English Standard Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they accused him fiercely.

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.

2And 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 grape harvest of Abiezer?

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?

3God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger against him subsided when he said this.

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.

4And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing.

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

5So he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

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."

6And the officials of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”

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

7So Gideon said, “Well then, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”

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!"

8And from there he went up to Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

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.

9And he said to the men of Penuel, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”

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

10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army, about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword.

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.

11And Gideon went up by the way of the tent dwellers east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the army, for the army felt secure.

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

12And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and he threw all the army into a panic.

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

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

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

14And he captured a young man of Succoth and questioned him. And he wrote down for him the officials and elders of Succoth, seventy-seven men.

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.

15And he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about 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 exhausted?’”

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?'"

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

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.

17And he broke down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

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

18Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Where are the men whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “As you are, so were they. Every one of them resembled the son of a king.”

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."

19And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.”

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."

20So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise and kill them!” But the young man did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a young man.

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.

21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself and fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength.” And Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

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.

22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

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."

23Gideon 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, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you."

24And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

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.

25And they answered, “We will willingly give them.” And they spread a cloak, and every man threw in it the earrings of his spoil.

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

26And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were around the necks of their camels.

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.

27And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.

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.

28So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel, and they raised their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

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.

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

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

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

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

31And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech.

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

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

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.

33As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god.

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

34And the people of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side,

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

35and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.

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

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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