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Hebrew Study Bible

1The Ephraimites said to him, "Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us when you went to fight the Midianites!" They argued vehemently with him.

1וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ אֶפְרַ֗יִם מָֽה־ הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְבִלְתִּי֙ קְרֹ֣אות לָ֔נוּ כִּ֥י הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בְּמִדְיָ֑ן וַיְרִיב֥וּן אִתּ֖וֹ בְּחָזְקָֽה׃

2He said to them, "Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraim's leftover grapes are better quality than Abiezer's harvest!

2וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם מֶה־ עָשִׂ֥יתִי עַתָּ֖ה כָּכֶ֑ם הֲל֗וֹא ט֛וֹב עֹלְל֥וֹת אֶפְרַ֖יִם מִבְצִ֥יר אֲבִיעֶֽזֶר׃

3It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?" When he said this, they calmed down.

3בְּיֶדְכֶם֩ נָתַ֨ן אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־ שָׂרֵ֤י מִדְיָן֙ אֶת־ עֹרֵ֣ב וְאֶת־ זְאֵ֔ב וּמַה־ יָּכֹ֖לְתִּי עֲשׂ֣וֹת כָּכֶ֑ם אָ֗ז רָפְתָ֤ה רוּחָם֙ מֵֽעָלָ֔יו בְּדַבְּר֖וֹ הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

4Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River, and even though they were exhausted, they were still chasing the Midianites.

4וַיָּבֹ֥א גִדְע֖וֹן הַיַּרְדֵּ֑נָה עֹבֵ֣ר ה֗וּא וּשְׁלֹשׁ־ מֵא֤וֹת הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ עֲיֵפִ֖ים וְרֹדְפִֽים׃

5He said to the men of Succoth, "Give some loaves of bread to the men who are following me, because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."

5וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת תְּנוּ־ נָא֙ כִּכְּר֣וֹת לֶ֔חֶם לָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּרַגְלָ֑י כִּי־ עֲיֵפִ֣ים הֵ֔ם וְאָנֹכִ֗י רֹדֵ֛ף אַחֲרֵ֛י זֶ֥בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֖ע מַלְכֵ֥י מִדְיָֽן׃

6The officials of Succoth said, "You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your army?"

6וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שָׂרֵ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת הֲ֠כַף זֶ֧בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֛ע עַתָּ֖ה בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ כִּֽי־ נִתֵּ֥ן לִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖ לָֽחֶם׃

7Gideon said, "Since you will not help, after the LORD hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh your skin with desert thorns and briers."

7וַיֹּ֣אמֶר גִּדְע֔וֹן לָכֵ֗ן בְּתֵ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־ זֶ֥בַח וְאֶת־ צַלְמֻנָּ֖ע בְּיָדִ֑י וְדַשְׁתִּי֙ אֶת־ בְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם אֶת־ קוֹצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־ הַֽבַּרְקֳנִֽים׃

8He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request. The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had.

8וַיַּ֤עַל מִשָּׁם֙ פְּנוּאֵ֔ל וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כָּזֹ֑את וַיַּעֲנ֤וּ אוֹתוֹ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י פְנוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָנ֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּֽוֹת׃

9He also threatened the men of Penuel, warning, "When I return victoriously, I will tear down this tower."

9וַיֹּ֛אמֶר גַּם־ לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י פְנוּאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בְּשׁוּבִ֣י בְשָׁל֔וֹם אֶתֹּ֖ץ אֶת־ הַמִּגְדָּ֥ל הַזֶּֽה׃ פ

10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies. There were about fifteen thousand survivors from the army of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand sword-wielding soldiers had been killed.

10וְזֶ֨בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֜ע בַּקַּרְקֹ֗ר וּמַחֲנֵיהֶ֤ם עִמָּם֙ כַּחֲמֵ֤שֶׁת עָשָׂר֙ אֶ֔לֶף כֹּ֚ל הַנּ֣וֹתָרִ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל מַחֲנֵ֣ה בְנֵי־ קֶ֑דֶם וְהַנֹּ֣פְלִ֔ים מֵאָ֨ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ שֹׁ֥לֵֽף חָֽרֶב׃

11Gideon went up the road of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and ambushed the surprised army.

