was unsuspecting.

12Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them. He captured these two kings of Midian and routed the entire army.

12When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

13Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the Ascent of Heres.

13Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres.

14He captured a youth from the men of Succoth and interrogated him. The youth wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven leaders and elders of Succoth.

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

15Then he went to the men of Succoth and said, "Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You taunted me about them, saying, 'Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your power that we should give bread to your exhausted men?'"

15He came to the men of Succoth and said, "Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?'"

16So he took the elders of the city, and he took some thorns and briers from the wilderness, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them.

16He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them.

17He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

17He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

18He asked Zebah and Zalmunna, "What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?" "They were like you," they said. "Each resembled the son of a king."

18Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, "What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?" And they said, "They were like you, each one resembling the son of a king."

19So 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."

19He said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you."

20Then he said to Jether, his firstborn, "Get up and kill them." The youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth.

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.

21Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Get up and strike us down yourself, for a man is judged by his strength." So Gideon got up, killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Rise up yourself, and fall on us; for as the man, so is his strength." So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels' necks.

22Then the Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us, you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian."

22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son's son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian."

23But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you."

23But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you."

24Then he said to them, "Let me make a request of you: Everyone give me an earring from his plunder." Now the enemy had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.

24Yet Gideon said to them, "I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil." (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

25They said, "We agree to give them." So they spread out a cloak, and everyone threw an earring from his plunder on it.

25They said, "We will surely give them." So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil.

26The weight of the gold earrings he requested was forty-three pounds of gold, in addition to the crescent ornaments and ear pendants, the purple garments on the kings of Midian, and the chains on the necks of their camels.

26The 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.

27Gideon made an ephod from all this and put it in Ophrah, his hometown. Then all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

27Gideon 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.

28So Midian was subdued before the Israelites, and they were no longer a threat. The land had peace for forty years during the days of Gideon.

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

29Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) son of Joash went back to live at his house.

29Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.

30Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, since he had many wives.

30Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.

31His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.

31His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.

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

32And Gideon the son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33When Gideon died, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves by worshiping the Baals and made Baal-berith their god.

33Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god.

34The Israelites did not remember the LORD their God who had rescued them from the hand of the enemies around them.

34Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;

35They did not show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) for all the good he had done for Israel.

35nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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