11וַיַּ֣עַל גִּדְע֗וֹן דֶּ֚רֶךְ הַשְּׁכוּנֵ֣י בָֽאֳהָלִ֔ים מִקֶּ֥דֶם לְנֹ֖בַח וְיָגְבֳּהָ֑ה וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הָ֥יָה בֶֽטַח׃

12When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, Gideon chased them and captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He had surprised their entire army.

12וַיָּנ֗וּסוּ זֶ֚בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּלְכֹּ֞ד אֶת־ שְׁנֵ֣י ׀ מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן אֶת־ זֶ֙בַח֙ וְאֶת־ צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וְכָל־ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הֶחֱרִֽיד׃

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

13וַיָּ֛שָׁב גִּדְע֥וֹן בֶּן־ יוֹאָ֖שׁ מִן־ הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה מִֽלְמַעֲלֵ֖ה הֶחָֽרֶס׃

14He captured a young man from Succoth and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth's officials and city leaders--seventy-seven men in all.

14וַיִּלְכָּד־ נַ֛עַר מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּ֖וֹת וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֑הוּ וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב אֵלָ֜יו אֶת־ שָׂרֵ֤י סֻכּוֹת֙ וְאֶת־ זְקֵנֶ֔יהָ שִׁבְעִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה אִֽישׁ׃

15He approached the men of Succoth and said, "Look what I have! Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me, saying, 'You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?'"

15וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־ אַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֖ה זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֑ע אֲשֶׁר֩ חֵרַפְתֶּ֨ם אוֹתִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲ֠כַף זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֤ע עַתָּה֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ כִּ֥י נִתֵּ֛ן לַאֲנָשֶׁ֥יךָ הַיְּעֵפִ֖ים לָֽחֶם׃

16He seized the leaders of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then "threshed" the men of Succoth with them.

16וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־ זִקְנֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר וְאֶת־ קוֹצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־ הַֽבַּרְקֳנִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣דַע בָּהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּֽוֹת׃

17He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city's men.

17וְאֶת־ מִגְדַּ֥ל פְּנוּאֵ֖ל נָתָ֑ץ וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֖ג אֶת־ אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעִֽיר׃

18He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, "Describe for me the men you killed at Tabor." They said, "They were like you. Each one looked like a king's son."

18וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־ זֶ֙בַח֙ וְאֶל־ צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע אֵיפֹה֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲרַגְתֶּ֖ם בְּתָב֑וֹר וַֽיֹּאמרוּ֙‪‬‪‬‪‬ כָּמ֣וֹךָ כְמוֹהֶ֔ם אֶחָ֕ד כְּתֹ֖אַר בְּנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

19He said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, as surely as the LORD is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you."

19וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַחַ֥י בְּנֵֽי־ אִמִּ֖י הֵ֑ם חַי־ יְהוָ֗ה ל֚וּ הַחֲיִתֶ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם לֹ֥א הָרַ֖גְתִּי אֶתְכֶֽם׃

20He ordered Jether his firstborn son, "Come on! Kill them!" But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, because he was still young.

20וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְיֶ֣תֶר בְּכוֹר֔וֹ ק֖וּם הֲרֹ֣ג אוֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־ שָׁלַ֨ף הַנַּ֤עַר חַרְבּוֹ֙ כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א כִּ֥י עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ נָֽעַר׃

21Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, "Come on, you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength." So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.

21וַיֹּ֜אמֶר זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֗ע ק֤וּם אַתָּה֙ וּפְגַע־ בָּ֔נוּ כִּ֥י כָאִ֖ישׁ גְּבוּרָת֑וֹ וַיָּ֣קָם גִּדְע֗וֹן וַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־ זֶ֣בַח וְאֶת־ צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־ הַשַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃

22The men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us--you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian's power."

22וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אִֽישׁ־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־ גִּדְע֔וֹן מְשָׁל־ בָּ֙נוּ֙ גַּם־ אַתָּ֔ה גַּם־ בִּנְךָ֖ גַּ֣ם בֶּן־ בְּנֶ֑ךָ כִּ֥י הוֹשַׁעְתָּ֖נוּ מִיַּ֥ד מִדְיָֽן׃

23Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you."

23וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ גִּדְע֔וֹן לֹֽא־ אֶמְשֹׁ֤ל אֲנִי֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־ יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בְּנִ֖י בָּכֶ֑ם יְהוָ֖ה יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶֽם׃

24Gideon continued, "I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken." (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

24וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם גִּדְע֗וֹן אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤ה מִכֶּם֙ שְׁאֵלָ֔ה וּתְנוּ־ לִ֕י אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֣זֶם שְׁלָל֑וֹ כִּֽי־ נִזְמֵ֤י זָהָב֙ לָהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים הֵֽם׃

25They said, "We are happy to give you earrings." So they spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it.

25וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ נָת֣וֹן נִתֵּ֑ן וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֙ אֶת־ הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁלִ֣יכוּ שָׁ֔מָּה אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֥זֶם שְׁלָלֽוֹ׃

26The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels. This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels.

26וַיְהִ֗י מִשְׁקַ֞ל נִזְמֵ֤י הַזָּהָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔ל אֶ֥לֶף וּשְׁבַע־ מֵא֖וֹת זָהָ֑ב לְ֠בַד מִן־ הַשַּׂהֲרֹנִ֨ים וְהַנְּטִפ֜וֹת וּבִגְדֵ֣י הָאַרְגָּמָ֗ן שֶׁעַל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּלְבַד֙ מִן־ הָ֣עֲנָק֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃

27Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.

27וַיַּעַשׂ֩ אוֹת֨וֹ גִדְע֜וֹן לְאֵפ֗וֹד וַיַּצֵּ֨ג אוֹת֤וֹ בְעִירוֹ֙ בְּעָפְרָ֔ה וַיִּזְנ֧וּ כָֽל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אַחֲרָ֖יו שָׁ֑ם וַיְהִ֛י לְגִדְע֥וֹן וּלְבֵית֖וֹ לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃

28The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites' fighting spirit was broken. The land had rest for forty years during Gideon's time.

28וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מִדְיָ֗ן לִפְנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א יָסְפ֖וּ לָשֵׂ֣את רֹאשָׁ֑ם וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֛רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בִּימֵ֥י גִדְעֽוֹן׃ פ

29Then Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and settled down.

29וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ יְרֻבַּ֥עַל בֶּן־ יוֹאָ֖שׁ וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּבֵיתֽוֹ׃

30Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives.

30וּלְגִדְע֗וֹן הָיוּ֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים בָּנִ֔ים יֹצְאֵ֖י יְרֵכ֑וֹ כִּֽי־ נָשִׁ֥ים רַבּ֖וֹת הָ֥יוּ לֽוֹ׃

31His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech.

31וּפִֽילַגְשׁוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם יָֽלְדָה־ לּ֥וֹ גַם־ הִ֖יא בֵּ֑ן וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־ שְׁמ֖וֹ אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃

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

32וַיָּ֛מָת גִּדְע֥וֹן בֶּן־ יוֹאָ֖שׁ בְּשֵׂיבָ֣ה טוֹבָ֑ה וַיִּקָּבֵ֗ר בְּקֶ֙בֶר֙ יוֹאָ֣שׁ אָבִ֔יו בְּעָפְרָ֖ה אֲבִ֥י הָֽעֶזְרִֽי׃ פ

33After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith their god.

33וַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ מֵ֣ת גִּדְע֔וֹן וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּזְנ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַבְּעָלִ֑ים וַיָּשִׂ֧ימוּ לָהֶ֛ם בַּ֥עַל בְּרִ֖ית לֵאלֹהִֽים׃

34The Israelites did not remain true to the LORD their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them.

34וְלֹ֤א זָֽכְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם הַמַּצִּ֥יל אוֹתָ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד כָּל־ אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם מִסָּבִֽיב׃

35They did not treat the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.

35וְלֹֽא־ עָשׂ֣וּ חֶ֔סֶד עִם־ בֵּ֥ית יְרֻבַּ֖עַל גִּדְע֑וֹן כְּכָל־ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה עִם־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

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